Part 1Orders with respect to children in family proceedings
Risk assessments
I17Risk assessments
After section 16 of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) insert—
16ARisk assessments
1
This section applies to the following functions of officers of the Service or Welsh family proceedings officers—
a
any function in connection with family proceedings in which the court has power to make an order under this Part with respect to a child or in which a question with respect to such an order arises;
b
any function in connection with an order made by the court in such proceedings.
2
If, in carrying out any function to which this section applies, an officer of the Service or a Welsh family proceedings officer is given cause to suspect that the child concerned is at risk of harm, he must—
a
make a risk assessment in relation to the child, and
b
provide the risk assessment to the court.
3
A risk assessment, in relation to a child who is at risk of suffering harm of a particular sort, is an assessment of the risk of that harm being suffered by the child.