Child Care Act 1991
F130[Special care order.
23H.—(1) Where the High Court is satisfied that—
(a) the child has attained the age of 11 years,
(b) the behaviour of the child poses a real and substantial risk of harm to his or her life, health, safety, development or welfare,
(c) having regard to that behaviour and risk of harm and the care requirements of the child—
(i) the provision, or the continuation of the provision, by the F131[Child and Family Agency] to that child of care, other than special care, and
(ii) treatment and mental health services under, and within the meaning of, the Mental Health Act 2001,
will not adequately address that behaviour and risk of harm and those care requirements,
(d) having regard to paragraph (c), the child requires special care to adequately address—
(i) that behaviour and risk of harm, and
(ii) those care requirements,
which the F131[Child and Family Agency] cannot provide to the child unless a special care order is made in respect of that child,
(e) the F131[Child and Family Agency] has carried out the consultation referred to in section 23F(3) or, where the F131[Child and Family Agency] has not carried out that consultation, the High Court is satisfied that it is in the best interests of the child not to have carried out that consultation having regard to the grounds provided in accordance with section 23F(9),
(f) in respect of the family welfare conference referred to in section 23F(5)—
(i) the F131[Child and Family Agency] has convened the family welfare conference and the F131[Child and Family Agency] has had regard to the recommendations notified in accordance with section 12 of the Act of 2001, or
(ii) it is in the best interests of the child that the family welfare conference was not convened having regard to the information and grounds provided in accordance with section 23F(10),
(g) for the purposes of protecting the life, health, safety, development or welfare of the child, the child requires special care, and
(h) having regard to paragraphs (a) to (g), the detention of the child in a special care unit, as it is required for the purpose of providing special care to him or her, is in the best interests of the child,
the High Court may make a special care order in respect of that child.
(2) A special care order shall specify the period for which it has effect and that period shall not exceed 3 months from the day on which that order is made unless that period is extended under section 23J and shall—
(a) commit the child in respect of whom it is made to the care of the F131[Child and Family Agency],
(b) direct the F131[Child and Family Agency] to detain that child in a special care unit, which the F131[Child and Family Agency] considers appropriate for that child, for the purpose of providing that child with special care, and
(c) direct the F131[Child and Family Agency] to provide special care to the child and to generally care for and maintain the child,
and the High Court may make such other provision and give directions, as it, having regard to all the circumstances of the child, considers necessary and in the best interests of the child.
(3) For the purposes of executing a special care order the High Court may—
(a) make an order directing a person who has actual custody of the child to deliver that child to the custody of the F131[Child and Family Agency],
(b) make an order directing the Garda Síochána to search for and find the child and to deliver the child to the custody of the F131[Child and Family Agency], at a special care unit specified by the F131[Child and Family Agency], and
(c) issue a warrant authorising a member of the Garda Síochána, accompanied by such other members of the Garda Síochána or such other persons as may be necessary, to enter, if need be by force, any house or other place specified in the warrant, including any building or part of a building, tent, caravan, or other temporary or moveable structure, vehicle, vessel, or aircraft where the child is, or where there are reasonable grounds for believing that he or she is, and to deliver the child into the custody of the F131[Child and Family Agency] at the special care unit in which the child is to be detained,
and the High Court may, in respect of such order or warrant, give directions as, having regard to all the circumstances of the child, it considers necessary and in the best interests of the child.
(4) Where the High Court makes a special care order the F131[Child and Family Agency] shall inform the Garda Síochána immediately that the special care order has been made and of the terms and conditions of that order and an order made, or warrant issued, if any, under this section and an order, if any, made under section 23NA(1).
(5) A person shall be deemed to have been given, or shown, a copy of a special care order or an order made, or warrant issued, under subsection (3) if that person was present at the sitting of the High Court at which that special care order or that order was made or that warrant was issued.]
Annotations
Amendments:
F130
Substituted (31.12.2017)by Child Care (Amendment) Act 2011 (19/2011), s. 10, S.I. No. 637 of 2017, subject to transitional provisions in s. 48.
F131
Substituted (1.01.2014) by Child and Family Agency Act 2013 (40/2013), s. 97 and sch. 2 part 4 item 1, S.I. No. 502 of 2013.
F132
Substituted by Family Courts Act 2024 (48/2024), s. 80(h), not commenced as of date of revision.
Modifications (not altering text):
C26
Prospective affecting provision: subss. (1), (1)(e), (2), (3), (4), (5) amended by Family Courts Act 2024 (48/2024), s. 80(h), not commenced as of date of revision.
F130[ ...
23H.—(1) Where the F132[Family High Court] is satisfied that—
...
(e) the F131[Child and Family Agency] has carried out the consultation referred to in section 23F(3) or, where the F131[Child and Family Agency] has not carried out that consultation, the F132[Family High Court] is satisfied that it is in the best interests of the child not to have carried out that consultation having regard to the grounds provided in accordance with section 23F(9),
...
the F132[Family High Court] may make a special care order in respect of that child.
(2) ...
and the F132[Family High Court] may make such other provision and give directions, as it, having regard to all the circumstances of the child, considers necessary and in the best interests of the child.
(3) For the purposes of executing a special care order the F132[Family High Court] may—
...
and the F132[Family High Court] may, in respect of such order or warrant, give directions as, having regard to all the circumstances of the child, it considers necessary and in the best interests of the child.
(4) Where the F132[Family High Court] makes a special care order the F131[Child and Family Agency] shall inform the Garda Síochána immediately that the special care order has been made and of the terms and conditions of that order and an order made, or warrant issued, if any, under this section and an order, if any, made under section 23NA(1).
(5) A person shall be deemed to have been given, or shown, a copy of a special care order or an order made, or warrant issued, under subsection (3) if that person was present at the sitting of the F132[Family High Court] at which that special care order or that order was made or that warrant was issued.]
Editorial Notes:
E81
Previous affecting provision: Part IVA (ss. 23A-23N) inserted (23.09.2004) by Children Act 2001 (24/2001), s. 16, S.I. No. 548 of 2004 (s. 23D commenced (23.07.2007) by S.I. No. 524 of 2007 and repealed on the same date); section substituted as per F-note above.
