Child Care Act, 1983 (Act No. 74 of 1983)Chapter 5 : Places of Safety, Children’s Homes and Places of Care31. Inspection of children’s homes and places of care |
| 1) | A social worker, a nurse or any other person, authorised thereto by the Director-General, or any commissioner, may enter any children's home, place of care, shelter or place of safety in order to - |
| a) | inspect that children’s home, place of care, shelter or place of safety and the books and documents appertaining thereto; |
| b) | observe and interview any child therein, or cause such child to be examined by a medical officer, psychologist or psychiatrist. |
| 2) | Any social worker, nurse or other person so authorised shall be furnished with a certificate to that effect, signed by the Director-General, which he or she, when acting in terms of subsection (1), shall produce at the request of any manager or staff member of the children’s home, place of care, shelter or place of safety concerned. |
| 3) | Any person who obstructs or hinders any social worker, nurse or other person so authorized or any commissioner in the performance of any function mentioned in subsection (1), or who fails to produce any child, book or document whose production a social worker, nurse or other person so authorised or any commissioner has demanded, shall be guilty of an offence. |
| 4) | The social worker, nurse or other person so authorized, or the commissioner, shall submit a report to the Director-General after the performance of a function referred to in subsection (1). |
| 5) | The powers of the Director-General on receipt of a report referred to in subsection (4) shall be as prescribed. |