PART I | 1. This Act may be cited as the Children and Young Persons Act. |
2. | (1) | In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —| “approved home” means any institution or part thereof appointed or established under Part VI as an approved home; |
| “approved institution” means an institution approved under section 12 of the Probation of Offenders Act (Cap. 252) for the reception of persons who may be required to reside therein by a probation order; |
| “approved school” means any institution or part thereof appointed or established under Part VI as an approved school; |
| “approved welfare officer” means a person who is appointed by the Director under section 3(4) to carry out any investigation, assessment, supervision, consultation or evaluation in relation to any child or young person or the parent, guardian or family members thereof for the purpose of determining the welfare and state of development of such child or young person or for any other purpose under this Act; |
| “child” means a person who is below the age of 14 years; |
| “development” means physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development; |
| “Director” means the Director of Social Welfare appointed under section 3(1) and, in relation to any provision in this Act in which the word is used, includes any public officer or other person who is appointed or authorised by the Director under section 3(3) to perform any of the duties or exercise any of the powers of the Director under that provision; |
| “fit person” means a person whom the court or the protector, having regard to the character of the person, thinks competent to provide care, protection and supervision of a child or young person; |
| “guardian”, in relation to a child or young person, includes any person who, in the opinion of the court having cognizance of any case in relation to the child or young person, or in which the child or young person is concerned, has for the time being the charge of, or control over, the child or young person; |
| “health” means physical or mental health; |
| “ill-treatment”, in relation to a child or young person, has the meaning assigned to it in section 5; |
| “juvenile” means a male or female person who is 7 years of age or above and below the age of 16 years; |
| “manager” includes a director, manager and superintendent or other person having the management or control of any approved school, approved home, remand home, place of detention or place of safety; |
| “place of detention” means a place provided or appointed by the Minister as a place of detention under section 55(1); |
| “place of safety” means any place or institution appointed or declared to be a place of safety under section 27 or any other suitable place the occupier of which is willing temporarily to receive a child or young person; |
| “protector” means the Director and includes any public officer or other person who is appointed or authorised by the Director under section 3(3) to exercise the powers and perform the duties of a protector under this Act; |
| “registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act (Cap. 174), and includes a dentist registered under the Dentists Act (Cap. 76); |
“relevant offence” means —| (a) | any offence under Part II; | | (b) | any offence under Chapter XVI of the Penal Code (Cap. 224); or | | (c) | any offence involving the causing of bodily injury to a child or young person; |
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| “remand home” means any home or institution or part thereof provided or appointed by the Minister as a remand home under section 53 for the detention of juveniles sent there under the provisions of this Act; |
| “visitor” means a person appointed to be a member of a board of visitors under section 67; |
| “young person” means a person who is 14 years of age or above and below the age of 16 years. [20/2001] |
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| Appointment of Director of Social Welfare and other officers |
| 3.—(1) The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint an officer to be the Director of Social Welfare. [20/2001] | (2) The Director shall be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this Act, subject to the general or special directions of the Minister. [20/2001] |
(3) The Director may —| (a) | appoint any public officer; or | | (b) | with the approval of the Minister, in writing authorise any other person, |
| to perform any of the duties or exercise any of the powers of the Director or a protector under this Act subject to such conditions and limitations as may be specified by the Director. |
[20/2001] |
| (4) The Director may appoint any suitably qualified person as an approved welfare officer to carry out any investigation, assessment, supervision, consultation or evaluation in relation to any child or young person or the parent, guardian or family members thereof for the purpose of determining the welfare and state of development of such child or young person or for any other purpose under this Act. [20/2001] |
| (5) The Director and any public officer or other person appointed or authorised by him under subsection (3) and any approved welfare officer shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of the Penal Code (Cap. 224). [2A [20/2001] |
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