Health Act, 1953

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Removal of child boarded out, etc.

56.—(1) Where a health authority have boarded out a child, arranged for the employment of a child or placed a child in a trade, calling, or business, the authority, at any time before the child has attained the age of sixteen years, may, with the consent of the Minister, and shall, if so required by the Minister, remove the child from the custody of the person with whom he was so boarded out, employed, or placed in a trade, calling, or business.

(2) Where a health authority have sent a child to a school approved of by the Minister, the authority—

(a) may at any time, with the consent of the Minister, remove the child from the school, and

(b) shall remove the child from the school if and when required so to do by the Minister or by the managers of the school, or upon the school ceasing to be approved of by the Minister.

(3) Where a child is removed by a health authority from the custody of a person with whom the child has been boarded out, employed or placed in a trade, calling, or business, any contract between the authority and such person in respect of the child shall terminate immediately upon the removal.

(4) Where a health authority are empowered or required by or under this section to remove a child from the custody of a person, such person shall deliver up the custody of the child to the authority on demand and, if such person wilfully refuses or neglects so to deliver up such custody, he shall be guilty of an offence under this subsection and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.

(5) Where a person is convicted of an offence under subsection (4) of this section, the Court shall make an order for the removal of the child from his custody to the custody of the health authority.