Skip to main content

Child Protection Disclosure Scheme

The Child Protection Disclosure Scheme provides a process for anyone (applicant) who has concerns about an individual who may pose a risk to children (subject) to request that information relating to relevant sexual/violent offences be disclosed to the person responsible for the child (responsible person).

The applicant must provide the following information before an application will be considered:

  • Name, address and contact telephone number of applicant
  • Name and address of child/children for whom the person is concerned
  • Relationship/connection to the child/children
  • Name and address of adult responsible for the child/children
  • Reasons why a request for disclosure is being made
  • Name and/or address of individual about whom the request for disclosure is being made
  • Police require sufficient information in order to positively identify the subject of any application. Further detail may be requested from the applicant in order to assist in the identification of any person named in the application or to aid the assessment of any risk to any child(ren). Relevant information may be shared with other statutory agencies in the interests of child protection. Police may require the applicant to provide photographic identification to prove their identity at any point in the process.


Any potential disclosures will only be made if the necessary criteria is met. Relevant disclosures can only be made to the person(s) responsible for the named child(ren).

Please confirm before proceeding

You should NOT use this scheme as a way of reporting imminent/current child protection concerns or offending. Such concerns should be reported to police using 999 in emergencies, 101 for non-emergencies, confidentially using the Crimestoppers number 0800 555111 and/or to your local Social Services Gateway Teams.

Find your local social services gateway team

An Incident/Crime is graded as an Emergency if the incident is in progress and in which there is, or is likely to be:

 

  • a risk to life
  • use or immediate threat of use of violence
  • serious injury caused to a person
  • serious damage caused to property
  • an offender is disturbed at the scene, or has been detained and poses, or is likely to pose a risk to other people

 

The person you feel may be at risk MUST live in Northern Ireland