You might be worried if someone you know who has been arrested for a sexual offence or about a sex offender having moved into your community. Understanding more about public protection measures means parents the public can keep children safe and prevent sexual abuse.
What is the sex offender register?
The sex offender register contains information about the people cautioned, convicted, or released from prison for a sexual offence against children or adults since 1997. This includes online and offline offences.
The length of time someone is on the register is decided by the courts and based on their offences, even if there is no prison sentence.
This doesn’t apply to adults who are under investigation or have been arrested but not convicted, or to most under-18s.
How to find out if someone is on the sex offenders register?
There is no public sex offender register in the UK. There are different schemes that allow parents, carers or guardians with concerns about a child under the age of 18 years to make a formal request for the disclosure of information about a named person who may have contact with their child, if they are concerned that the person may be a registered sex offender.
What is Sarah’s Law?
Sarah’s Law, or the child sex offender disclosure scheme, allows individuals to find out, if someone who has access to a child, is a registered sex offender or poses a risk to that child. It also considers disclosing information about those who pose a risk to vulnerable adults. The scheme is managed by the police’s public protection units under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
Who can make a request?
Parents, Guardians, and Third Parties: This includes grandparents, neighbours, and any member of the public concerned about a specific person’s contact with a child.
Application Process: Requests can be made to participating police forces.
Is disclosure guaranteed?
Police assessment: The police will process the application and assess the need for disclosure.
Disclosure criteria: Information will be disclosed to those in the best position to protect a child, based on consultations with partner agencies.
How to Make a Request
Visit any police station or call your local police non-emergency number. More information can be found on the relevant police force’s website.
The Sex Offender Community Disclosure Scheme, also known as ‘Keeping Children Safe,’ is available across Scotland.
Purpose: allows parents, carers, or guardians to request information about a person who may have contact with their child, if concerned they might be a registered sex offender.
Eligibility: only parents, carers, or guardians can receive information.
Application Process
Online form: the quickest way to apply is via the Police Scotland website.
Police assessment: each application and potential risk are assessed individually by the police.
Find more information through the Sex Offender Community Disclosure Scheme.
The Child Protection Disclosure Scheme provides a process for anyone (applicant) who has concerns about an individual who may pose a risk to children (subject) to request that information relating to relevant sexual/violent offences be disclosed to the person responsible for the child (responsible person).
The person you feel may be at risk must live in Northern Ireland. You can complete an application via the Police Force of Northern Ireland website: https://www.psni.police.uk/request/child-protection-disclosure#no-back
