As concerns for children's safety continue to be a priority, it's important for residents of Wells to know their rights when it comes to learning about convicted sex offenders living in their community. This isn't about penalising individuals who have served their sentences but focuses on protecting the vulnerable.

What is Sarah's Law?

The child sex offender disclosure scheme, commonly known as Sarah's Law, allows any person to inquire if someone with access to a child has a record for sexual offences against children. The police will confidentially reveal this information to the person most capable of safeguarding the child—usually parents, guardians, or carers—if they believe it's in the child's best interest.

This law owes its existence to Sarah Payne, whose eight-year-old daughter fell victim to a convicted paedophile. Sarah's Law aims to empower parents by providing them with the information needed to protect their children from dangerous offenders living nearby.

Understanding the Sex Offenders' Register

Being labelled as a 'sex offender' does not necessarily mean 'paedophile'. The Sex Offenders' Register can include individuals who received a caution for minor inappropriate conduct, alongside those convicted of grave offences like child abduction.

How to Access the Information

If you feel a child is in immediate danger, always call 999. For non-emergency situations, residents in Wells can call 101 or visit their local police station. Here, they can request a 'Child Sex Offenders Disclosure Scheme Form', or Form 284. If the police believe that the individual in question poses a risk to a child, they may share this information, although it's not a guarantee.

Wells in Focus

Residents of Wells can seek out information from their local police station. Remember, any disclosed information is confidential and should only be used for protecting the child. Failing to maintain this confidentiality can result in legal repercussions.

For additional resources on how to protect children from abuse, you can visit the Parents Protect website.

Sarah's Law and the Sex Offenders' Register offer valuable tools for the parents and guardians of Wells, providing essential information that could keep the community's youngest and most vulnerable residents safe.