Schedule 1 - Enforcement orders Section 7 - Risk Assessments
48.Section 7 adds a new section 16A to the 1989 Act, which requires CAFCASS officers to carry out a risk assessment and provide it to the court if, in the course of carrying out any function in private law family proceedings under the 1989 Act, the officer is given cause to suspect that the child concerned is at risk of harm. Private family law proceedings include applications for residence and contact orders and applications for enforcement of contact orders. The duty applies whenever an officer is involved in any function connected with such proceedings including, for instance, preparing a report for the court under section 7 of the 1989 Act, monitoring of contact orders as provided for by new section 11H of the 1989 Act or working on alternative dispute resolution. It also applies where an officer is carrying out functions under a family assistance order.