Concerns raised over children's database

Government plans to create a database of all 11 million UK children are a cause for concern, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas told MPs this week.

Addressing the Commons education committee, Thomas said he supports legislation to clarify how information about children at risk is shared, but there are issues to be addressed.

His concerns focus on practicalities such as the logistics of creating and maintaining the system, and how to keep sensitive information private while allowing appropriate access to childcare professionals. Clear limits on the use of databases also need to be established, he said.

The committee is considering Whitehall plans for a universal children's database, proposed in the Children's Act passed by Parliament in November.

The plan was mooted after the public inquiry into the Victoria Climbi‚ child abuse case, and was approved by ministers at the end of last year (Computing, 8 December).

There are 10 pilots running in selected local authorities, with the national implementation expected to start in the autumn.

The current aim is for a local index for each of the 150 local authority areas, with a 151st system to co-ordinate them. Each child will have a unique identifying number, and relevant professionals such as doctors and social workers will be able to highlight the files of children they believe to be in danger.

'The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) would welcome the opportunity to work alongside the government to ensure the aims of the database are being met, while ensuring the privacy of children and their families is fully respected,' says the ICO official statement.