Suspension and cancellation of licences

(1) A licence may be suspended by the Registrar for the reasons specified in subregulation (2) below. (2) The reasons referred to in subregulation (1) above are– (a) failure to display the licence as required by these Regulations; Social Service Agencies 73 (b) failure to open, keep and maintain such records, registers and books in relation to the operation of the residential care facility for children including the particulars of children and staff, as required under the Act and these Regulations; (c) failure to provide information requested by the Registrar within the time limit specified in such request; (d) failure to protect children admitted to the residential care facility for children from abuse of whatever kind; (e) failure to comply with the Ministry’s policies on substitute care, including, but not limited to conducting independent planning for children and repeated non-compliance with agreed upon permanency plans; (f) obstruction of any authorized person from inspecting the premises or the records, registers and books required to be kept by this Act. (3) Without prejudice to subregulations (2) above, a licence may be cancelled by the Registrar where– (a) there are reasonable grounds for believing that the operator or provider of the residential care facility for children has committed a sexual or other criminal offence which is of such a nature as is likely, in the opinion of the Registrar, to render such operator or provider unfit to hold the (b) there are reasonable grounds for believing that a staff member has committed a sexual or other criminal offence as aforesaid and that the 74 Social Service Agencies operator or provider has failed to take prompt disciplinary action against a staff member so as to ensure that such incidents do not recur; and (c) failure to ensure that premises are maintained and kept in accordance with minimum standards provided in these Regulations. (4) The suspension of an operator’s licence under these Regulations shall not exceed six calendar months, and the operator shall, within the period of suspension, be expected to take necessary steps to correct and address the reasons for the suspension to the satisfaction of the Registrar. (5) If an operator corrects and addresses the reasons for the suspension during the period of the suspension to the satisfaction of the Registrar, his licence shall automatically, without application on his part, be reinstated upon the expiry of the suspension, but if he fails to take the necessary steps during the period of the suspension, his licence may be cancelled by the Registrar upon the expiration of the suspension. (6) Where a licence has been cancelled, a new application for a licence by the same operator shall only by entertained by the Registrar after a period of six months have elapsed after the