Police offered new child abuse advice

Advice on all aspects of a child abuse inquiry is offered

New recommendations aimed at ending miscarriages of justice in child abuse investigations are to be handed to the Home Office on Wednesday.

The BBC has learned that a new guidebook, drawn up by eight senior officers, could be used by police forces across the country.

The 120-page booklet was drawn up to help officers improve the way they deal with child abuse cases once an allegation has been made.

It is hoped the guidelines will prevent a repeat of errors made in recent high profile cases.

The guidelines have been put together by detectives who have investigated allegations of child abuse in institutions

Terry Grange, Association of Chief Police Officers

The book contains seven chapters relating to every aspect of an investigation, from how to trace witnesses to dealing with malicious allegations.

Chief Constable Terry Grange, child protection spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is distilled wisdom as to the best way to set up the inquiry so you are able to show you did it properly so judges and defence counsel can do a critique of what you did."

The authors hope the book will be particularly useful to forces investigating institutional abuse.

"The guidelines have been put together by detectives who have investigated allegations of child abuse in institutions," Mr Grange, of Dyfed Powys Police said.

The book's release coincides with the launch of a new government inquiry into the conduct of past investigations into abuse cases at care homes around the country.

A draft copy will be handed to Home Office minister John Denham, with an approved version to be passed to the select committee inquiry next month.