Children’s Code

ZambiaAct of Parliament

The Children’s Code is an Act of the Parliament of Zambia. It contains 317 sections. Read its sections below, or ask Levy any question about the Children’s Code and get an answer grounded in the Act with citations.

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Sections of the Children’s Code

S. 1Short title
S. 2Interpretati on
S. 3Best interest of child
S. 4Principles in achieving children’s rights
S. 5Right to survival and development
S. 6Right to expressi on
S. 7Prohibiti on of discriminati on against child
S. 8Right to name and nationality
S. 9Right to parental c are
S. 10Right to educati on
S. 11Right to health c are
S. 12Right to social protecti on and social services
S. 13Protecti on from child labour
S. 14Protecti on from armed conflict
S. 15Child with disability
S. 16Protecti on of child on move
S. 17Protecti on from maltreatment and other forms of exploitati on
S. 18Protecti on from female genital mutilati on, child marriage, etc.
S. 19Protecti on from sexual exploitati on
S. 20Protecti on from hallucinogens, alcohol, tobacco products, drugs and
S. 21Right to leisure and recreati on
S. 22Protecti on from corporal punishment
S. 23Protecti on from torture and deprivati on of liberty
S. 24Right to privacy
S. 25Rights of child witness or child victim
S. 26Duties and responsibilities of child
S. 27Sancti on f or infringement of rights of child
S. 28Enforcement of rights of child
S. 29Child Development Department
S. 30Direct or of Child Development, child development officers and other staff
S. 31Functions of Direct or of Child Development
S. 32Social Welf are Department
S. 33Direct or of Social Welf are, child welf are inspectors and probati on officers
S. 34Functions of Direct or of Social Welf are
S. 35Powers of child development officer and child welf are inspect or
S. 36National Coordinati on Committee f or Children
S. 37Immunity
S. 38Parental responsibility
S. 39Pers on with parental responsibility
S. 40Acquisiti on of parental responsibility by father
S. 41Parental responsibility agreement
S. 42Transmissi on of parental responsibility
S. 43Extensi on of parental responsibility beyond nineteenth birthday
S. 44Failure to exercise parental responsibility
S. 45Age of criminal responsibility of child
S. 46Rights of child during apprehensi on
S. 47Apprehensi on of child
S. 48Apprehensi on by pers on
S. 49Apprehensi on and arrest by law enforcement officer
S. 50Informati on of arrest of child
S. 51Issuance of warrant of arrest
S. 52Notificati on of reas on f or arrest or substance of warrant
S. 53Search of arrested child
S. 54Cauti on by law enforcement officer
S. 55Interview of child
S. 56Recognisance
S. 57Custody of child
S. 58Diversi on opti on
S. 59Conditions of diversi on
S. 60Failure to comply with diversi on opti on
S. 61Requirements f or diversi on programme
S. 62Prohibiti on of provisi on of diversi on programme without accreditati on
S. 63Applicati on f or accreditati on of diversi on programme
S. 64Suspensi on or revocati on of accreditati on of diversi on programme
S. 65Constituti on of juvenile court
S. 66Jurisdicti on of juvenile court
S. 67Jurisdicti on of Children’s Court
S. 68Sittings of juvenile court or Children’s Court
S. 69Prohibiti on of other courts hearing charge or matter against child
S. 70Remissi on of child to Children’s Court
S. 71Presumpti on and determinati on of age
S. 72Guarantees to child in conflict with the law
S. 73Appearance of child in a juvenile court or children’s Court and bail
S. 74Procedure in court
S. 75Rem and of apprehended child during trial
S. 76Social welf are report of child
S. 77Parent, guardi an to give security
S. 78Evidence of child
S. 79Methods of dealing with child in conflict with law
S. 80Payment of fine by parent, guardi an or pers on having parental responsibility
S. 81General principles with regard to proceedings in a juvenile court or
S. 82Presence of child welf are inspect or or authorised officer
S. 83Reports
S. 84Programmes f or combating crime and rendering probati on services
S. 85Functions of probati on officer
S. 86Powers of probati on officer
S. 87Probati on order
S. 88Contents of probati on order
S. 89Submissi on of child to treatment of mental conditi on
S. 90Copies of orders
S. 91Failure of probationer to comply with probati on order
S. 92Commissi on of further offences by probationer
S. 93Effect of finding of guilty where probati on order made
S. 94Amendment of probati on order
S. 95Discharge of probati on orders
S. 96Reform children
S. 97Probati on Committee
S. 98Establishment of child approved centre
S. 99Child reformatory centre and child transit centre
S. 100Child approved centre order and reformatory centre order
S. 101Contents of child approved centre order and child reformatory centre
S. 102Conveyance to child approved centre and child reformatory centre
S. 103Durati on of custody in child approved centre or child reformatory centre
S. 104Extensi on of period of custody in child approved centre or child
S. 105Harbouring or concealing child
S. 106Penalty f or escape or absence from child approved centre, child
S. 107Separati on of incorrigibles
S. 108Power to release on permit
S. 109Revocati on or forfeiture of permit
S. 110Supervisi on after expirati on of term of custody
S. 111Contributions f or maintenance of child
S. 112Producti on of child
S. 113Expunge of record of finding of guilty and order
S. 114International reciprocity
S. 115Appeal against child approved centre order or child reformatory centre
S. 116Applicati on by child’s m other
S. 117Applicati on by party to void marriage
S. 118Applicati on by child
S. 119Corroborati on of evidence
S. 120Order of unfitness f or custody
S. 121Equal status of children
S. 122Presumpti on of parenthood of child born during marriage
S. 123Recogniti on of paternity in case of successi on
S. 124Evidence and pro of of paternity
S. 125Filing of instruments of acknowledgement
S. 126Use of paternity test
S. 127Consent f or taking of samples
S. 128Impersonating an other pers on f or purpose of paternity test
S. 129Presumptions regarding maintenance of children
S. 130Maintenance of affiliated child
S. 131Types of maintenance orders
S. 132Matters f or considerati on when making maintenance order
S. 133Financial provisi on by step-parent of child
S. 134Durati on of maintenance order
S. 135Variati on or discharge of maintenance order
S. 136Persons to whom payments may be made
S. 137Maintenance of child of family
S. 138Applicati on f or maintenance order
S. 139Other maintenance provisions
S. 140Order f or payments to pers on other th an applicant
S. 141Custody order
S. 142Restricti on on removal of child
S. 143Custody and access
S. 144Factors taken in to considerati on in making custody order
S. 145Supervisi on of child in custody
S. 146Disputes between joint custodial parents
S. 147Interim custody order
S. 148Custody agreement
S. 149Maintenance order where custody order made
S. 150Registrati on of High Court order
S. 151Registrati on of subordinate court order
S. 152Effect of registrati on
S. 153Prohibiti on of multiple registrati on
S. 154Enforcement of registered order
S. 155Variati on of orders registered in subordinate courts
S. 156Cancellati on of registrati on
S. 157Enforcement of maintenance order
S. 158Rights of surviving parent to guardianship and power of court
S. 159Appointment of guardi an
S. 160Appointment of testamentary guardi an
S. 161Appointment of guardi an by court
S. 162Guardi an’s revocati on and disclaimer
S. 163Durati on of appointment of guardi an
S. 164Dispute between guardians
S. 165Powers of guardi an
S. 166Offences by guardi an
S. 167Child in need of c are, support and protecti on
S. 168Conveyance to place of safety
S. 169Proceedings in respect of child in need of c are and protecti on
S. 170Powers of Court
S. 171Interventi on by ministry or place of safety
S. 172Medical c are
S. 173Hearing of parent or guardi an
S. 174Applicati on of trust f or maintenance of child
S. 175Cruelty to, or neglect of, child
S. 176Warrant to search f or and remove child
S. 177Orders f or protecti on of children
S. 178Supervisi on order
S. 179Care order
S. 180Arrangements f or access to child in c are
S. 181Intensive family support
S. 182Accreditati on to provide intensive family support
S. 183Applicati on to foster child
S. 184Persons qualified to foster children
S. 185Durati on of foster c are
S. 186Procedure before placement in foster c are
S. 187Religi on
S. 188Cultural background
S. 189Undertaking by foster parents
S. 190Medical examinati on
S. 191Vis its during placement
S. 192Prohibiti on to remove child without leave
S. 193Illness
S. 194Death
S. 195Terminati on of placement
S. 196Records
S. 197Principles relating to adopti on
S. 198Types of adopti on
S. 199Adoptable children
S. 200Persons who may adopt
S. 201Confidentiality
S. 202Medical examinati on of child pri or to adopti on
S. 203Prohibiti on of two adopti on orders simultaneously
S. 204General prohibitions relating to adopti on
S. 205Procedure before adopti on
S. 206Vis its during placement
S. 207Contact between prospective parent and child’s parent in domestic
S. 208Terminati on of placement
S. 209Prohibiti on to remove child without leave during placement
S. 210Illness during placement in domestic adopti on
S. 211Applicati on to adopt child
S. 212Power to dispense with consent
S. 213Death
S. 214Guardi an ad litem f or the child
S. 215Interim orders
S. 216Conversi on from open to closed adopti on order
S. 217Functions of central authority in Republic
S. 218Communicati on between central authorities
S. 219Conditions f or inter-country adopti on by State of orig in
S. 220Conditions f or inter-country adopti on by receiving State
S. 221Applicants f or inter-country adopti on
S. 222Procedure before adopti on of child from Republic
S. 223Visitati on during, and terminati on of, placement in inter-country adopti on
S. 224Prohibiti on to remove child without leave during placement
S. 225Illness during placement in inter-country adopti on
S. 226Applicati on f or adopti on
S. 227Withdrawal of approval by Republic
S. 228Applicati on to adopt child from other State by pers on in Republic
S. 229Transfer of adopted child to Republic
S. 230Registrati on of birth and recording of adopti on of child born outside
S. 231Removal of adopted child from adoptive parent
S. 232Death, illness or injury of child before transfer to receiving State
S. 233Conversi on of open adopti on order to closed adopti on order in inter-country
S. 234Contact between prospective parent and child’s parent in inter-country
S. 235Translati on of documents
S. 236Rejecti on of applicati on f or adopti on
S. 237Effect of adopti on on parental rights
S. 238Orders and agreements in respect of child born outside marriage
S. 239Devoluti on of property on adopti on
S. 240Supplementary provisions on intestacy and testamentary dispositi on
S. 241Effect of inter-country adopti on
S. 242Post adopti on reports
S. 243Power to appoint guardi an post-adopti on
S. 244Revocati on of adopti on order
S. 245Adopti on order in respect of children previously adopted
S. 246Amendment of adopti on order
S. 247Register of available children f or adopti on
S. 248Child case record
S. 249Registrati on of adopti on orders
S. 250Adopted children Register
S. 251Additional register
S. 252Functions of adopti on agency
S. 253Prohibiti on of adopti on service without certificate of accreditati on
S. 254Applicati on f or accreditati on as adopti on agency
S. 255Accreditati on of adopti on agency
S. 256Changes in detail
S. 257Suspensi on or revocati on of accreditati on
S. 258Surrender of certificate of accreditati on
S. 259Publicati on of accredited adopti on agency
S. 260Display of certificate of accreditati on
S. 261Prohibiti on of transfer of certificate of accreditati on
S. 262Duplicate certificate of accreditati on
S. 263Reporting requirements f or accredited adopti on agency
S. 264Register of accredited adopti on agency
S. 265Confidential informati on
S. 266Authorisati on of foreign accredited adopti on bodies
S. 267Adopti on working agreement
S. 268Prohibiti on of establishment of child c are facility without approval
S. 269Child c are facility
S. 270Suspensi on or cancellati on of approval
S. 271Recepti on of child in child c are facility
S. 272Maintenance of child in child c are facility
S. 273Monitoring of progress of child
S. 274Inspecti on of child c are facility or other premises
S. 275Child c are facility regulations
S. 276Measures on child safeguarding in instituti on or organisati on
S. 277Recepti on of child in instituti on or organisati on
S. 278Maintenance of child in instituti on or organisati on
S. 279Monitoring of progress of child in instituti on or organisati on
S. 280Inspecti on of instituti on or organisati on
S. 281Regulations on child safeguarding
S. 282Interpretati on f or Part XVIII
S. 283Child wrongfully removed from or retained in Republic
S. 284Cooperati on between central authorities
S. 285Applicati on to return child
S. 286Commencement of legal proceedings
S. 287Limitati on of powers of court
S. 288Harbouring or concealing child
S. 289Escape from child c are facility or place of safety
S. 290Appeals
S. 291Evidence of wages
S. 292Professional services in adopti on
S. 293General penalty
S. 294Offences by principal officers of body corporate or unincorporate
S. 295Regulations
S. 296Rules
S. 297Repeal of Acts
S. 298Savings and transitional provisions
S. ISection I
S. IISection II
S. IIISection III
S. IVSection IV
S. IXSection IX
S. VSection V
S. VISection VI
S. VIISection VII
S. VIIISection VIII
S. XSection X
S. XISection XI
S. XIISection XII
S. XIIISection XIII
S. XIVSection XIV
S. XIXSection XIX
S. XVSection XV
S. XVISection XVI
S. XVIISection XVII
S. XVIIISection XVIII

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