ContactPoint

ContactPoint will be a national database system that we will gain access to early 2009. It will then be rolled out in phases to users over the next two years.

ContactPoint will be accessed by people working in every organisation that works with children and young people in the following areas:

• Health
• Education
• Youth Justice
• Social Care
• Voluntary, Community and Independent sector

ContactPoint is a key element of the Every Child Matters programme to transform children's services by supporting more effective prevention and early intervention.

Information held on ContactPoint

ContactPoint will only hold simple information such as:

• Name, address, and date of birth of everyone in England up to their 18th birthday

• Name and address for each child’s:

  • Parents or carers
  • School and doctor

  • Other services (e.g. health visitor)

• Whether or not a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) has been produced for each child and who has produced it.

By law, ContactPoint cannot hold any details such as doctors’ notes or school records. ContactPoint acts essentially as a phone directory for those working with a child so they can all keep in contact with each other.

Security

ContactPoint will be a secure system that will only be accessible to authorised practitioners working with children and young people who will be required to follow very strict guidelines. Every effort is being made to ensure that ContactPoint will be a safe and secure system.  

All users will have to attend ContactPoint training, provide proof of their identity and hold a current enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check which is less than three years old. Access to ContactPoint will then require four levels of security; a user ID, a password, PIN and a security token which provides a one time access code each time anyone logs on.

Use of the system will be carefully monitored to ensure it is used appropriately.

Records of children and young people who are considered at risk of significant harm can be ‘shielded’.  For further information please see the shielding section of these pages.

For further information about ContactPoint you can:

• View the ContactPoint questions and answers in the related documents section of this page

• View Derbyshire County Council’s ContactPoint Fair Processing Notice in the useful links section of this page

• email the Derbyshire ContactPoint Team at contactpoint.enquiries@derbyshire.gov.uk

• Leave a message for the Derbyshire ContactPoint team with Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058.