Single parents may be told if new partners are paedophiles

November 17, 2006 in Child safeguarding, Children, Sexual exploitation

A review into public protection arrangements surrounding sex offenders is considering giving single parents the right to know whether new partners are paedophiles.

Another proposal being considered by the review, commissioned by home secretary John Reid in June, is to give the public the right to know whether sex offenders are living in their communities, without releasing names or addresses.

Sex offender expert Ray Wyre told Community Care LIVE Children and Families last month giving single parents the right to know whether new partners are paedophiles was the single most effective measure to strengthen child protection arrangements.

A Home Office spokesperson said the review would report next year and had started from the premise that “information [on sex offenders] should not be the sole preserve of officials”.

The government is not expected to back a so-called Sarah’s Law, under which communities are given details on the identities of child sex offenders living in their areas.

Meanwhile a website has been launched to publish details of child sex offenders currently evading police notification arrangements.