(1)This section applies to any inspection conducted by the Chief Inspector under section 143.
(2)If the Chief Inspector considers it necessary or expedient for the purposes of the inspection, he may inspect, take copies of, or take away any documents kept by CAFCASS, or otherwise relating to the performance of CAFCASS functions, which—
(a)are on any premises in relation to which he exercises his power of entry under section 144, or
(b)are kept by an officer of the Service on domestic premises.
(3)The power in subsection (2) includes—
(a)power to require any person holding or accountable for any documents kept on the premises to produce them, and
(b)in relation to documents kept by means of a computer, power to require them to be produced in a form in which they are legible and can be taken away.
(4)In connection with inspecting any such documents the Chief Inspector—
(a)may obtain access to, and inspect and check the operation of, any computer and associated apparatus or material which he considers is or has been in use in connection with the documents; and
(b)may require a person within subsection (6) to afford him such reasonable assistance as he may require for that purpose.
(5)Where any such computer, apparatus or material is kept on domestic premises—
(a)subsection (4) does not apply, but
(b)the Chief Inspector may require a person within subsection (6) to give him possession of it for the purpose of inspecting it and checking its operation.
(6)A person is within this subsection if he is—
(a)the person by whom or on whose behalf the computer is or has been used, or
(b)a person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, apparatus or material.
(7)Where the Chief Inspector takes possession of anything under subsection (5)—
(a)he may retain it for as long as he considers that it is necessary to retain it for the purposes of the inspection under section 143, but
(b)once he considers that it is no longer necessary to retain it for those purposes, he must arrange for it to be returned to the person from whose possession it was taken.
(8)The powers conferred by this section may be exercised by the Chief Inspector at reasonable times only; and a person may not be required to do anything in pursuance of any provision of this section otherwise than at a reasonable time.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 145 applied (9.11.2015) by The Children Act 2004 (Joint Area Reviews) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1792), reg. 1(1), Sch. para. 4
Commencement Information
I1S. 145 in force at 1.4.2007 by S.I. 2007/935, art. 5(u)