ContactPoint: background and trailblazers
Lord Laming's 2003 report into the death of Victoria Climbié recommended that the government investigate the feasibility of a database covering all children, providing basic identifying details and contact details for practitioners and services involved with the child.
In 2004, an independent feasibility study confirmed that a national approach was operationally and technically feasible. The ContactPoint concept (previously known by the working title of the 'information sharing index'), was developed through extensive consultations and workshops with a wide range of stakeholders throughout the initial design stage.
These consultations helped to define a number of basic requirements for ContactPoint which applied across children's services. One of the key conclusions arising from the trailblazer work and consultation was that a national system is essential, as many children access services in different local authority areas or move between areas.
Trailblazer project
A number of trailblazer local authorities have been piloting a range of local 'index' approaches. These pilots have the common element of holding basic information on every child in at least part of their local area.
The trailblazers' experience has demonstrated that this type of tool produces some key benefits:
- Improved service experience for children, young people and families.
- Faster and more effective intervention before problems become serious,
because practitioners have a fuller picture of children and young people's
needs.
- Reduction in the unproductive time spent by practitioners trying
to find out which other services are involved with a child and trying
to contact the right person.
- Quicker assessment of whether a child is receiving universal services (education, primary health care).
It was also found that training is best set within the wider context of integrated working.
Government announcement
In December 2005, Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, announced the government's plans to implement a national system that will enable practitioners delivering services to children to identify and contact one another easily and quickly, so they can share relevant information about children who need services, or about whose welfare they are concerned.
Documents
Learning
from Information and Assessment Trailblazers
Explains how the trailblazer local authorities have influenced the development
of ContactPoint.
Department
for Children, Schools and Families research gateway has the following
three research reports from 2004 (with associated research briefs):
- Developing Information Sharing and Assessment Systems
- Information Sharing and Assessment: Progress of 'Non-Trailblazer'
Local Authorities
- Developing Identification, Referral an Tracking Systems: An Evaluation of the
Processes Undertaken by Trailblazer Authorities: Interim Report
Trailblazer
case studies
Examples from the trailblazer local authorities, demonstrating the benefits of
locally developed index systems.
Video/audio
A five-minute video of the views of practitioners who were involved in the
pilots is available. Click for: audio-only
version (best for slow connection); low-resolution
video (best for medium connection); high-resolution
video (best for fast connection).
This page was last updated on 04 July 2007
