Schedule 1 · Powers of volunteer welfare officer

FIRST SCHEDULESection 3(4A)Powers of volunteer welfare officer

1. In this Schedule, “child or young person” means a child or young person who —

is in need of care or protection; or

is the subject of a voluntary care agreement or an order made under section 54(1) or 56(2), section 57 (read with section 56) or section 59.

to do any of the acts mentioned in paragraph 3 to ascertain —

the relationship between the child or young person, and his or her parent, guardian or care-giver;

the living conditions of, standard of care and supervision provided to, or progress made by, the child or young person; or

whether the child or young person has complied with the requirements imposed on him or her under a court order made under section 54(1) or 56(2), section 57 (read with section 56) or section 59, or the orders, rules or directions of the place of safety or place of temporary care and protection to which the child or young person is committed under any such order;

to provide transport to, escort or otherwise accompany, the child or young person, or his or her parent, guardian or care-giver to enable the child or young person, or his or her parent, guardian or care-giver (as the case may be) to attend a mediation, counselling, psychotherapy, medical appointment or other assessment, programme or treatment;

to supervise a meeting between the child or young person and his or her parent or guardian or any other person, where the care and custody of the child or young person has been committed to a care-giver who is not the parent or guardian;

to provide training to the parent, guardian or care-giver of the child or young person on how to provide care, protection, supervision or rehabilitation to the child or young person;

to communicate any information on the matters mentioned in sub-paragraph (a)(i), (ii) and (iii) to any protector or approved welfare officer to facilitate the protector or approved welfare officer to take such action as may be necessary in accordance with this Act to ensure that the child or young person receives the care, protection and supervision that he or she needs;

to take charge of the child or young person for the duration when the parent, guardian or care-giver of the child or young person is attending a meeting with a protector or an approved welfare officer;

to impart prosocial life skills to the child or young person to facilitate his or her rehabilitation, and to promote the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of the child or young person.

to enter —

the home of any parent, or where the child or young person has one or more guardians, any guardian, or the care-giver, of the child or young person; or

the premises of the place of safety or place of temporary care and protection to which the child or young person is committed,without having to give prior notice to the parent, guardian, care-giver or the person-in-charge of the place of safety or place of temporary care and protection;

to interview any parent, or where the child or young person has one or more guardians, any guardian, or the care-giver, of the child or young person, whether at a meeting, by way of a telephone call or any other means, and take statements from the parent, guardian or care-giver, as the case may be; and

to enter the early childhood development centre, school or student care centre attended by the child or young person for the purpose of —

observing the child’s or young person’s behaviour when attending lessons and during recess periods; and

interviewing the teachers of the child or young person on matters concerning the child or young person.[Act 31 of 2022 wef 01/11/2022]