In some circumstances a parent will be required to attend court and give evidence, other times it is just the child who gives evidence.
If the parent is not a witness:
Whether or not a parent attends court while their child is giving evidence is something for the parent and the child to decide. Some children would not like to have parents or relatives in court with them as they could feel self-conscious and may want to protect them from hearing the details of the offence. Alternatively, a child may be reassured by a parent’s presence at the trial and feel confident with them being there.
If a parent enters the courtroom before the child has given evidence, the parent will not be allowed to rejoin the child until he or she has finished giving evidence. This is to avoid any suggestion that a parent has informed the child about what has already been said in court.
If the parent is a witness
A parent will not be able to watch the trial before they have given their evidence. If the child wants his or her parent to be in the court room when giving evidence, a parent should ask to give evidence first.
In some cases, the parent and the child can give evidence on different days, if this is to happen, then the parent and child will be told not to discuss the evidence, or sometimes they may even have to be kept separate until both have given evidence.
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