Legal Interventions

Parenting orders: Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (opens new window)

Parenting Orders are an option the LA can recommend as part of a prosecution or a sentence available to Magistrates in s444 cases.

If, during the work leading up to prosecution, it appears that a Parenting Order would be appropriate as a part of the final sentence, then an assessment should be undertaken and a report prepared to be made available for Magistrates at the point of sentence. This could be because parenting work has already been offered but not undertaken by the parents, and a Parenting Order is specifically required as an outcome of the prosecution.

Where a Parenting Order has not been considered as part of a prosecution, but Magistrates are minded to consider a Parenting Order, then the case will need to be adjourned to allow an assessment to take place and a report to be prepared. This will need to be done within the timescales expected by the Court for Pre-Sentence Reports, usually 21 days. A suitable Parenting Group within the community will need to be identified and an application made.

The defendant must see the report during the days leading up to the sentencing hearing.