Protecting children and young people – legislation and key case law
This fact sheet provides links to key pieces of legislation, case law and procedure rules relevant to
child protection and giving evidence in court in cases involving children. It is not intended to be a
comprehensive statement of the law, or a substitute for legal advice.
Principal legislation
The four principal pieces of legislation that protect children in the UK are:
Children Act 1989 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/contents
Children (Scotland) Act 1995 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/36/contents
Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1995/755/contents/made
Children Act 2004 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/31/contents
Other key pieces of legislation and case law
Specific to children
Adoption and Children Act 2002 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/38/contents
Children and Adoption Act 2006 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/20/contents
The Children and Young Person’s Act 2008 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/23/contents
Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/26/contents
Legislation concerning risk to children and others
Sex Offenders Act 1997 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/51/contents
Female Genital Mutilation (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) 2003
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/31/contents
Sexual Offences Act 2003 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/contents
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/28/contents
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Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2005/9/introduction
Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2005/8/contents
Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2008/1769/contents
Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2009/9/contents
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment) Act 2012
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/4/contents
Capacity, consent and age of majority
Family Law Reform Act 1969 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1969/46/contents
Age of Majority Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1969/28/contents
Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech AHA [1985] UKHL
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1985/7.html
The Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/50/contents
Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2000/4/section/1
Mental Capacity Act 2005 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents
Rights of the child and best interests
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/pdf/crc.pdf
UNICEF has published a summary of the rights of the child set out in the United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child which can be found at http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
JD v. East Berkshire Community Health Trust & Ors [2005] UKHL 23
http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2005/23.html
ZH (Tanzania) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] UKSC 4
http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/decided-cases/docs/UKSC_2010_0002_Judgment.pdf
Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/mwa/2011/2/contents
Giving evidence in court – legislation and procedure rules
The Civil Evidence Act 1995 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/38/contents
Act of Adjournal (Criminal Procedure Rules) 1996
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/513/contents/made
Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Rules 1996
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/3261/contents/made
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The Criminal Justice Act 2003 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/44/contents
Criminal Justice (Evidence) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2004/1501/contents
Oldham MBC v GW & Ors [2007] EWHC 136 (Fam)
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2007/136.html
The Civil Procedure Rules http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil
The Criminal Procedure Rules http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/criminal
The Family Procedure Rules http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/family
The Criminal Procedure Rules and Court Rules www.scotcourts.gov.uk/library/rules/index.asp
Practice Direction on Experts in Family Proceedings Relating to Children
http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/479.htm
Other resources
The NSPCC has published a more detailed guide to child protection legislation and case law in the
UK which you can find on their website here:
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/questions/child_protection_legislation_in_the_uk_pdf_wdf48
953.pdf
The NSPCC also have some specific pages providing links to relevant strategy, guidance, statistics
and legislation that are relevant to children and young people in Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland.
Wales:
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/policyandpublicaffairs/wales/guidance/guidance_wda62632.html
Scotland: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/policyandpublicaffairs/scotland/guidance_wda88255.html
Northern Ireland:
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/policyandpublicaffairs/northernireland/guidance/guidance_wda61700.
html
Children 1st has published some briefings and fact sheets on child protection issues in Scotland,
which you can find on their website here: http://www.children1st.org.uk/shop/section/8/1/policybriefings
Action for Children has published some policy briefings on issues facing vulnerable children and
young people in the UK http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/policy-research/publications-and-briefings
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