Forced Marriage - the role of social services.

One Year On: the initial impact of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 in its first year of operation. The act has been used to protect women and girls ranging widely in age from 9 to 35 years, with 86 Forced Mariage Protection Orders being issue in the first year of operation. Unfortunately, in this report social work departments have come in for some criticism, with some local authorities being slow to make use of orders and their potential for integration with child protection procedures. See also Guardian The Times, both 8 January 2009.