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282 <h2>
282 Electronic Recording of Meetings and Conversations
282 </h2>
284 </div>
287 <div id="scope_box">
288 <h3>
288 SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
288 </h3>
289 <p>
289 This chapter deals with recording of meetings/conversations by individual service-users, in their
capacity as private individuals. Note that the employees of the local authority, acting in their
professional capacity, are subject to different legislative requirements, e.g. under the Data
Protection Act 2018.
289 </p>
290 <p>
290 This is a developing area, and legal advice
290 <span class="bold">
290 must
290 </span>
290 be sought as necessary.
290 </p>
291 <h3>
291 AMENDMENT
291 </h3>
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292 This guidance was reviewed and updated in October 2018 following the introduction of the General
Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
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295 Contents
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296 <ol>
297 <li>
297 <a href="#intro">
297 Introduction
297 </a>
297 </li>
298 <li>
298 <a href="#consent">
298 Consent
298 </a>
298 </li>
299 <li>
299 <a href="#recorded">
299 Use of Recorded Material
299 </a>
299 </li>
300 <li>
300 <a href="#practice">
300 Good Practice
300 </a>
300 </li>
301 <li>
301 <a href="#further_info">
301 Further Information
301 </a>
301 </li>
302 </ol>
303 <h3 id="intro">
303 1. Introduction
303 </h3>
304 <p>
304 Advances in technology (e.g. smartphones) have made the recording of meetings and other
conversations with professionals much more easily available to individual service-users. This may
be simply because they wish to have a verbatim record of the conversation/meeting to refer back
to, or because they have difficulties in following or recalling conversations. They may, however,
seek to use the recording for other purposes such as admission into evidence in family court
proceedings, or even for wider broadcast.
304 </p>
305 <p>
305 This may arise in the context of private law or public law proceedings, and may involve recording
of conversations between parents, between parents and social workers, foster carers, etc, or
recording of conversations between parents and children. One parent may be trying to use it, for
example, to justify their assertions regarding contact with the other parent.
305 </p>
306 <p>
306 The recording may take place overtly or covertly.
306 </p>
307 <h3 id="consent">
307 2. Consent
307 </h3>
308 <p>
308 There are no specific legal restrictions on the recording of face-to-face conversations, whether
this is overt or covert. Thus, whilst good practice would suggest that advance consent should be
sought for any planned recording, a blanket ban on recording is unlikely to be lawful.
308 </p>
309 <p>
309 This is not a clear-cut area, and legal advice
309 <span class="bold">
309 must
309 </span>
309 be sought as appropriate. Practitioners should be mindful that covert recording may be taking
place, and should endeavour to ensure that they do not make statements during 'private'
conversations which they would not be prepared to hear produced as evidence in court.
309 </p>
310 <p>
310 Cafcass, in its
310 <a href="files/cafcass_operating_frwork.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
310 Operating Framework
310 </a>
310 , states:
310 </p>
311 <p>
311 <span class="italic">
311 'We should have nothing to fear from covert recording. Our attitude should be, “I am doing
my job and I have nothing to hide. I can explain why I said what I said or why I did what I
did.” This is within the spirit of transparency in the family courts. We should always be
transparent in our work, to meet contemporary expectations, including being able to defend
whatever we say or write in a court under cross-examination, because we are working to a
professional standard on behalf of a child. In this sense, we should expect that everything we
say or write could become public knowledge'.
311 </span>
311 </p>
312 <p>
312 The fact that the social worker has not given their consent to the conversation being recorded
does not, of itself, render the recording unlawful or inadmissible.
312 </p>
313 <p>
313 If the scale or style of recording is excessive, oppressive or disproportionate, then this may
cross a threshold. For example, a parent recording their questioning of the child in a manner
which is oppressive may in fact be evidence of possible emotional abuse of the child by that
parent. Persistent recording of a social worker in such a way as to amount to intimidation may
constitute harassment, and it may be possible for the social worker to seek legal redress such as
a non-molestation order.
313 </p>
314 <h3 id="recorded">
314 3. Use of Recorded Material
314 </h3>
315 <p>
315 Whilst the recording itself may well be legitimate, there may be restrictions on its use.
315 </p>
316 <p>
316 If a party seeks to admit such material into court proceedings, then it is at the discretion of
the court whether to allow this or not. Such evidence will only be admitted if it is relevant to
the issues in the case and not, for example, in furtherance of a personal grievance by a parent
against a social worker.
316 </p>
317 <p>
317 The Data Protection Act 2018 does not cover processing of personal data by an individual in the
course of a purely personal or household activity. The scope of this in the context of recording
is not clear. However, Jackson J in M v F (Covert Recording of Children) [2016] EWFC 29 expressed
the view that a similar exemption contained in the previous Data Protection Act was intended to
protect normal domestic use, and would not cover the covert recording of individuals, and
particularly children, for the purpose of evidence-gathering in family proceedings.
317 </p>
318 Wider distribution, for example, making such recordings available via the internet, would be in
contravention of the General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018. Such
recordings are likely to contain information (including possible 'sensitive personal
information') relating to third parties, and the distribution of such information so as to enable
those third parties to be identified would be in breach of data protection provisions. If the issues
in question are the subject of ongoing court proceedings, then there is also a possible contempt of
court.
319 <h3 id="practice">
319 4. Good Practice
319 </h3>
320 <p>
320 A clear process should be in place for dealing with requests to record meetings/conversations or
for situations where it seems likely that covert recording is taking place or is likely to take
place. It is preferable for this to be addressed with all service-users at an early stage, rather
than waiting until the situation arises at the start of a meeting. The process should set out how
the request should be made, who will consider the request and how far in advance of the meeting
the request should be made. It should also make clear to the service-user the limitations upon the
use of the recorded material, e.g. that it can only be used in relation to the ongoing family
proceedings and cannot be broadcast more widely. The service-user will preferably be invited to
sign to indicate their agreement to and understanding of these limitations.
320 </p>
321 <p>
321 It is important that each such request is considered on its own merits. If the decision-maker is
minded to refuse the request, then legal advice should be sought.
321 </p>
322 <h3 id="further_info">
322 5. Further Information
322 </h3>
323 <p>
323 Please see
323 <a
href="http://www.transparencyproject.org.uk/press/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Whymightparentswantto
recordmeetingsv2jan16.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
323 Parents recording social workers - A guidance note for parents and professionals (The
Transparency Project, 2015)
323 </a>
323 .
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