The database, created under the Children Act 2004 , will cost £ 224m to set up and £41m a year to run. It will be operating in 150 Local Authorities , and be accessible to at least 330,000 users. The database has gone through the pilot phase and will be fully operational by the end of 2008. The database has been heavily criticised from a wide range of groups, mainly for Privacy , Security and child protection reasons.
See Also: Murder of Victoria Climbié
In spring 1999, Victoria Climbié (born 2 November 1999 — 25 February 2000 in Abobo, 2003 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
Victoria's death led to a 2005 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 The
database proposals were announced in September 2003,Batty, David; Carvel, John, " Plan to keep file on every child ", ''The Guardian'', 2004 . , Performance and Innovation Unit, 11 April 2002 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
The pilot schemes (designated as identification, referral and tracking (IRT) schemes) began with 2005 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
To allow the introduction of the database, the government required all local authorities to implement the 2007 .
The 2007 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
The government says the database was set up to improve child protection by improving the way information about children is shared between services. Only professionals whose job involves supporting children will be able to access the database, and they will be required to undergo enhanced 2007 . a tool used to assess a child's situation, will be able to record on a child's record that they have carried out this assessment. No information contained in this assessment will be held on ContactPoint. Under the Data Protection Act , all organisations supplying data to the database will have to inform children and guardians through fair-processing
notices." Children’s Database Guidance Consultation Launched ", participationworks.org.uk, 31 May 2007 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . Subjects of the database can make access
requests, in writing, to view any personal data that organisations hold on them on the database and to correct any mistakes. The government estimates that the benefit of reducing unproductive work time using the database is valued at more than £88m." Information Sharing Index ", North Tyneside Council. Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
The entries for each child are to consist of:
- name, address, gender and date of birth;
- a unique identifying number;
- the name and contact details of any person with Parental Responsibility or who has care of him at any time;
- details of any education being received by him, including details of any educational institution attended;
- the name and contact details of any person providing primary medical and other services specified by the Secretary Of State ;
- information as to the existence of any cause for concern in relation to him;
- other information, not including medical records or other personal records, specified by the Secretary of State. Children Act 2004, Part 2, Section 12 , Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
The database will not hold case or assessment material or any subjective observations. The database can include information of a ‘sensitive’ nature, defined as issues relating to 2007 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
There have been significant privacy concerns about the database. The 2004 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . Liberty , a Civil Liberties interest group, said governments should not interfere with family life, warning against complacency "about the importance of privacy in a free society".[
name="concerns">" Concerns over new child database ", BBC, 27 June 2006 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . The British Medical Association ]
raised concerns that it may breach Doctor–patient Confidentiality .Batty, David,
" BMA raises concern over child databases ", ''The Guardian'', 2006 .Batty, David,
" Children fear intrusion of national database, report finds ", ''The Guardian'', 8 September 2006 . Retrieved on 27 June
2007 .
Commentators have expressed concern about the country's increasing 2007 .Boggan, Steve,
" No more secrets ", ''The Guardian'', 2006 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . Conservative Party Member Of Parliament Oliver Heald said, 'there is already public concern at government plans for a compulsory identity card database, a Nanny State children's database and a property database for the council tax
revaluation'.Priestley, Sally, " Minister defends data-sharing scheme ", epolitix.com, 2004 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
Security concerns about the database have been significant, and commentators have said that there is a large risk of abuse of the system. Meikle, James, " Schools warn of abuse risk from IT database ", ''The Guardian'', 2007 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . Sex Offenders Targeting Children may use the database to find vulnerable
victims." Privacy row erupts over child database ", ''The Daily Mail'', 2006 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 . The proposals may break Data Protection and Human Rights laws.
Some have said that the database may lead to Self-fulfilling Prophecies , where children from difficult backgrounds are treated as potential delinquents.Goodwin, Bill,
"[http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2006/11/22/220104/experts-criticise-government-child-database-plans.htm Experts criticise government child database plans]", Computer Weekly, 2006 . Retrieved on 27 June 2007 .
The government have rejected most of the negative criticism. The DfES said that the database will only contain basic information and "will certainly not be including any information on children's diet or
school attainment". Laming has said that information for every child needs to be kept so that they would ''not'' be at risk." 'Children at risk without database' ", BBC, 2006 . Retrieved on 27 June 2006 .
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