Written 2009

In terms of my time within the care system there were two key Acts which played a pivotal role, the first and major piece of legislation being the 1989 Children's Act. However as I entered the care system prior to its implementation my circumstances also relate to the Matrimonial causes Act 1973. Of course at the time I was made subject to various pieces of legislation my awareness was zero - however at this point in time I am able to reflect on the legislation which governed my movement through the Care System. I have also added the Children's Act 2004, which is the major piece of legislation since the 1989 Children's Act. Whilst this has not had any direct impact upon my own circumstances, it is an Act which I am aware of and one that I need to be aware of given my current employment position. Should you wish to browse through some of the documents I received from the Social Services, which relate to my time in the care system, then there are explicit links made to both the Children's Act 1989 and the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973.

The Children's Act 1989

The Children's act 1989, implemented for the most part on the 14th October 1991, introduced what I would acertain to be comprehensive changes to legislation in both England and Wales that affected the welfare of children. The Act itself...

Reinforces the autonomy of families through defenition of parental responsibility.

Provides for support from local authorities, in particular for families whose children are in need and

Legislates to protect children who may be suffering or are likely to suffer significant harm.

Annual reports on the progress of the Act were published by the Children Act Advisory Committee until 1997, but the Committee was then abolished. The Government is required to publish a report on the Act every five years, and statistics on its application are also available.

Aims of the Act

So what are the main aims of the Act???

To bring together private and public law in one framework.

To achieve a better balance between protecting children and enabling parents to challenge state intervention

To encourage greater partnership between statutory authorities and parents

To promote the use of voluntary arrangements

To restructure the framework of the Courts to facilitate management of family proceedings.