Welfare of Children Ordinance, 2008 - St Helena

24 Welfare of Children
LAWS OF
ST. HELENA
within that period an order has been made in accordance with that application.
(3) The Supreme Court may, on an application in that behalf or of its own motion,
order that a child who is a ward of court shall cease to be a ward of court.
(4) No application may be made by the Department under subsection (1) unless the
Department has obtained the leave of the Supreme Court, which shall not be granted unless the
Court is satisfied that—
(a) the result which the Department wishes to achieve could not be achieved through
the making of any other order for which the Department is entitled to apply
(b)
(assuming that any requisite leave were granted); and
there is reasonable cause to believe that, if a wardship order is not granted with
respect to the child, he will suffer, or be likely to suffer, significant harm.
(5) The making of a care order with respect to a child who is a ward of court brings the
wardship to an end.
Restriction on further applications
28. On disposing of any application for an order under this Part, a court may (whether
or not it makes any other order in the proceedings) order that no application for an order under
this Ordinance of any specified kind may be made with respect to the child concerned by any
person named in the order without the leave of the court (that is, the leave of any court having
jurisdiction to hear the application in question).
General duties of Department
PART V
GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF DEPARTMENT
Division 1
General
29. (1) The Department shall be responsible for—
(a) promoting the welfare and rights of children in St. Helena;
(b) promoting awareness of the views and interests of children in St. Helena;
(c) providing, or making arrangements for the provision of, training in child care and
parenting; and
(d) providing and disseminating information and advice on child care, parenting and
other matters affecting the welfare and rights of children.
(2) In exercising its functions under this Ordinance, the Department shall, for the
purpose of promoting the welfare and rights of children, take reasonable steps designed to
reduce the need to bring—
(a) proceedings for care and supervision orders with respect to children;
(b) criminal proceedings against children;
(c) any family or other proceedings with respect to children which might lead to them
being placed in the Department's care; or
(d) proceedings under the inherent jurisdiction of the Supreme Court with respect to
children.
(3) In exercising its functions under this Ordinance, the Department may, for the
purpose of promoting awareness of the views and interests of children,—
(a) encourage persons exercising functions or engaged in activities affecting children
to take account of their views and interests;
This e-version of the text is not authoritative for use in court.