Definition of voluntary home – CA 1989 s. 60
CA 1989 s. 60 defines 'voluntary home' as a children's home run by a voluntary organisation, excluding community homes. Schedule 5 supplements this Part.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In this Act “ voluntary home ” means a children’s home which is carried on by a voluntary organisation but does not include a community home. Schedule 5 shall have effect for the purpose of supplementing the provisions of this Part.
Text in force at .
Source: legislation.gov.uk — The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk), reproduced under licence Open Government Licence v3.0.
What it actually says
This section defines the term 'voluntary home' as used in the Children Act 1989. It means a children's home that is run by a voluntary organisation (a non-profit body) but does not include a community home (a type of home provided by a local authority or jointly with a voluntary organisation under sections 53 to 58).
Whether a home falls within this definition determines which other provisions apply. For example, duties of voluntary organisations (section 61) and local authorities (section 62) turn on this classification, and private children's homes (section 63) are a separate category. Schedule 5 contains additional rules that supplement this Part of the Act.
When it applies
- A charity runs a residential home for children and wants to know if it qualifies as a voluntary home.
- A local authority operates a children's home – that home is a community home, not a voluntary home.
- A for-profit company runs a children's home – it falls under private children's homes (section 63), not this definition.
- A voluntary organisation takes over an existing children's home and needs to check whether it becomes a voluntary home under this section.
What this section does not say
- This provision does not define 'community home' – see sections 53 to 58 for that definition.
- It does not set out the duties of a voluntary organisation running a voluntary home – those are in section 61.
- It does not cover private children's homes run for profit – see section 63.
- It does not specify what qualifies as a 'children's home' – that is defined elsewhere in the Act.
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This page reproduces the text of CA 1989 s. 60 in force at the date shown and explains it in general terms. It is not legal advice and takes no account of the circumstances of your case, which can change the answer completely. For a live dispute, for limitation periods, and before taking any step in court, consult a qualified lawyer in England and Wales.