Children and Young Persons Act
(CHAPTER 38)

(Original Enactment: Act 1 of 1993)

REVISED EDITION 1994
(15th March 1994)
An Act to consolidate the law relating to children and young persons.
[21st March 1993]
PART I
PRELIMINARY
Short title
1.  This Act may be cited as the Children and Young Persons Act.
Interpretation
2.  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;
“child” means a person who is below the age of 14 years;
“Director” means the Director of Social Welfare and includes Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors of Social Welfare and such other person as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, declare to be a person who may exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Director;
“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;
“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 53(1);
“remand home” means any home or institution or part thereof provided or appointed by the Minister as a remand home under section 51(1) 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 65;
“young person” means a person who is 14 years of age or above and below the age of 16 years.