Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme

Did you know? Last year we received more than 180 applications for information through an important law introduced to protect children.

Sarah’s Law, also known as the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme, was introduced following the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2000.

It allows anyone who looks out for the welfare of a child to apply for information held by police which may indicate whether an individual poses a risk to children. This includes whether they have been convicted of any sexual offences.

In 2023, Cambridgeshire Constabulary received 184 Sarah’s Law applications.

Sarah’s Law is an important piece of legislation which gives people the opportunity to ask for information if they are concerned about someone’s behaviour or a new individual has access to their children.

There are many reasons someone might choose to make an application. A common example is if someone is entering into a new relationship and the person in question is therefore likely to have unsupervised time with their children.

We’d urge parents and carers to be aware of this scheme and consider making an application should a circumstance arise where they feel it is needed.

For more information on the scheme, visit our dedicated website page.