New project keeps kids safe from pedophiles

Lincolnshire Police will launch a new project on Friday, so that suspicious people can be checked by the public and parents before coming into contact with their children.

From October 1, the national Keeping Children Safe initiative allows anyone to ask police to vet those in contact with children, and find out if they have any sexual offence records on file.

The child sex offender disclosure scheme lets people submit an application after confirming their identity, say why they want a person checked, and their relationship with a child.

Head of Lincolnshire Police Public Protection Unit, Detective Superintendent Guy Collings said: “The majority of child sexual offenders are known to their victims and they are often a friend or even member of the victim’s family.

“The information will only be shared with the people best placed to protect the child. This will usually be the child’s parent, carer or guardian and that won’t necessarily be the person who made the original enquiry.

The scheme was developed as part of Sarah’s Law and a consultation with Sara Payne, the mother of Sarah, who was murdered by a sex offender in 2000.

“It is a major step forward in our ability to protect children from sex offenders but also to empower parents and guardians to understand how best to protect their children,” Collings added.

“If a requested check reveals a convicted sex offender or an individual with convictions for offences which could put a child at risk, the disclosure of that information will be considered at a Multi-Agency Protection Arrangements meeting.

“In every case MAPPA will consider if information needs to be given to another person or group of people in order to protect them from the offender or for them to protect others.”

To learn more about the application process, you can visit the Keeping Children Safe national website at Direct Gov.

Source: Lincolnshire Police | Photo: Stefan Powell