Guidance issued by Sir James Munby states that there is currently "widespread misunderstanding" about the extent to which judges and magistrates should participate in serious case reviews (SCRs).
SCRs are conducted by local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) in cases where children who have been in contact with local authority children's services have died or suffered serious harm.
Munby said that some LSCBs have written to judges after child deaths to request either an interview or the completion of an independent management review (IMR), or provide a list of specific questions for the judge to answer.
"Judges should provide every assistance to SCRs which is compatible with judicial independence," the guidance states.
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