Prosecution Guidance on Inquiries and Reviews: Statutory and Independent Child and Adult Safeguarding
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This guidance provides the framework for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff on participating in various types of inquiries and reviews, particularly concerning statutory and independent child and adult safeguarding issues. It outlines the procedures for engagement, roles of the CPS, and the types of inquiries, including statutory inquiries, domestic homicide reviews, and safeguarding reviews. The guidance emphasizes the importance of compliance with legal obligations and the protection of vulnerable individuals during the inquiry process.
Key points
- CPS involvement is crucial in statutory and independent inquiries regarding safeguarding.
- All relevant material must be preserved relating to inquiries and reviews.
- Different types of inquiries include statutory, non-statutory, and independently sponsored public inquiries.
- The CPS must comply with requests for information from inquiries as per legal obligations.
- It is essential to maintain communication between the CPS and police during inquiries.
- Legal assistance may be provided for CPS employees involved in inquiries.
Public-interest factors
- Protection of vulnerable individuals is paramount.
- Public confidence in safeguarding systems must be restored.
- Lessons must be learned from inquiry outcomes to prevent future incidents.
- Engagement with community safety partnerships is essential for success.
- Transparency and accountability in the inquiry process are critical.
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.