Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme – Sarah’s Law

The Child Sex Offender’s Disclosure Scheme (CSODS), also known as Sarah’s Law, allows you to ask us if someone with access to a child has a record for child sex offences.

Disclosures provide you with information we hold on an individual posing significant risk to children. This can include convictions for child sex offences or if the individual poses a safeguarding risk to a child.

Information will only be provided if it is in the interest of the child’s welfare and is not believed to increase the risk of harm. 

Applying for disclosure information

1. Step 1 : Who can apply Hide Show

   Anyone who is worried about someone’s behaviour towards a child can apply online for information.

   However, disclosures will only be given to the person best placed to protect the child, usually a parent, carer or guardian.

2. Step 2 : Before you apply Hide Show

   Sarah’s Law is for you to ask the police for information about someone. It is not for you to report something to the police.

   We might share information you give in this application form with other organisations, such as social care services, probation and health services.

   We may take action against you if we discover you have:

   • lied on this form to try to get information about someone
   • shared confidential information we have given you with others

3. Step 3 : How to apply Hide Show

   You can apply for disclosure information:

   • online — fill in the apply for a child sex offender disclosure form
   • in person — visit a police station
   • by phone — call 101

4. Step 4 : After you apply Hide Show

   We will make some checks within 24 hours, and if we think a child is in immediate danger we will take immediate action.

   If we do not think there is an immediate danger, we will get in touch to either:

   • discuss the application in more detail, initially over the telephone. An additional face-to-face interview may then be required.
   • tell you that we are not going to progress your application, explain why, and tell you what we might do instead

   The interview should take place within 10 days and the full risk assessment, which will enable us to make a decision on how to proceed with your application, should take no more than 28 days, (unless extenuating circumstances exist which mean an extension is required and justified).

I want to know more

For more advice and information on protecting children from abuse:

• visit the Parents Protect website
• read about what to do if someone you know has accessed indecent images of children online
• read the Home Office guidance on Keeping children safe from sexual abuse (PDF)

Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law)

If you are asking us about your partner and worry you may also be at risk of domestic violence, you can ask for information under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (often called Clare’s Law).