'Flags of concern' on child database

[Guest guest]

Guardian Unlimited

Thursday, October 28, 2004

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/child/story/0,7369,1337630,00.html

 

'Flags of concern' on child database

 

Lucy Ward, education correspondent

Thursday October 28, 2004

 

The Guardian

A giant electronic database containing a file on all

11 million children in England should have the scope

to record any concerns of doctors and other

professionals even if the child or their family do not

give consent, the government said yesterday.

 

The planned database, designed to ensure better

information sharing and safeguard vulnerable children,

would hold basic identifying details such as name,

birth date, GP and school for every child under the

age of 18.

 

However, it would also record the details of any GP or

other professional - whether a speech therapist or

sexual health adviser - who had contact with the

child, and would allow those workers to mark a file

with a " flag of concern " if they thought vital

information should be shared with other professionals.

 

Parents, carers or the young person would be asked for

permission, but ministers want health and other

workers to be able to highlight concern even without

consent " in exceptional circumstances " .

 

The plan, described by critics as a Big Brother for

children, was put out to consultation by the

Department for Education and Skills yesterday.

 

The principle of the national register is contained in

the children bill, currently in committee in the House

of Commons and due to receive royal assent within

weeks.

 

The government argues the database - being overseen by

the children's minister Margaret Hodge - is vital to

help underpin measures to shift focus from reaction

when things have gone wrong to prevention and early

intervention. Lord Laming's inquiry into the death of

Victoria Climbié proposed the creation of an

electronic safety net.

 

It is the detail of the plan which has prompted

controversy. Some critics believe there is no need to

put all children on the database, but the government

argues the system must be universal because it is

impossible to predict accurately which children will

need targeted services.

 

The government concedes that details of a child's

contact with sexual health, drug or mental health

services could be made accessible only to " essential

practitioners " .

 

Ms Hodge wants to see professionals given the option

to mark a child's file with a " flag of concern " , and

again to override parental resistance if necessary.

However, only half of 10 local authorities piloting

the database are using a flagging system amid concern

it could end up as a substitute for action.

 

Barry Hugill, a spokesman for the civil liberties

pressure group Liberty, questioned how inaccurate

information could be removed, and called for more

detail on whether children would be able to see their

file and when the file would ultimately be destroyed.

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