Social inquiry reports

(1) The Family Court or a magistrates court shall require a written social inquiry report in respect of a child before making a supervision order or a care order. (2) It shall be the duty of the social services practitioner to prepare a social inquiry report and he or she shall comply with the request of the Family Court or a magistrates court whenever required to produce a social inquiry report. (3) A social services practitioner shall make a home visit and interview the parents or guardians of the child concerned and carry out his investigations concerning the child before making a social inquiry report. (4) Where the child in respect of whom the social inquiry report is made is considered by the Department to be of sufficient age and understanding, he or she shall be interviewed by a social services practitioner. (5) A social inquiry report shall contain matters relating to the welfare of the child and recommendations as to any action to be taken by the Family Court or a magistrates court. (6) The Family Court or a magistrates court shall take the information contained in the social inquiry report into account in so far as it is relevant to the order being made. (7) If the Family Court or a magistrates court is not satisfied with any recommendation made by the social services practitioner in the social inquiry report, it shall state and record its reasons for not complying with the recommendation.