Children Act 1989, section 17ZD

Parent carers' needs assessments

Part III SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES PROVIDED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN ENGLAND

(1) A local authority F269 ... must, if the conditions in subsections (3) and (4) are met, assess whether a parent carer within their area has needs for support and, if so, what those needs are.

(2) In this Part “parent carer” means a person aged 18 or over who provides or intends to provide care for a disabled child for whom the person has parental responsibility.

(3)The first condition is that—

(a)it appears to the authority that the parent carer may have needs for support, or

(b)the authority receive a request from the parent carer to assess the parent carer's needs for support.

(4)The second condition is that the local authority are satisfied that the disabled child cared for and the disabled child's family are persons for whom they may provide or arrange for the provision of services under section 17.

(5) An assessment under subsection (1) is referred to in this Part as a “parent carer's needs assessment”.

(6)Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to a parent carer if the local authority have previously carried out a care-related assessment of the parent carer in relation to the same disabled child cared for.

(7)But subsection (1) does apply (and so a parent carer's needs assessment must be carried out) if it appears to the authority that the needs or circumstances of the parent carer or the disabled child cared for have changed since the last care-related assessment.

(8) “Care-related assessment” means—

(a)a parent carer's needs assessment;

(b)an assessment under any of the following—

(i)section 1 of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995;

(ii)section 6 of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000;

F270(iii). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F271 (iv)Part 1 of the Care Act 2014.F271]

(9)A parent carer's needs assessment must include an assessment of whether it is appropriate for the parent carer to provide, or continue to provide, care for the disabled child, in the light of the parent carer's needs for support, other needs and wishes.

(10)A local authority in carrying out a parent carer's needs assessment must have regard to—

(a)the well-being of the parent carer, and

(b)the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the disabled child cared for and any other child for whom the parent carer has parental responsibility.

(11) In subsection (10) “well-being” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Care Act 2014 .

(12)A local authority, in carrying out a parent carer's needs assessment, must involve—

(a)the parent carer,

(b)any child for whom the parent carer has parental responsibility, and

(c)any person who the parent carer requests the authority to involve.

(13)A local authority that have carried out a parent carer's needs assessment must give a written record of the assessment to—

(a)the parent carer, and

(b)any person to whom the parent carer requests the authority to give a copy.

(14) A local authority F272 ... must take reasonable steps to identify the extent to which there are parent carers within their area who have needs for support.

Definitions used in section 17ZD 6

local authority

“local authority” means, in relation to England ..., the council of a county, a metropolitan district, a London Borough or the Common Council of the City of London in relation to Wales, the council of a county or a county borough and, in relation to Scotland, a local authority within the meaning of section 1(2) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 ;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
disabled

“disabled”, in relation to a child, has the same meaning as in section 17(11);

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
child

16 (1) In this Schedule “child” includes, in any case where an application is made under paragraph 2 or 6 in relation to a person who has reached the age of eighteen, that person.

Defined in Sch.1 para.16(1) · see it in the full Act

“child” means, subject to paragraph 16 of Schedule 1, a person under the age of eighteen;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
parental responsibility

“parental responsibility” has the meaning given in section 3;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act

(1) In this Act “parental responsibility” means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property.

Defined in s.3(1) · see it in the full Act
service

“service”, in relation to any provision made under Part III, includes any facility;

Defined in s.105(1) · see it in the full Act
parent

(2) In this Schedule, except paragraphs 2 and 15, “parent” includes—

(a) any party to a marriage (whether or not subsisting) in relation to whom the child concerned is a child of the family, and

(b) any civil partner in a civil partnership (whether or not subsisting) in relation to whom the child concerned is a child of the family;

Defined in Sch.1 para.16(2) · see it in the full Act

21 In this Part of this Schedule “parent” has the same meaning as in the Education Act 1996 . ).

Defined in Sch.3 para.21 · see it in the full Act

Cases considering section 17ZD 3

LB (R on the application of) v SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

[2022] EWHC 772 (Admin) · 1 April 2022Interprets

Interprets the parent carer assessment duty as mandatory once the statutory conditions are met and as requiring completion within a reasonable period. The defendant’s delay was unreasonable. (see paras [64], [102]–[107]) Applies the condition that it appears to the authority that the parent carer may have support needs, or that the parent carer requests an assessment. (see paras [64], [102]) Applies the condition concerning the authority’s satisfaction that the disabled child and family may receive services under section 17. The defendant accepted that this condition was met. (see paras [64], [102])

CJ, R (on the application of) v Worcestershire County Council

[2026] EWHC 2053 (Admin) · 29 July 2026Interprets

Section 17ZD was treated as imposing a separate duty to assess a parent carer’s support needs and whether it is appropriate for the parent to provide or continue care in light of those needs, other needs and wishes (see para [15]).

FC & Anor, R (on the application of) v Bristol City Council

[2025] EWHC 3227 (Admin) · 11 December 2025

Confirms that assessment under the child-in-need pathway must properly assess the parents as carers. That pathway remains distinct from the child-protection pathway where significant harm is identified. (see para [89])

What each judgment says about section 17ZD is in the case-law panel in the full Act.

Amendments and notes

6 notes from legislation.gov.uk

Amendments

  1. F267Ss. 17ZD-17ZF inserted (1.4.2015) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 97(1), 139(6); S.I. 2015/375, art. 2(c)
  2. F268Word in s. 17ZD heading omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 60(c)
  3. F269Words in s. 17ZD(1) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 60(a)
  4. F270S. 17ZD(8)(b)(iii) omitted (1.7.2022) by virtue of Health and Care Act 2022 (c. 31), ss. 91(4)(b)(ii), 186(6); S.I. 2022/734, reg. 2(a), Sch. (with regs. 13, 29, 30)
  5. F271S. 17ZD(8)(b)(iv) added (1.4.2015) by The Care Act 2014 and Children and Families Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/914), art. 1(2), Sch. para. 45 (with arts. 1(3), 3)
  6. F272Words in s. 17ZD(14) omitted (6.4.2016) by virtue of The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/413), regs. 2(1), 60(b)