18 May 2009
Controversial child database goes live
Arun Marsh
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The controversial ContactPoint database featuring details of every child under 18 has been opened for use at 17 councils.
Up to 800 frontline practitioners including social workers, health professionals and head teachers based in 17 local authority areas in the North West can now access the system.
For the first time, professionals - who have all been through stringent security measures and training - can see in one place some of the different services involved with a child they are working with and start to feel some of the early benefits ContactPoint will offer them.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls said:
'Over the past four months important and careful work has been going on to build ContactPoint. It is excellent progress and from next week the first frontline workers will be able to use the online directory, start to get the benefits from it and ensure we can continue to learn from their early experiences.
'If we are to do our best to make sure children are protected and that no child slips through the net, then it’s crucial the right agencies are involved at the right time and get even better at sharing information. ContactPoint is vital for this because it will enable frontline professionals to see quickly and easily who else is in contact with a child.
'Last week I announced our response to Lord Laming’s report on safeguarding children. ContactPoint is an important element of this and we know from the professionals on the ground that it is needed.'
The 17 early adopter local authorities - together with Barnardo’s and KIDS -now have in place trained management teams who manage the quality of data on ContactPoint in their local areas and train frontline users.
Local authorities have shielded the records of more than 51,500 children. This means that those who could be at risk should their whereabouts be visible, have had their record protected.
These might include children with particularly vulnerable circumstances - for example children from families on witness protection schemes; where one parent has been the victim of domestic abuse; or in certain cases where the child has been adopted.
ContactPoint will cost an estimated £224m to set up, followed by annual running costing of around £44m a year.
Previously both main opposition parties have said they would scrap the scheme should they get into power.
Up to 800 frontline practitioners including social workers, health professionals and head teachers based in 17 local authority areas in the North West can now access the system.
For the first time, professionals - who have all been through stringent security measures and training - can see in one place some of the different services involved with a child they are working with and start to feel some of the early benefits ContactPoint will offer them.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls said:
'Over the past four months important and careful work has been going on to build ContactPoint. It is excellent progress and from next week the first frontline workers will be able to use the online directory, start to get the benefits from it and ensure we can continue to learn from their early experiences.
'If we are to do our best to make sure children are protected and that no child slips through the net, then it’s crucial the right agencies are involved at the right time and get even better at sharing information. ContactPoint is vital for this because it will enable frontline professionals to see quickly and easily who else is in contact with a child.
'Last week I announced our response to Lord Laming’s report on safeguarding children. ContactPoint is an important element of this and we know from the professionals on the ground that it is needed.'
The 17 early adopter local authorities - together with Barnardo’s and KIDS -now have in place trained management teams who manage the quality of data on ContactPoint in their local areas and train frontline users.
Local authorities have shielded the records of more than 51,500 children. This means that those who could be at risk should their whereabouts be visible, have had their record protected.
These might include children with particularly vulnerable circumstances - for example children from families on witness protection schemes; where one parent has been the victim of domestic abuse; or in certain cases where the child has been adopted.
ContactPoint will cost an estimated £224m to set up, followed by annual running costing of around £44m a year.
Previously both main opposition parties have said they would scrap the scheme should they get into power.
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