ProceduresPowers of Police Officers
This page sets out the powers of the police should they have reasonable cause to believe that a child is suffering or at risk of suffering serious harm.
A police officer who believes a child is suffering, or about to suffer, serious harm can activate police powers (section 64):
- enter premises (without a warrant) and/or remove the child;
- take necessary steps to prevent a child's removal from hospital or other place where the child is; or
- in other necessary circumstances remove a child from a parent or carer or other person.
A child taken into police protection may be kept for a maximum of 24 hours. Regulations detail how the police power is to be exercised and provide for the child to be transferred to the care of the Committee for Health and Social Care as quickly as possible (section 66).