The 2013 protocol can be a useful tool in private Children Act cases where you need to obtain police records, as Mariko Wilson explains

Too often in private Children Act proceedings there’s a history of police involvement with the family, with allegations of abuse having been made.

It is also an unfortunate reality that getting hold of police records (whether you’re acting for the alleged perpetrator, the victim or someone else) often take weeks if not months – and invariably much longer than the 30-day time limit.

With the introduction of Practice Direction 12J (which sets out the protocol for Children Act cases where allegations of abuse are made), and the resulting increase in cases listed for a fact-finding hearing, it is increasingly important that police records are obtained in a timely fashion.

However, standard subject access r...

Hannah Gannagé-Stewart
Deputy Editor
Solicitors Journal

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