Rule 25.5A Requirement for experts to be regulated in children proceedingsF1F2
Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the court may only give permission under section 13(1), (3) or (5) of the 2014 Act if the expert evidence is from a regulated expert.
The requirement set out in paragraph (1) does not apply to expert evidence from an international social worker, a technical expert or an expert instructed in proceedings under Schedule 1 to the 1989 Act.
The court may give permission under section 13(1), (3) or (5) of the 2014 Act to instruct any expert where there is no regulated expert available.
For the purposes of paragraph (3), no regulated expert is available where—
the issue to which the expert evidence relates may only be resolved with the expertise of an expert who is not a regulated expert; or
the instruction of a regulated expert would cause significant delay in the proceedings which would not be in the best interests of the child.
If permission is given under paragraph (3), the court must give reasons for its decision, including—
the steps taken by the parties to identify a regulated expert, and
the reasons why the expert instructed meets the standards set out in the annex to Practice Direction 25B.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Pt. 25 substituted (31.1.2013) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) (No.5) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/3061), rule 1, Sch.
- F2
Rule 25.5A inserted (20.7.2026) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2026 (S.I. 2026/699), rules 1(3), 5 (with rule 6)