ContactPoint
September 2008: Please Write To Your Local Authority Today And Ask Questions About Contactpoint
Terri Dowty, Director of ARCH children's rights organisation is asking all of us to write to our local authority today and to pose a series of questions about ContactPoint, the national children's database.
The reason for asking specifically about when individual authorities will join ContactPoint is that we could be looking at a situation where local data goes to the national database and is available via the internet at a different local authority before the "home" authority has officially joined the scheme and performed the requisite data shielding operations. More information from Terri at the foot of this page.
Here's an easy way to ask your authority:
- Put the name of your local authority and "children's services" into google to find a contact form or email address for enquiries.
- Alternatively use the DCSF Local Authority Address Finder
- Then send something on the following lines:
"To whom it may concern
I am writing with regard to ContactPoint and I have a number of questions. Please could you tell me the following:
- When will the authority join ContactPoint?
- What are the authority's arrangements for shielding sensitive data?
- What information is being given to families about having children's records shielded?
- What are the criteria for shielding?
- Will shielding be implemented as soon as a child's record is put on the national ContactPoint database or will shielding only be implemented when the authority actually joins ContactPoint?
- How will local families be told that they need to apply for shielding?
- What are the arrangements for informing young people how to apply for shielding on their own behalf?
I look forward to hearing from you as a matter of urgency. "
- Please keep any replies you receive and send copies to ARCH and EO's Government Policy Group.
Terri Dowty, Director of ARCH children's rights organisation has this to say about Contactpoint:
You will probably have heard that the launch of the Contactpoint database - the index of all children and young people in England - has again been delayed because of security concerns.
A major difficulty has arisen in 'shielding' records on the system. Because the security of Contactpoint cannot be guaranteed, the records of some children will be hidden. This applies to those escaping domestic violence, to children whose whereabouts need to be kept secret following adoption/fostering or because their family is in witness protection, and also to children of public figures.
Unfortunately the government did not make plans to 'shield' children's records as soon as they were put on the national database, instead leaving it to local authorities to apply shielding once they had joined the scheme - a process that will take place gradually over many months. This would leave some especially vulnerable children's records open. The full story appeared in the Guardian."
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