# The Family Proceedings (Amendment) (No.2) Rules 2007, Article 10: Amendments to the Family Proceedings Rules 1991


After rule 4.11A insert the following rule—
“Additional powers and duties of officers of the service and Welsh family proceedings officers: family assistance order reports and risk assessments
44.11AA. (1) This rule applies where an officer of the service or a Welsh family proceedings officer is preparing or has prepared—
(a) a family assistance order report; or
(b) a risk assessment.
(2) When an officer of the service or a Welsh family proceedings officer is preparing a family assistance order report or a risk assessment he must consider whether—
(a) to notify the child of such of the contents of the report or assessment as he considers appropriate to the age and understanding of the child;
(b) to recommend in the report or assessment that the court lists a hearing for the purposes of considering the report or assessment;
(c) it is in the best interests of the child for the child to be made a party to the proceedings.
(3) If the officer of the service or the Welsh family proceedings officer decides to notify the child of any of the contents of the report or assessment, he must explain those contents to the child in a manner appropriate to the child’s age and understanding.
(4) If the officer of the service or the Welsh family proceedings officer considers that the child should be made a party to the proceedings he must notify the court of his opinion together with the reasons for that opinion.
(5) If the officer of the service or the Welsh family proceedings officer considers that the court should exercise its discretion under rule 4.17AA(2) in relation to service of a risk assessment, he must state in the risk assessment—
(a) the way in which he considers the court should exercise its discretion (including his view on the length of any suggested delay in service); and
(b) his reasons for reaching his view.
(6) The officer of the service or the Welsh family proceedings officer must file the report or assessment with the court—
(a) at or by the time directed by the court;
(b) in the absence of any such direction, at least 14 days before a relevant hearing; or
(c) where there has been no direction from the court and no relevant hearing is listed, as soon as possible following completion of the report or assessment.
(7) In paragraph (6), a hearing is a relevant hearing if the proper officer has given the officer of the service or the Welsh family proceedings officer notice that the report or assessment is to be considered at it.
(8) When an officer of the service or a Welsh family proceedings officer prepares a family assistance order report, he shall, as soon as practicable, serve copies of that report on—
(a) each party; and
(b) any local authority that is preparing or has prepared a report under section 14A(8) or (9).
(9) At any hearing where a family assistance order report or a risk assessment is considered, any party may question the officer of the service or the Welsh family proceedings officer about the report or assessment.”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2187/article/10 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/family-proceedings-amendment-no2-rules-2007/article-10
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.