§ Mr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Education if he will enumerate the officials who, in connection with the responsibilities of his Department, whether direct or by delegation to local authority, are empowered to visit homes and advise parents and, either by court action or otherwise, to separate children from their parents.
§ Sir D. EcclesNo officers of my Department are so empowered. Local education authorities ascertain, through visits of their school attendance or welfare officers, whether children of compulsory school age in their areas are receiving suitable full-time education in accordance with the requirements of the Education Acts. Neither the authority nor its officers have power directly to enforce the fulfilment of this obligation but it is their duty, where necessary, to take proceedings in the courts.
The court may direct that the child be brought before a juvenile court and if the child is a registered pupil at a school the authority may itself bring the child before that court. If the juvenile court is satisfied that the child is in need of care or protection it has power to make 9W an order as a result of which the child may be separated from his parents. In exceptional cases a school attendance order may require a child to be sent to a school away from home, but here again enforcement is by the court.