Section 7 Welfare reports.I1

England and Wales

(1)

A court considering any question with respect to a child under this Act may—

(a)

ask F1an officer of the Service F2or a Welsh family proceedings officer ; or

(b)

ask a local authority to arrange for—

(i)

an officer of the authority; or

(ii)

such other person (other than an officer of the Service or a Welsh family proceedings officer ) as the authority considers appropriate,

to report to the court on such matters relating to the welfare of that child as are required to be dealt with in the report.

(2)

The Lord Chancellor may F3, after consulting the Lord Chief Justice, make regulations specifying matters which, unless the court orders otherwise, must be dealt with in any report under this section.

(3)

The report may be made in writing, or orally, as the court requires.

(4)

Regardless of any enactment or rule of law which would otherwise prevent it from doing so, the court may take account of—

(a)

any statement contained in the report; and

(b)

any evidence given in respect of the matters referred to in the report,

in so far as the statement or evidence is, in the opinion of the court, relevant to the question which it is considering.

(5)

It shall be the duty of the authority or officer of the Service or a Welsh family proceedings officer to comply with any request for a report under this section.

F4(6)

The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under subsection (2).

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in s. 7(1)(5) substituted (1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 43, s. 74, Sch. 7 para. 88; S.I. 2001/919, art. 2(f)(ii)
F2: Words in s. 7(1)(5) inserted (1.4.2005) by Children Act 2004 (c. 31), s. 40, Sch. 3 para. 6; S.I. 2005/700, art. 2(2)
F3: Words in s. 7(2) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 15(1), Sch. 4 para. 204(2); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(r)
F4: S. 7(6) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 15(1), Sch. 4 para. 204(3); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(r)

Commencement

I1: S. 7 wholly in force at 14.10.1991, see s. 108(2)(3) and S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)