Statute Details
- Title: Children and Young Persons (Place of Detention) Notification 2019
- Act Code: CYPA1993-S756-2019
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (Notification)
- Enacting Authority: Minister for Social and Family Development
- Authorising Provision: Section 55(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act (Cap. 38)
- Citation: No. S 756
- Commencement: 15 November 2019
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Place of detention); Section 3 (Cancellation)
- Current Version: Current version as at 26 March 2026 (with original enactment dated 15 November 2019)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Children and Young Persons (Place of Detention) Notification 2019 is a short but practically significant piece of Singapore subsidiary legislation. Its core function is to designate a specific institution as a “place of detention” for children and young persons under the Children and Young Persons Act (Cap. 38). In other words, it tells the legal system where detention may be carried out for the purposes contemplated by the Act.
Under the Children and Young Persons Act, detention is not a generic concept; it is a lawful measure that must be carried out in accordance with the statutory framework. A key step in that framework is the Minister’s power to appoint particular premises as places of detention. This Notification exercises that power by naming the Singapore Boys’ Home as the appointed place.
Although the Notification is brief, it has real operational and legal consequences. It affects how courts and relevant authorities implement detention orders, and it provides legal certainty by formally identifying the detention premises. It also ensures continuity by cancelling an earlier notification that previously designated a place of detention.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1: Citation and commencement provides the formal title and the date the Notification comes into force. The Notification is cited as the “Children and Young Persons (Place of Detention) Notification 2019” and it operates from 15 November 2019. For practitioners, commencement matters because it determines the legal basis for detention arrangements from that date onward, and it helps resolve any question about which notification applied at a particular time.
Section 2: Place of detention is the substantive provision. It states that the Minister appoints the Singapore Boys’ Home, 3 Bulim Drive, Singapore 648172 to be a place of detention for the purposes of the Children and Young Persons Act. This is the legal “designation” that enables detention to be carried out at that location under the Act’s regime.
Two practical points flow from Section 2. First, the appointment is place-specific: it identifies both the institution and its address. That specificity is important for compliance, record-keeping, and any later review of whether detention occurred at an authorised location. Second, the appointment is made “for the purposes of the Act”, meaning it is tied to the statutory detention framework rather than to any unrelated administrative use of the premises.
Section 3: Cancellation addresses the transition from the previous legal instrument. It cancels the earlier Notification relating to “Place of Detention (G.N. No. S 46/1999)”. This ensures there is no overlap or ambiguity between the earlier designation and the new one. From a legal drafting and enforcement perspective, cancellation is crucial: it clarifies that the earlier notification no longer governs, and it helps prevent arguments that detention could be justified under an outdated instrument.
In practice, the cancellation provision also supports continuity of lawful authority. Even where the appointed institution remains the same or similar, the legal basis must reflect the current notification. For lawyers dealing with historical detention records, appeals, or judicial review, knowing the cancellation date and the operative instrument is essential.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Notification is structured in a simple, three-section format typical of subsidiary notifications that perform a single administrative function. It contains:
(a) Section 1 — sets out the citation and commencement date.
(b) Section 2 — designates the appointed place of detention (the Singapore Boys’ Home at the specified address).
(c) Section 3 — cancels the earlier notification that previously designated a place of detention.
There are no schedules, definitions, or detailed procedural provisions in the Notification itself. Instead, the Notification operates as a “designation instrument” within the broader Children and Young Persons Act framework. The substantive detention powers, the criteria for detention, and the procedural safeguards are found in the parent Act, not in this Notification.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Notification applies to the administration of detention under the Children and Young Persons Act. While it does not directly address individual children or young persons in its text, it is legally relevant to any child or young person who may be subject to detention measures under the Act, because the Notification determines the authorised detention premises.
It also applies to the Minister and the relevant authorities responsible for implementing detention orders. By appointing a specific place, it constrains detention operations to the designated premises. In practical terms, this affects institutional compliance, custody arrangements, and the legality of where detention may occur.
For practitioners, the key is to understand that the Notification is not a standalone detention regime. It is a component of the statutory detention system: it supplies the “where” element, while the Children and Young Persons Act supplies the “when” and “how” elements.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Notification is short, it is important because it provides the legal foundation for detention at a particular facility. Detention is a serious measure affecting liberty and welfare. Singapore’s legal framework therefore requires formal authorisation for the places where detention may be carried out. This Notification fulfils that requirement by appointing the Singapore Boys’ Home as the place of detention.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the Notification supports lawful administration. Authorities must ensure that detention is carried out at an authorised place. If detention were carried out outside the appointed premises, it could raise legality concerns—potentially affecting the validity of custody arrangements and exposing decisions to challenge.
From a litigation and advisory perspective, the Notification is also relevant to legal certainty and temporal accuracy. The commencement date (15 November 2019) and the cancellation of the earlier notification help lawyers determine which legal instrument governed at a given time. This can matter in contexts such as record review, administrative law challenges, or any dispute about whether detention was conducted under the correct statutory authorisation.
Finally, the Notification reflects a broader governance principle: subsidiary legislation can be used to keep operational details current without amending the parent Act. The parent Act sets the powers and framework; the Notification updates the designated detention premises through ministerial appointment and cancellation of prior instruments.
Related Legislation
- Children and Young Persons Act (Cap. 38) — in particular, section 55(1) (authorising the Minister to appoint places of detention)
- Children and Young Persons (Place of Detention) Notification — G.N. No. S 46/1999 (cancelled by Section 3 of this Notification)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Children and Young Persons (Place of Detention) Notification 2019 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.