Why information-sharing databases may harm children: special report
Helen McCormack writes in Community Care (”The Web site for everyone in Social Care”):
Following the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie, Lord Laming pointed the finger of blame at the lack of co-operation between agencies.
But the government’s response – to pump hundreds of millions of pounds into developing an unprecedented number of children’s databases – may backfire, according to a report published this week.
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High cost has been one of the criticisms levied at the children’s index, due to be in place by 2008 and estimated to cost £224m to set up and £41m a year to run thereafter. It will hold basic details for England’s twelve million children and will act as an early warning system for young people needing interventions.
But it could be “flooded” by practitioners registering low level concerns, creating the risk that those with real child protection needs will be less rather than more likely to come to the attention of authorities.
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Poor quality or inaccurate data will lead to more errors, with out of context information likely to cause risk-averse staff to panic.
Between 300,000 and 400,00 practitioners, including social workers, doctors and teachers will have access to the index. Draft guidelines stipulate that practitioners have to “take all reasonable steps”. A Dfes consultation, due to close on December 14, asks if the regulations contain the necessary safeguards to ensure the information is kept accurate and up to date.
