Changes to legislation: Children Act 1989, Section 31 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before
14 June 2022. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear
in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) View outstanding changes
Children Act 1989
1989 CHAPTER 41
PART IV
CARE AND SUPERVISION
General
31 Care and Supervision
(1) On the application of any local authority or authorised person, the court may make
an order—
(a) placing the child with respect to whom the application is made in the care of
a designated local authority; or
(b) putting him under the supervision of a designated local authority F1. . ..
(2) A court may only make a care order or supervision order if it is satisfied—
(a) that the child concerned is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm; and
(b) that the harm, or likelihood of harm, is attributable to—
(i) the care given to the child, or likely to be given to him if the order
were not made, not being what it would be reasonable to expect a
parent to give to him; or
(ii) the child’s being beyond parental control.
(3) No care order or supervision order may be made with respect to a child who has
reached the age of seventeen (or sixteen, in the case of a child who is married).
[F2(3A) A court deciding whether to make a care order—
(a) is required to consider the permanence provisions of the section 31A plan for
the child concerned, but
(b) is not required to consider the remainder of the section 31A plan, subject to
section 34(11).
[F3(3B) For the purposes of subsection (3A), the permanence provisions of a section 31A plan
are—
