Cap. 582 Art. 2Interpretation.  Cap. 490.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"agency" means any agency which is responsible for the welfare of the service user who may be referred by such agency for social welfare services regulated by this Act;

"assessor" means any person who is engaged by the Authority to carry out assessments in accordance with the provisions of this Act and may include any representative of the Authority as authorised by the Chief Executive Officer;

"Authority" means the Social Care Standards Authority, as established under article 5;

"Chairperson" means the Chairperson appointed by article 9;

"Chief Executive Officer" means the Chief Executive Officer appointed under article 13;

"financial year" means any period of twelve months ending on the 31st December:

Provided that the financial year commencing upon the date of entry into force of this Act shall terminate on the 31st December of that same year;

"licensed service provider" means any person or organisation that has been granted a licence by the Authority to operate, provide or carry out an activity or operation or to provide a service relating to social welfare;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for social welfare;

"prospective service provider" means any person who, or organization that, applies for a license to operate a social welfare service;

"public officer" shall have the meaning assigned to it by article 124 of the Constitution of Malta;

"responsible person" means the owner, or any other person, legally responsible for the service provision;

"service provider" means any person who, or organisation that provides a social welfare service;

"service user" means any person or entity who makes use of a social welfare service;

"social welfare service" means care services, provided in relation to the well-being of service users, whether by a person, agency or residential facility, or in the community or in a care and nursing home or in the home, as well as may be prescribed by regulations made under this Act;

"Tribunal" means the Administrative Review Tribunal established by article 5 of the Administrative Justice Act.