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Child Protection

Answer

[holding answer 9 February 2006]: The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and the accompanying codes of practice, provide that an arrested person may be detained without charge for the purposes of investigating an offence for up to 24-hours initially, extended up to 36-hours by an officer of superintendent rank or above. The police may apply to a magistrate to authorise detention without charge for up to a maximum period of 96-hours.The detained person may be issued bail at any time during this process to enable the investigation to continue. There is no limit to the number of times the person may be released subject to bail or be detained for further questioning provided that the total period in custody does not exceed the relevant authorised period of detention. When the officer in charge of the investigation considers that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, he must inform the custody officer without delay and a decision taken on whether the detained person should be charged or referred to the prosecutor for charge.In November 2005 the Department for Education Skills published guidance on dealing with allegations of abuse against teachers and other staff, which was developed in co-operation with the Home Office and Crown Prosecution Service. The guidance is intended to provide effective protection for children, but at the same time to support school staff by ensuring that cases are dealt with as fairly and quickly as possible. It includes indicative target timescales for different parts of the process.The Government plans to extend this approach to cover people who work with children in other settings. Implementation will be overseen by the Local Safeguarding Children Boards, to be set up in all local authority areas by April 2006. The guidance can be found at:www.dfes.gov.uk/teachernet/childprotection.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

49620; 442 c1963-4W;442 c1963-4W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Children Criminal investigation Protection

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk