The local authority owed the section 20(1) duty towards a 17 year old girl who was about to be released from a Secure Training Centre. It argued however that the duty no longer applied because she had agreed to go to a hostel for homeless women under the homelessness legislation, though also conceding that she could have been accommodated there under the Children Act.
Held: She had in fact been placed there in fulfilment of their Children Act obligations, and they continued to owe her obligations after she reached the age of 18.
Judges:
Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony MR, Arden, Hooper LJJ
Citations:
[2007] EWCA Civ 790, 10 CCLR 615
Links:
Statutes:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Helpful – H and others v London Borough of Wandsworth and others Admn 23-Apr-2007
In three linked cases, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children had had assistance with housing from the local social services authorities. They claimed entitlement to support as former relevant children under section 20. The local authorities argued . .
Cited by:
Cited – M, Regina (on the Application of) v London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham HL 27-Feb-2008
M, a girl aged 16 had become estranged from her mother, and sought housing assistance. She was not referred to the authority’s children’s services, and was not housed. The House examined the duties of local authorities under the section towards . .
Cited – G, Regina (on the Application of) v London Borough Of Southwark HL 20-May-2009
The House was asked whether when a child of 16 or 17 who was ejected from home and presents himself to a local children’s services authority and asks to be accommodated by them under section 20 of the Children Act 1989, it is open to that authority . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Children, Local Government
Updated: 11 July 2022; Ref: scu.258425
