Children’s Services involvement
Children’s Services may become involved if you have interactions with children and the police tell them about an arrest. The level of involvement can change during an investigation, and sometimes restrictions may be re-evaluated, especially during the sentencing phase.
In some cases, a ‘Section 47 enquiry’ might be conducted to determine if further engagement with your family is necessary. This assessment helps decide the appropriate actions to safeguard and enhance the well-being of the relevant child or children.
If you want to understand more about the process please see here. We encourage people to be open and honest and engage with Children’s Services as much as possible to ensure the welfare of your child/ren. If you find any aspects of the involvement confusing or want to talk to someone about how you are coping then please call our advisors for confidential support and advice.
Insurance
You should check your insurance policies e.g. home and car insurance as this can be affected if you have a criminal conviction. Some insurers will not cover people with convictions or it can affect your premium. You can find out about the financial impact on unlock.
Employment
During an investigation for a sexual offence, you may be at risk of losing your employment. It’s important to review your employment contract to understand whether you need to disclose a caution or conviction.
When looking for a new job, certain roles may not be suitable for you, particularly those involving children or vulnerable adults. When applying for specific jobs, you’ll likely be asked to declare any spent or unspent convictions. Failing to disclose spent convictions could lead to prosecution, and such convictions might be revealed if your employer conducts a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.