More parents to be told about child offenders

A scheme which allows parents to check with police if someone close to their children has a history of child sex offending could be extended nationwide.Ten children had already been saved from potential abuse in a trial scheme, said Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.Parents made 79 requests to police to find out about the past convictions of partners or carers through the Child Sexual Offender Disclosure scheme.The trial started last September after years of pressure for a 'Sarah's Law' on the release of information about paedophiles. The campaign was inspired by the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2000 by convicted sex offender Roy Whiting.

From today, the pilot, which is being trialed in Warwickshire, will be spread across three more police force areas, Cleveland, Cambridgeshire and Hampshire. Under the scheme, parents, carers and guardians can ask police to tell them whether people who have access to their children have a record for child sexual offences. If the person is found to have convictions, and is considered a risk of causing serious harm to the children concerned, parents may be told about it and action is taken. Police will only give the information though, if they decide it is "necessary and proportionate" to protect children. Where information is given, parents and carers are asked to keep it confidential, and could face court action if they do not.

Of the 79 requests for information made in the pilot scheme, police only gave out details about 10 people „o five in Warwickshire and five in Cleveland. In one case information was passed on about a man with access to his new partner's grandchildren. He had already been investigated for child sex abuse and convicted of sex offences against adults. In another example, a parent went to police worried about the behaviour of a family friend. They found out the man had apparently breached a court order that should have stopped him being alone with children, and he was arrested and charged.

There were fears such a system could lead to vigilante attacks against offenders but there have been no cases so far. "Extending the pilot sites across the forces will allow better evaluation on which to base future decisions,¡¨ Warwickshire Chief Constable Keith Bristow told the BBC."The police service is committed to protecting children from any individual who poses harm or risk and the pilot has assisted in raising public awareness of child protection issues,¡¨ he said. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the pilot projects had given children a "better deal". After one year the government will assess whether to expand the scheme across England and Wales.

By Hayley Jarivs for SOS Children