Section 3A: Child Mentoring Scheme

3A. Child Mentoring Scheme (1) The Minister shall set up a Scheme which shall be known as the Child Mentoring Scheme. [Issue 2] C13 – 2 Revised Laws of Mauritius (2) The object of the Scheme shall be to assist children between the ages of 10 and 16 who— (a) are victims of neglect; (b) suffer from mild behavioural problems; (c) are in distress; or (d) have problems of social adaptation. (3) (a) No child shall be placed under the Scheme unless there is a mentoring order in relation to him. (b) (i) Where a child is placed under the Scheme, he shall be assigned a child mentor who shall provide him with guidance, advice and such sense of stability as may be lacking in the life of the child. (ii) A child mentor shall not be assigned more than 3 children under the Scheme. (c) A child placed under the Scheme shall remain in the custody of his parents. (4) (a) The Scheme shall be administered by the Permanent Secretary, with the assistance of the Committee. (b) The functions of the Permanent Secretary under the Scheme shall be to— (i) receive and consider applications from volunteers for registration as child mentor; (ii) register, in consultation with the Committee, child mentors; (iii) provide child mentors with such guidance and assistance as may be necessary for them to effectively carry out their functions and duties under a mentoring order; (iv) identify children who may need assistance and protection and apply to the District Magistrate for a mentoring order where he deems it necessary; (v) supervise all placements of children and activities of child mentors under the Scheme; (vi) forward to the Court a quarterly progress report, or any other report at such interval as may be decided by the Court, on every child subject of a mentoring order; (vii) carry out such other functions as may be necessary for the effective implementation of the Scheme. [S. 3A inserted by s. 4 of Act 40 of 2008 w.e.f. 20 December 2008.]