EVIDENCE ACT 1977 - SECT 21AV
Affected child entitled to support
EVIDENCE ACT 1977 - SECT 21AV
Affected child entitled to support
21AV Affected child entitled to support
(1) An affected child, while he or she is giving evidence in a
relevant proceeding, is entitled to have near to him or her a person who may
provide the child with support (a
"support person" ).
(2) A person may be the child’s support person only if
the person is approved by the court on application by the party proposing to
call the child.
(3) The support person must be permitted to be in close
proximity to the child, and within the child’s sight, while the child is
giving evidence.
(4) An affected child may, with the agreement of the court,
waive the entitlement to a support person under subsection (1) .
(5) The
court must not agree to the waiver if the court considers the waiver is not in
the child’s best interests.
