Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Local Authority Targets (Well-Being of Young Children) Regulations 2007 and come into force on 5th June 2007.

(2) In these Regulations “foundation stage assessment scales” means the assessment scales described in the Foundation Stage Profile Handbook published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority( 2 ) in January 2003 with reference number QCA/03/1006.

General requirements

2. The Secretary of State may not set targets under section 1(3) of the Childcare Act 2006 in respect of a particular English local authority( 3 ) more frequently than once in each calendar year.

3. A target must be set by reference to one or more of the foundation stage assessment scales.

Procedure for setting targets

4. Prior to setting a target in relation to an English local authority, the Secretary of State must—

(a) notify the authority—

(i) that he is proposing to set the target by a date specified in the notification, such date not to be less than two months from the date of notification; and

(ii) of a date, such date not to be less than one month from the date of notification, by which the authority’s proposed target and any representations in respect of the target may be submitted; and

(b) have regard to—

(i) any target proposed by the authority; and

(ii) any representations submitted.

5. Where the Secretary of State proposes to set a target which is different from a target which has been proposed by an English local authority, he must—

(a) give the authority an account of his reasons; and

(b) specify a date by which further representations may be submitted.