Recommendation WATE-(20): Expedite disciplinary proceedings for child abuse, independent of police investigations

Any disciplinary proceedings that are necessary following a complaint of abuse to a child should be conducted with the greatest possible expedition and should not automatically await the outcome of parallel investigations by the police or the report on any other investigation. In this context it should be emphasised to personnel departments and other persons responsible for the conduct of disciplinary proceedings within local authorities that: 21, 39, 62(v) (a) police or any other independent investigation does not determine disciplinary issues; (b) disciplinary proceedings may well involve wider issues than whether a crime has been committed; (c) the standard of proof in disciplinary proceedings is different from that in criminal proceedings; and (d) statements made to the police by potential witnesses in disciplinary proceedings, including statements by a complainant, can and should be made available to local authorities for use in such proceedings, if consent to this is given by the maker of the statement.