'Sarah's Law' coming to Surrey in August

Mar 8 2010 By Emma Heseltine

Sarah Payne and husband Michael

SURREY Police is taking part in a pioneering child sex offender disclosure scheme.

The scheme has been trialled in four police forces and after proving a success, it will be rolled out to 18 more forces, including Surrey, in August.

Based on 'Sarah's Law', named after eight-year-old Hersham schoolgirl Sarah Payne, who was murdered by a convicted paedophile 10 years ago, the project came from a campaign by her mother, Sara, now a victim's tsar for the government.

It gives concerned residents a formal mechanism to find out about people in contact with children close to them.

Det Supt Pete O'Sullivan, head of public protection for Surrey Police, said: "This scheme has proven to be successful in the pilot areas, and will now be rolled out across Surrey later in the year. We are currently working on the processes to support the scheme, including training for staff and embedding the process into existing ways of working."

Under the terms of the programme, a parent, carer or guardian, or another interested party, can ask for checks to be made on whether they have a record of committing sexual offences against children.

Then the information can be passed on to police or other agencies, who can prevent children from being harmed.

Sara Payne, victim's champion and Hersham resident, said: "I am delighted that the years of campaigning and hard work by so many friends and colleagues have provided those who care for children with the right to check that adults who have access to them do not pose a danger.

"The input of the police, children’s charities and academics to the pilot schemes has ensured that we are all working together to keep children safe."

The scheme is likely to be rolled out to all other forces nationwide by March next year.

But police are keen to remind parents that if they have any concerns about the safety of children they can go to the police at any item, even before Surrey Police become involved in the scheme. A public protection team has already been set up there to deal with these safety issues.