137Authorised carers

137 Authorised carers

137 Authorised carers

(1) In this Act, authorised carer means—

(a) the principal officer of a designated agency, or

(b) a person who, in accordance with the regulations, is authorised as an authorised carer by a designated agency, or

(c) a person who, in accordance with the regulations, is otherwise authorised as an authorised carer, or

(d) subject to the regulations, a person who is assessed to be suitable to be approved to adopt a child under section 45 of the Adoption Act 2000.

(1A) If, in relation to a child or young person who is the subject of a care order, the Children’s Court has accepted that there is no realistic possibility of the child or young person being restored to his or her parents, a parent of the child or young person cannot—

(a) be given care responsibility for the child or young person, or

(b) be authorised by a designated agency as an authorised carer in respect of the child or young person,

unless the decision of the Court that there is no possibility of restoration is rescinded under section 90.

(2) The regulations may provide for the following—

(a) the authorisation of persons as authorised carers, including on a provisional basis,

(b) the making and determination of an application for authorisations,

(c) the imposition or variation of conditions on an authorisation, including, but not limited to the following—

(i) the maximum number of children and young persons who may be placed in the care of an authorised carer, including the maximum number in specified age groups,

(ii) the identification or description of children and young persons who may be placed in the care of an authorised carer,

(d) the period for which an authorisation remains in force,

(e) the cancellation or suspension of an authorisation, including events, the occurrence of which—

(i) result in automatic cancellation of an authorisation, or