Children Act – accommodation
Section 17 Children Act 1989 Act did not impose a duty on the local authority to provide accommodation for both the mother and her child and it was lawful for the local authority to offer accommodation for the child only under s20, where the mother was not entitled to housing for the homeless, income support or housing benefit. The mother had come to the UK from Holland and, where it was in the best interests for the child to remain with its mother, it was perfectly legitimate for the LA to choose to meet its obligations by offering to pay the fare for mother and child to return to their country of origin.
In J v Enfield (March 2002), however, the High Court held that it is possible to read s2 Local Government Act 2000 broadly enough to authorise financial assistance to a parent to secure accommodation for herself and a child.