Statute Details
- Title: Remand Home
- Full Title: Notification appointing a remand home under the Children and Young Persons Act
- Act Code: CYPA1993-S204-2006
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Children and Young Persons Act (Chapter 38)
- Authorising Provision: Section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act
- Legislative Instrument: No. S 204
- Commencement / Effective Date: 1 April 2006 (appointment of the remand home)
- Cancellation of Prior Notification: 14 April 2006
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the legislation portal)
- Key Subject Matter: Appointment of the Singapore Girls’ Home as a remand home for purposes of the Act
What Is This Legislation About?
The “Remand Home” instrument is a Singapore subsidiary legislation notification made under the Children and Young Persons Act (Chapter 38). In plain terms, it is an administrative legal step that designates a specific institution as a “remand home” for children and young persons who fall within the remand framework under the Act.
Remand homes are part of the broader juvenile justice and child welfare system. They are used when a child or young person is required to be held in custody-like care pending further legal processes (for example, investigations, court proceedings, or determinations under the Act). The designation of a remand home is therefore not merely a label; it determines where and under what legal authority a young person may be placed.
This particular notification does two things: (1) it appoints the Singapore Girls’ Home at 1 Defu Avenue 1, Singapore 359540 as a remand home, and (2) it cancels an earlier remand home notification after a transition period. The instrument is dated and effective from 1 April 2006, and it cancels the earlier “Consolidation” notification with effect from 14 April 2006.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Appointment of a remand home (effective 1 April 2006)
The core operative provision is the appointment of a named institution as a remand home. The notification states that, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports has appointed the Singapore Girls’ Home as a remand home “for the purposes of the Act” with effect from 1st April 2006.
For practitioners, the practical significance is that once an institution is appointed, it becomes a legally recognised placement option under the remand home regime. This affects how remand orders or placements are implemented in practice, and it may be relevant to compliance checks, case management, and documentation in proceedings involving children and young persons.
2. Cancellation of the earlier remand home notification (effective 14 April 2006)
The second operative provision cancels a previous legal instrument: “The Children and Young Persons (Remand Homes) (Consolidation) Notification (N 5)”. The cancellation takes effect from 14th April 2006.
Cancellation provisions are important because they clarify which legal designation is current. Where older notifications remain on record, practitioners must ensure they rely on the correct instrument for the relevant time period. The cancellation also signals that the remand home framework is being updated or consolidated, and that the earlier “N 5” notification should no longer be treated as operative after the specified date.
3. Legal basis and ministerial authority
The notification expressly anchors itself in section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act. This matters for validity and for understanding the scope of ministerial discretion. The Minister’s appointment power indicates that the remand home designation is an executive act authorised by statute, rather than something that arises automatically from the institution’s existence or licensing status.
In legal practice, this statutory linkage is often relevant when assessing whether a placement has been made under proper authority. If a young person is placed in a facility that is not properly appointed (or if the appointment has lapsed or been superseded), it can raise compliance and procedural concerns. While this notification itself is brief, its reliance on section 53 is a key legal hook.
4. Administrative specificity (named institution and address)
The notification identifies the remand home by name and provides a full address. This specificity reduces ambiguity about which premises are covered. For practitioners, this can be relevant where there are multiple sites, changes in premises, or questions about whether a different building or unit is intended to be the remand home.
Accordingly, the appointment should be read as tied to the named institution and the stated location. If the institution later relocates or changes its operational footprint, further legal instruments may be required to update the designation.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short statutory notification with a standard enacting/notification style. It contains:
(a) A heading and status information (including “Current version as at 27 Mar 2026” on the portal);
(b) An enacting formula / notification preamble explaining that it is made “for general information” and that the Minister is acting under the statutory power in section 53;
(c) Operative paragraphs—here, two numbered paragraphs: appointment of the remand home and cancellation of the earlier notification;
(d) Citation and amendment metadata (including the instrument number “No. S 204” and the reference to the relevant legislative document and internal file references).
Because the text is concise, the legal effect is concentrated in the two operative paragraphs. There are no “parts” or “sections” in the usual sense; instead, the notification functions as a direct legal designation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The notification applies to the institution being appointed (the Singapore Girls’ Home) and to the administrative and legal processes under the Children and Young Persons Act that rely on the existence of appointed remand homes. In other words, it is not directed at the general public; it is directed at the operation of the juvenile justice system.
However, the consequences of the appointment are felt by children and young persons who may be remanded or placed in such a facility under the Act, and by the authorities and officers responsible for implementing remand arrangements. For practitioners, the key is to connect this notification to the underlying remand powers and procedures in the Children and Young Persons Act, which determine when and how a young person may be placed in a remand home.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the notification is short, it is legally significant because it determines the authorised placement venue for remand purposes. In juvenile justice practice, the legality of placement can be central to procedural fairness, case management, and the integrity of the process. A remand home designation is therefore a foundational administrative step that supports subsequent legal actions.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the cancellation of the earlier “Consolidation” notification underscores that practitioners must treat remand home designations as time-sensitive. If a case spans dates around the effective and cancellation periods, counsel may need to verify which remand home appointment was operative at the relevant time. This can matter for record accuracy, affidavits, and submissions where the legal basis for placement is scrutinised.
Finally, the instrument illustrates how Singapore’s juvenile justice framework uses subsidiary legislation to operationalise statutory powers. The Minister’s appointment under section 53 provides a mechanism to update facilities without amending the main Act. For lawyers, this means that staying current with subsidiary notifications is essential—especially when advising on procedural history, institutional arrangements, or potential challenges relating to administrative legality.
Related Legislation
- Children and Young Persons Act (Chapter 38) — in particular section 53 (power to appoint remand homes)
- Children and Young Persons (Remand Homes) (Consolidation) Notification (N 5) — cancelled by this notification with effect from 14 April 2006
- Timeline / legislation portal entries for “Remand Home” (SL 204/2006) and any subsequent amendments or replacement notifications (if applicable)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Remand Home for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.