This section applies where a child or young person is convicted of an offence other than one for which the sentence is fixed by law.
Subject to the provisions of this section and section 70 below, the court by or before which the offender is convicted may, if it is of the opinion that it is desirable to do so in the interests of securing his rehabilitation, or of preventing the commission by him of further offences, make an order (an “action plan order”) which—
The court shall not make an action plan order unless it has been notified by the Secretary of State that arrangements for implementing such orders are available in the area proposed to be named in the order and the notice has not been withdrawn.
The court shall not make an action plan order in respect of the offender if—
Requirements included in an action plan order, or directions given by a responsible officer, may require the offender to do all or any of the following things, namely—
Such requirements and directions shall, as far as practicable, be such as to avoid—
Subsection (5)(c) above does not apply unless the offence committed by the offender is punishable with imprisonment in the case of a person aged 21 or over.
A person shall not be specified in requirements or directions under subsection (5)(f) above unless—
An action plan order shall name the petty sessions area in which it appears to the court making the order, or to the court varying any provision included in the order in pursuance of this subsection, that the offender resides or will reside.
In this section “responsible officer”, in relation to an action plan order, means one of the following who is specified in the order, namely—
An action plan order shall be a community order for the purposes of Part I of the 1991 Act; and the provisions of that Part, which include provisions with respect to restrictions on imposing, and procedural requirements for, community sentences (sections 6 and 7), shall apply accordingly.