49Administration of psychotropic drugs to child in statutory out-of-home care—the Act, s 264(1A)(g)

49 Administration of psychotropic drugs to child in statutory out-of-home care—the Act, s 264(1A)(g)

49 Administration of psychotropic drugs to child in statutory out-of-home care—the Act, s 264(1A)(g)

(1) An authorised carer for a child in statutory out-of-home care must immediately notify the designated agency with supervisory responsibility for the placement of the child if a medical practitioner prescribes administration of a psychotropic drug to the child.

(2) On receiving the notification, the principal officer of the designated agency must prepare, or cause to be prepared and approve, a behaviour support plan for the child taking into account administration of the drug.

(3) This section applies to the administration of a psychotropic drug that is also a drug of addiction within the meaning of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 even if the drug is administered in accordance with an exemption referred to in the Act, section 175(4A).

Note—

For example, methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, is a psychotropic drug and is also a drug of addiction referred to in section 175(5), definition of special medical treatment, paragraph (c1). Methylphenidate is also the subject of an exemption under the Act, section 175(4A).

(4) In this section—

psychotropic drug means prescribed medication that can affect, by acting on the central nervous system, cognition, perception, thinking, mood, behaviour or level of arousal.