Child database hit by fresh privacy row

Fresh concerns have been raised about the Government's controversial Contactpoint database after it emerged that police would be able to access the information it contains.

The move has angered privacy groups, who have warned that the new rules could put the “most vulnerable children in danger”.

The £224m database, due to be launched this autumn, will list details about all the children in England, including their age and where they live.

The original idea behind the database was to allow professionals such as social workers, doctors and teachers to share information on young people and prevent vulnerable children from falling into the gaps between different services.

It will not include criminal case information, but will record whether they have contact with a Youth Offending Team or services such as drug rehabilitation.

However, guidance documents state that the data stored on the system can be accessed for a number of reasons, including “the prevention or detection of crime” and “the prosecution of offenders”.

This has concerned privacy groups. Phil Booth, national coordinator for No2ID, said: “The database was set up with the explicit reason of protection, but this decision will mean it does the opposite… putting eleven million children into a database is not going to help, because there will be errors and mistakes.”

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) described the claims as “scaremongering”.

A representative said: “To access Contactpoint, police would have to make a special request directly to the Secretary of State or local authority and make a clear, exceptional case for disclosure.

“This will be decided on a case-by-case basis.”

Mr Booth disagreed, saying that to accuse his organisation of scaremongering was “appalling”, and claiming that a warrant could be used to access the information without having to go through the procedures outlined by the DCSF.

“The nation needs to wake up to what is going to happen to all its children,” he added.