Despite being dogged by ongoing technical issues, ContactPoint has finally been switched on to allow childcare professionals access for the first time.
With access to the database eventually being granted to over 350,000 people from both Government and Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s) such as the charity Dr. Bernardos, there are still fears that the security of the system is not as good as it should be.
Other agencies that will have access to the initial 51,000 Children at Risk listings will include social workers, police, schools and health officials. However, the database will eventually contain some 11 million child records, kept from their birth to their 18th birthday.
Whilst there is very much a need to ensure that all venerable children are protected from the seemingly increasing cases of child abuse of one sort or another – in fact ContactPoint was borne out of the Victoria Climbié case – there are concerns that this database along with the many other government databases is just another add-on to the tracking all UK citizens from the moment of birth to the point of death.
Recent comments from the outgoing Information Commissioner Richard Smith adds extra concerns that too much information is being kept by many government agencies on UK individuals.
It seems that the Labour is still intent on getting us all digitised, be it via CCTV, ID Cards or the many databases that it already has and is continuing to build. Big Brother gets closer by the day.
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