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CHILD WELFARE ACT 1947

Table of Provisions

PART I -- Preliminary  

  • 1 Short title
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  • 3A Principle -- interests of child paramount
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  • 4 Interpretation

PART II -- Administrative provisions  

  • 6 Duty of Director-General
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  • 7 Inspectors and other officers
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  • 8 Visitors
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  • 9A Delegation
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  • 9B Review of decision of delegate
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  • 10 General powers of Director-General
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  • 10A General function of the Director-General
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  • 10B Director-General may delegate and sub-delegate
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  • 10C Exchange of information
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  • 11 Records to be kept
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  • 12 Application of Financial Administration and Audit Act 1985

PART III -- Facilities  

  • 13 Departmental facilities
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  • 14 Subsidized facilities and voluntary facilities
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  • 15 Declaration of subsidized facilities
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  • 16 Manager to be approved
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  • 17 Maintenance by religious denominations
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  • 18 Judges, magistrates and members may visit centres
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  • 18A Visits by officers of Department

PART IV -- Wards and children under Departmental control  

  • 28 Remand for observation
  • Children in Need of Care and Protection and Uncontrolled Children  
  • 29 Power to apprehend child in need of care and protection
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  • 30 Powers of court with respect to children in need of care and protection
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  • 31 Order for detention
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  • 31A Punishment for misconduct or neglect causing a child to be in need of care and protection
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  • 32 How an uncontrolled child may be dealt with
  • General Provisions  
  • 40A Orders for maintenance of wards
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  • 43 Form of order
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  • 44 Statement of age and religion to be prima facie evidence
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  • 44A Director-General to give child a name
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  • 45 Certificate of person in charge of detention centre, etc., indorsed on order to be prima facie evidence
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  • 46 Absconders may be apprehended without warrant
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  • 47 Minister may release child
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  • 47A Authority for Minister to commit child to care of Department
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  • 47B Minister may commit to Departmental care a child left without parents, etc.
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  • 47C Parents may apply for committal of child
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  • 49 Minister may extend committal
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  • 50 Power to sign documents
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  • 52 Wards to attend school regularly
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  • 54 Wages may be paid into a savings bank
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  • 55 Moneys banked may be expended for child’s benefit
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  • 56 Director-General may recover wages
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  • 60 Change of residence to be notified by foster-parent
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  • 61 Notice to be given in certain cases
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  • 64 Placed out children to be visited
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  • 65 Minister may pay for maintenance of child
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  • 66 Payments for maintenance of children to foster-parent
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  • 66A Reciprocity between States as to care of wards and children under control of Department
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  • 66B Restriction on removal of children out of the State
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  • 66C Director-General may assist children of absent parents
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  • 66D Recovery of certain moneys
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  • 67 Warrant to apprehend certain children
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  • 68 Applying for warrant

PART VII -- Restrictions on employment of children  

  • 106 Definition
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  • 107 Supply of false information to employers an offence
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  • 107A Street trading
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  • 107B Employment other than street trading
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  • 107C Proceedings against employers may be taken by industrial inspectors
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  • 108 Restriction on employment of children for indecent purposes
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  • 109 Power for Director-General or authorised officer to enter certain places

PART VIII -- Lying-in homes, the care, charge or custody of children, and the adoption of children  

  • 110 Power to assist women in lying-in homes
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  • 111 Foster-parents to be licensed
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  • 112 Department may license foster-parents
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  • 113 Penalty for unlicensed foster-parents
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  • 114 Exceeding licensed numbers
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  • 115 Lying-in homes to be open for inspection
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  • 117 Register to be kept by foster-parents
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  • 120 Person taking entire charge of child to give notice to Director-General

PART VIIIA -- Transfer of child protection orders and proceedings

Division 1 -- Preliminary  

  • 120A Purpose of PART
  •  
  • 120B Interpretation

Division 2 -- Transfer of child protection orders

Subdivision 1 -- Administrative transfers  
  • 120C When Director-General may transfer order
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  • 120D Director-General to have regard to certain matters
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  • 120E Notification of decision to transfer
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  • 120F Limited period for review of decision
  • Subdivision 2 -- Judicial transfers  
  • 120G When court may transfer order
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  • 120H Service of application
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  • 120I Court to have regard to certain matters
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  • 120J Type of order
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  • 120K Court shall consider report from the Director-General
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  • 120L Appeals

Division 3 -- Transfer of child protection proceedings  

  • 120M When court may make order under this Division
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  • 120N Service of application
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  • 120O Court to have regard to certain matters
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  • 120P Interim order
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  • 120Q Appeals

Division 4 -- Registration  

  • 120R Filing of interstate orders in the court
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  • 120S Registration of interstate orders
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  • 120T Notification by registrar of court
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  • 120U Effect of registration
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  • 120V Revocation of registration

Division 5 -- Miscellaneous  

  • 120W Effect of registration of transferred order
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  • 120X Transfer of court file
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  • 120Y Hearing and determination of transferred proceeding
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  • 120Z Disclosure of information
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  • 120ZA Discretion of Director-General to consent to transfer
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  • 120ZB Evidence of consent of relevant interstate officer

PART IX -- Procedure, penalties, and general provisions  

  • 122 Person appointed by Minister may conduct cases where complaint made
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  • 125 Interfering with wards or children placed under control of the Department an offence
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  • 127 Communicating with children in Departmental centres, etc. an offence
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  • 128 Offence to permit escape
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  • 130 Offence of deserting children
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  • 130A Parents who leave the State
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  • 138A Tattooing
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  • 138B Immediate care
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  • 142 General penalty
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  • 145 Order to be a defence to actions
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  • 146A Entry of premises
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  • 146B Personation of officers of Department an offence
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  • 146C Exemption from personal liability
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  • 149 Regulations

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