Northern Territory Consolidated Acts

COMMUNITY WELFARE ACT - SECT 62

(1) Subject to subsection (5), the Minister may, on the application of a person having the custody of a child, enter into an agreement to admit the child into the temporary custody of the Minister for a period, subject to subsection (3), not exceeding 2 months.

(2) An agreement under subsection (1) shall set out the rights and responsibilities of the Minister in relation to the child.

(3) A period specified in an agreement under subsection (1) may be extended from time to time by the parties to the agreement by mutual consent for further periods, each not exceeding 2 months, but not extending beyond 6 months after the date the agreement was first entered into.

(4) The Minister may, as a condition of an agreement under subsection (1), receive contributions towards the maintenance of the child from the person making the application.

(5) An agreement under subsection (1) shall not be entered into in relation to a child who has attained the age of 15 years, unless the child has consented in writing to the Minister to be received into the temporary custody of the Minister.

(6) If at any time during which a child is in the temporary custody of the Minister in pursuance of an agreement under this section the person giving custody of the child to the Minister requests the Minister to return the child to his or her custody the Minister shall, within 48 hours after the request -

(a) return the child to the custody of the person; or

(b) where the Minister is of the opinion that it would not be in the best interest of the child to return the child to the custody of the person - make an application under Division 2 of Part VI in relation to the child.

(7) The Court may give such directions in relation to an application referred to in subsection (6), and make such orders for the temporary custody of a child to whom the application relates, as it thinks fit.