Children Act

The Children Act 1989 lays down the duties of local authorities to "children in need". In Scotland the relevant act is the Children Scotland Act 1995. According to the legislation, a child is in need if his/her health or development is impaired or imperilled. The Children Act 1989 emphasises working in partnership with children’s families, and favouring wherever feasible their being brought up within them. In terms of accommodation, the Children Act placed duties on local authorities to provide accommodation for care leavers and other young people deemed to be 'in need'. However, these duties were placed on Social Services which have limited access to accommodation and there have been problems with the interface between Social Services and Housing Departments. The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 gave local authorities in Scotland the power to provide accommodation to young people in need up to the age of 21. This keyword includes resources about these pieces of legislation and their impact on homelessness.