Statute Details
- Title: Remand Home
- Act Code: CYPA1993-S204-2006
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Children and Young Persons Act (Cap. 38)
- Authorising Provision: Section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act
- Notification / Instrument No.: S 204
- Commencement / Effective Date: 1 April 2006 (appointment of the remand home)
- Cancellation Date: 14 April 2006 (cancelling a prior notification)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Subject Matter: Appointment of the Singapore Girls’ Home as a “remand home” for purposes of the Act
What Is This Legislation About?
This subsidiary legislation is a formal notification under the Children and Young Persons Act (the “CYPA”). In plain terms, it tells the public that the Minister has exercised statutory powers to designate a specific institution as a remand home for children and young persons who fall within the CYPA’s remand framework.
A “remand home” is a facility used in the administration of justice and child welfare processes for young people who are subject to remand arrangements. The designation matters because it determines where remanded children and young persons may be placed and which institution is legally recognised to perform that function under the CYPA.
The instrument also performs a second practical function: it cancels an earlier notification that previously designated a different remand home arrangement. This ensures that the legal basis for remand-home designation remains current and avoids overlapping or conflicting designations.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Appointment of a remand home (effective 1 April 2006)
The core operative provision 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, located at 1 Defu Avenue 1, Singapore 359540, to be a remand home for the purposes of the Act. The appointment is expressly stated to take effect from 1 April 2006.
For practitioners, the significance is twofold. First, the appointment is not merely administrative; it is a legal designation grounded in the CYPA’s statutory power. Second, the notification identifies the exact premises and effective date, which can be critical when assessing the legality of placement decisions, record-keeping, and any subsequent review or challenge.
2. Cancellation of a prior remand-home notification (effective 14 April 2006)
The second operative paragraph provides that the Children and Young Persons (Remand Homes) (Consolidation) Notification (N 5) is cancelled, effective 14 April 2006.
This cancellation clause is important because it clarifies that the earlier instrument no longer governs. In practice, cancellation provisions help prevent confusion about which notification controls. If a lawyer is reviewing historical placement decisions or institutional arrangements around April 2006, the dates are particularly relevant: the appointment begins on 1 April 2006, while the cancellation of the earlier notification takes effect on 14 April 2006. That creates a short transitional period where both the new appointment and the cancellation timing may need to be considered depending on the facts.
3. Reliance on section 53 of the CYPA
Although the extract does not reproduce the text of section 53, the notification expressly anchors its authority in that provision. This matters because, in legal analysis, the validity of the designation depends on whether the Minister’s action falls within the scope of the enabling power. The notification’s enacting formula indicates that the Minister is acting within the statutory framework intended by Parliament.
For counsel, this is a reminder that remand-home designation is a regulated function under the CYPA. When advising on compliance, legality, or procedural fairness, the enabling provision is often the starting point for confirming that the correct authority designated the correct facility.
4. Nature of the instrument: a targeted designation rather than a full code
The text is brief and does not set out operational rules (such as admission criteria, detention standards, or procedural safeguards). Instead, it performs a specific legal act: appointing a named institution as a remand home and cancelling an earlier notification. Accordingly, practitioners should treat this instrument as part of a broader regulatory scheme under the CYPA and related subsidiary legislation, rather than as a standalone “remand” code.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Structurally, this instrument is a notification published under the CYPA. It contains:
(a) an enacting formula referencing the Minister’s statutory power under section 53 of the CYPA;
(b) operative paragraphs that (i) appoint a specific institution as a remand home and (ii) cancel a prior notification; and
(c) administrative publication metadata (including the instrument number and citation details).
There are no “parts” or “sections” in the extract because the instrument is not drafted as a comprehensive statute. Instead, it is a short, targeted legal instrument that updates the list of remand homes recognised under the CYPA.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This notification applies primarily to the Minister and the designated institution—here, the Singapore Girls’ Home—by legally authorising it to function as a remand home for the purposes of the CYPA.
However, the practical impact extends to children and young persons who may be subject to remand arrangements under the CYPA framework, and to the agencies and officers responsible for implementing remand orders or decisions. In other words, while the notification is directed at designation, it affects the legal environment in which remand placement occurs.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
1. It determines lawful placement infrastructure
In child-related legal processes, the legality of placement is foundational. A remand home designation is not a matter of convenience; it is a legal prerequisite for the relevant facility to be used for remand purposes under the CYPA. This notification therefore has direct consequences for how remand arrangements are implemented.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the designation can become relevant in disputes or reviews concerning the circumstances of a young person’s placement, the timing of transfers, or the institutional authority under which custody or remand-related accommodation was provided.
2. It clarifies the legal status of remand-home arrangements over time
The instrument includes a cancellation clause with a specific effective date. This is crucial for historical accuracy. If counsel is examining events around April 2006, the dates—1 April 2006 for the new appointment and 14 April 2006 for the cancellation of the earlier notification—may affect which legal basis applied at any given time.
Such temporal clarity is often decisive in legal analysis, particularly where records, orders, or administrative actions span the effective dates of amendments or replacements.
3. It demonstrates how the CYPA is administered through subsidiary instruments
The CYPA is implemented through a combination of primary legislation and subsidiary notifications. This instrument is an example of the “administrative law” dimension of child justice and welfare regulation: Parliament empowers the Minister to designate facilities, and the Minister updates the legal framework through published notifications.
For lawyers, this underscores the importance of checking not only the CYPA itself but also the relevant subsidiary legislation and notifications that operationalise the statutory scheme. A practitioner who relies solely on the CYPA text may miss the facility-specific legal authorisations that govern real-world placement decisions.
Related Legislation
- Children and Young Persons Act (Cap. 38) — in particular, section 53 (enabling power for appointment of remand homes)
- Children and Young Persons (Remand Homes) (Consolidation) Notification (N 5) — cancelled by this notification with effect from 14 April 2006
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.