Children's Services group defends Contact Point

Police access to children's database is not a threat to welfare, experts agree

Police access to Contact Point will not threaten the welfare or protection of vulnerable children, according to the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS).

There has been criticism over police being granted the right to apply for access to information held in the children's database, one of three key systems introduced as part of the government's Every Child Matters agenda.

The information held in the database is limited and access will have to be approved by senior figures who are primarily concerned with child welfare, said Richard Stiff, chairman of the ADCS information systems and technology policy committee.

"There are safeguards in the terms of use around who can access the system, there is an application process to go through and underpinning this is the reality that the system will not hold information on criminal activity and case work," he said.

"And for those that will be granting access, the issue will be the well-being of the child, not cosying up to police."

""The ADCS remains supportive of Contact Point, believing that it can make a significant different to the well-being of children and young people and this will not impede its delivery."

Information may also be used to support the prosecution of individuals who have offended against children according to Stiff. And sensitive records, for example contact details of children involved in cases of domestic violence, are protected by some level of shielding, which would restrict access to them even by authorised users.

Wes Cuell, NSPCC director of services for children and young people said: “The purpose of Contact Point is to improve information-sharing between the different agencies working with children, which plays a vital role in keeping children safe and ensuring they receive the help and support they need."

“The data on Contact Point will only give police basic identifying details on each young person. For any further information the police would need to contact the agencies working with the child and this is something they can already do."