Children and Young Persons (Board of Visitors) Regulations

Children and Young Persons Act

(CHAPTER 38, Section 85)

Children and Young Persons
(Board of Visitors) Regulations¹

¹Replaces R1, 1990 Ed. (S 190/74).

Rg 2

G.N. No. S 64/1993

REVISED EDITION 1994

(30th March 1994)

[21st March 1993]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Children and Young Persons (Board of Visitors) Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“board of visitors” means a board of visitors appointed under section 65(1) of the Act;

“resident” means any child or young person for the time being detained under the Act in a remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety.

Constitution of board of visitors

3.—(1) Every board of visitors shall consist of —

(a)	a Chairman;
(b)	a Vice-Chairman; and
(c)	such number of other members as the Minister may think fit to appoint.

(2) At least one of the members of every board of visitors shall be a nominee of the Director.

(3) The Minister may at any time revoke the appointment of any member of a board of visitors.

Chairman

4.—(1) The Chairman of a board of visitors shall be appointed by the Minister from amongst the members thereof.

(2) The Chairman of a board of visitors shall preside at all meetings thereof.

Vice-Chairman

5.—(1) The Vice-Chairman of a board of visitors shall be elected by the board of visitors from amongst its members.

(2) In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the board of visitors and shall have and may exercise all the powers and functions of the Chairman.

Secretary

6. The Director shall appoint a secretary to each board of visitors, except that the person appointed shall not —

(a)	be a member of the board of visitors; or
(b)	vote at any proceedings of the board of visitors.

Term of office of members of board of visitors

7.—(1) Each member of a board of visitors shall hold office for a period of not more than two years from the date of his appointment and shall be eligible for reappointment on completion of that period unless —

(a)	he resigns during his term of office; or
(b)	his appointment is revoked by the Minister under regulation 3(3).

(2) Any member of a board of visitors may resign from his appointment at any time by giving notice in writing to the Minister.

(3) If a member of a board of visitors dies, resigns, has his appointment revoked by the Minister under regulation 3(3) or otherwise vacates his office before the expiry of the term for which he has been appointed, the Minister may appoint any other person to fill the vacancy for so long as the member in whose place that person is appointed would have held office.

(4) A board of visitors shall not be precluded from holding a meeting or acting in any matter merely by reason of any vacancy in its membership.

Meetings

8.—(1) A board of visitors shall meet as often as may be required, but in any case, it shall meet at least once in every 3 months.

(2) The quorum at every meeting of a board of visitors shall be half of the total number of members of the board of visitors.

(3) No business of a board of visitors shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum is present.

(4) Every question coming before or arising at any meeting of a board of visitors shall be decided by a majority of members present and voting thereon at the meeting and, in the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman or, in his absence, the Vice-Chairman shall have a casting vote.

Attendance of manager and staff of remand home, etc., at meeting of board of visitors

9. The manager and the members of the staff of a remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety shall attend any meeting held by the board of visitors appointed in respect of the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety if required by the board of visitors to do so.

Duties of members of board of visitors

10.—(1) Not less than two members of each board of visitors shall visit together at least once in two months each remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety in respect of which the board of visitors is appointed.

(2) Any member of a board of visitors may, whenever he thinks fit, enter the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety in respect of which the board of visitors is appointed and examine the conditions thereof in order to —

(a)

ascertain, so far as is possible, whether the provisions of the Act and any regulations made thereunder governing the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety are being adhered to, and call the attention of the manager of the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety to any irregularity as may be observed in the management thereof or the treatment of the residents therein; and

(b)

hear any complaint which any resident may wish to make.

(3) Any member of a board of visitors may record any observation as he thinks fit in the book kept for that purpose by the manager of the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety in respect of which the board of visitors is appointed.

(4) No member of a board of visitors shall be concerned with the general administrative matters of the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety in respect of which the board of visitors is appointed.

(5) Every board of visitors shall send to the Director any comments or recommendations it may make regarding a remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety in respect of which it is appointed.

(6) Upon receipt of any comments or recommendations from any board of visitors pursuant to paragraph (5), the Director shall take such action as may be necessary, and report to the board of visitors as soon as possible any action that has been taken by him.

Manager of remand home, etc., to assist members of board of visitors

11. Every manager shall use his best endeavours to assist any member of the board of visitors appointed in respect of the remand home, place of detention, approved home, approved school or place of safety in the exercise of his powers and the discharge of his functions under the Act or these Regulations.

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