Child database plans unveiled

[Newspeak International]

Child database plans unveiled
10 hours 9 mins ago

A controversial database containing the details of every child in England is set to be rolled out later.

ContactPoint, a £224 million directory, will contain the name, address, date of birth, GP and school of all under-18s - as well as the name and contact details of any professional working with that child.

The database was set up in response to a key recommendation of the Laming Inquiry into the tragic death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie in 2000.

But the project has been subject to several delays due to concerns over data security and technical issues. It has also attracted controversy from the outset, with civil liberties groups, children's campaigners and the Office of the Information Commissioner expressing concerns about its scope and role.

The database has been devised to help professionals to share information on young people so that children do not fall into gaps between different services.

No case information will be held on ContactPoint and it will be impossible to download its contents.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said it would help those who work with children to "prevent problems escalating". He said recent cases had shown that a lack of "proper and timely information sharing" could have tragic consequences.

Under current arrangements, if a professional believes a child is at risk there is no immediate way of knowing whether other services are already in contact with that child.

Mr Balls said: "It is good news, that after very careful planning, we can now actively start to deliver Lord Laming's crucial recommendation from the Victoria Climbie Inquiry.

"ContactPoint will help those who work with children to intervene earlier and prevent problems escalating and will help make sure no child slips through the net of support services. This is how we can improve the well-being of all children, young people and families, and help protect children who may be at risk."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090126/tuk-child-database-plans-unveiled- dba1618.html

[Stefan]

The fact that this is actually old news just goes to demonstrate how effective the propaganda machine has become at obscuring important facts from the public.

This was first announced autumn 2007, I commented on it in the first episode of the We Are Change London radio show.

Also posted about it on my blog back in April last year:

http://twenty13.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/the-consumer-dictatorship/

[TonyGosling]

nearly....

But you're right, the sheer quantity of 'initiatives' means hardly anybody can keep pace with the rise of the technocracy. Todays news is that training has only just started for local authorities to use it. Sounds horrible. Poisonous waste of money, as if children are better off with the state than their natural parents. Poor kids.

[Mark Gobell]

I'm not too sure what Huxley and Orwell would have made of the Z list celeb provisions.

Quite frightening this stuff.