Disclosure to Children and Young People
These documents are designed to provide useful information for children and young people seeking access to information held about them by the family courts and partner agencies.
Please note that the guidance and the process maps do not include disclosure in Adoption cases.
Guidance
Accessing personal information held by the court, local authorities, or Cafcass can be challenging, especially for children and young people. The guidance is written with input from children who have shared their experiences; although it can be read directly by children it is designed to be used by an adult to support a child/young person in accessing information, including the process maps that will further help to navigate the various ways information is sought.
See the Guidance (PDF) for young people who want to know what was said, or written, about them in files held by the courts, Cafcass, or a local authority.
Process Maps
The Public Law and Private Law process maps provide the steps required to request this information. Please note that any disclosure made may be redacted or limited in volume.
Public Law
Public law refers to cases brought to the family court by local authorities where they are worried that a child or young person is not being looked after safely.
The charity Become have a section on their website on FAQs on how to access your records from social services after 18, which can be found here: Accessing your records – Become. The Charity also have a Care Advice Line: 0800 023 2033
See the Public Law Process Map (PDF) to request access to records from local authority.
To request access to records from Cafcass England, their website has the following helpful guide: The court process and what to expect (external link)
Private Law
Private law refers to cases brought to the family court by private individuals, generally in connection with divorce or parents’ separation.
See the Private Law Process Map (PDF) to request access to records from Cafcass or the Court.