The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Right of guardian ad litem to have access to records

61.—(1) Where a person has been appointed as a guardian ad litem under this Order he shall have the right at all reasonable times to examine and take copies of—

(a) any records of, or held by, an authority or an authorised person which were compiled in connection with the making, or proposed making, by any person of any application under this Order with respect to the child concerned;

(b) any records of, or held by, an authority which were compiled in connection with any relevant functions, so far as those records relate to that child; or

(c) any records of, or held by, an authorised person which were compiled in connection with the activities of that person, so far as those records relate to that child.

(2) In paragraph (1) “relevant functions” means personal social services functions (including functions exercisable on behalf of the Department by virtue of directions under Article 17(1) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972)(1).

(3) Where a guardian ad litem takes a copy of any record which he is entitled to examine under this Article, that copy or any part of it shall be admissible as evidence of any matter referred to in any—

(a) report which he makes to the court in the proceedings in question; or

(b) evidence which he gives in those proceedings.

(4) Paragraph (3) has effect regardless of any statutory provision or rule of law which would otherwise prevent the record in question being admissible in evidence.

(1)

1972 NI 14