Part II Orders With Respect To Children In Family Proceedings

General

11HF1Monitoring contact

1

This section applies if in any family proceedings the court makes—

a

a contact order with respect to a child in favour of a person, or

b

an order varying such a contact order.

2

The court may ask an officer of the Service or a Welsh family proceedings officer—

a

to monitor whether an individual falling within subsection (3) complies with the contact order (or the contact order as varied);

b

to report to the court on such matters relating to the individual's compliance as the court may specify in the request.

3

An individual falls within this subsection if the contact order so made (or the contact order as so varied)—

a

requires the individual to allow contact with the child concerned;

b

names the individual as having contact with the child concerned; or

c

imposes a condition under section 11(7)(b) on the individual.

4

If the contact order (or the contact order as varied) includes a contact activity condition, a request under subsection (2) is to be treated as relating to the provisions of the order other than the contact activity condition.

5

The court may make a request under subsection (2)—

a

on making the contact order (or the order varying the contact order), or

b

at any time during the subsequent course of the proceedings as they relate to contact with the child concerned.

6

In making a request under subsection (2), the court is to specify the period for which the officer of the Service or Welsh family proceedings officer is to monitor compliance with the order; and the period specified may not exceed twelve months.

7

It shall be the duty of the officer of the Service or Welsh family proceedings officer to comply with any request under subsection (2).

8

The court may order any individual falling within subsection (3) to take such steps as may be specified in the order with a view to enabling the officer of the Service or Welsh family proceedings officer to comply with the court's request under subsection (2).

9

But the court may not make an order under subsection (8) with respect to an individual who is a child unless he is a parent of the child with respect to whom the order falling within subsection (1) was made.

10

A court may not make a request under subsection (2) in relation to a contact order that is an excepted order (within the meaning given by section 11B(4)).