Child Protection Procedures - East Ayrshire Council

• The procedure for making an application
• The action to be taken following a sheriff's decision.
7.2 Child Assessment Order
7.2.1 What is a Child Assessment Order?
7.2.1.1 A child assessment order is an order of the Court
authorising an assessment of a child's health and
development and of the way a child is being treated. A
child subject to a child assessment order is a looked after
child under the terms of the Children (Scotland) Act
1995.
7.2.1.2 A sheriff may make directions regarding the contact which
the child should have with the parents, other family
members and any person named in the order. Any such
direction must be complied with by the local authority.
7.3 Conditions to be satisfied before an order can be obtained
7.3.1 In the course of fulfilling their duty under Section 53 of the Children
(Scotland) Act 1995 to inquire into information which suggests a child
may be in need of compulsory measures of supervision, a local
authority may consider it necessary to seek a child assessment
order.
7.3.2 In order to satisfy a sheriff that such an order is necessary the
following three conditions set out in Section 55 (1) require to be met:
• The local authority must have reasonable cause to suspect
that the child for whom the order is being sought is being
so treated (or neglected) that he/ she is suffering, or is
likely to suffer, significant harm
• Such assessment of the child is required in order to
establish whether or not there is reasonable cause to
believe that the child is so treated (or neglected) and
• Such assessment is unlikely to be carried out, or be carried
out satisfactorily, unless the order is granted.
7.4 Steps to be taken before applying for an order
7.4.1 When considering whether an application for a child assessment
order is appropriate it is important to recognise that assessment will
be the key to decision making about the needs of children and their
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