The Magistrates' Courts (Children and Young Persons) Rules 1988

Notice of complaint.

30.—(1) A local authority or voluntary organisation which is a party to any proceedings in a court to which this Part of the Rules applies shall send a notice specifying the time and place fixed for the hearing of the complaint to any other person who is a parent of the child to whom the proceedings relate and who lives apart from the parent who is the complainant or defendant (unless a summons is issued for the purpose of securing his attendance thereat) or who is a foster parent or other person with whom the child has had his home for a period of, or periods amounting in total to, not less than 42 days, ending not more than six months before the date of the complaint, if the whereabouts of such a person is known to the local authority or voluntary organisation; and a parent who is the complainant in any such proceedings shall send a notice specifying the time and place fixed for the hearing of the complaint to any other parent of the child who lives apart from him if the whereabouts of such other parent is known to him.

(2) A local authority which is a party to proceedings in a court under Part 1A of the Act of 1980 shall send a notice specifying the time and place fixed for the hearing of the complaint to any person other than the complainant (and other than a person to whom a notice is required to be sent under paragraph (1)) who is a parent, guardian or custodian of the child, if his whereabouts is known to the local authority.

(3) If a parent, guardian or custodian of the child who is required to be given notice in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) appears at the hearing he shall be entitled to meet any allegations made against him in the course of the proceedings by cross-examining any witness and calling or giving evidence; and any person who is required to be given such a notice shall be entitled to make representations to the court at the conclusion of the evidence for the complainant (including any evidence in rebuttal of evidence for the defence) and the evidence, if any, for the defence but before any address by the defendant or complainant under rule 14(4) or (5) of the Magistrates' Courts Rules 1981(1).

(1)

S.I. 1981/552.