Contact Point

[innis]

I am interested in what everyones views about contact point are. Contact point is a new national database that stores information about every child under 18. This information includes, date of birth, address parents names and addresses, school, Gp and health visitor. The database can be accessed by those working with children to see who else is involved with a family. I have seen one estimate that suggests that 330,000 users will have access to this data.
The database is compulsory although you can apply to your local authority to have your child 'shielded' (remain anonymous) if you can prove that there is a risk associated with them being on the database.
I believe that Mp's and Judges will have their children shielded without having to prove an individual risk.
Contact point arose out of the recent child protection enquiries and it is thought that it will be a way to protect children.
I am extremely concerned at the vulnerability of the database and that it has been imposed on us without consultation.
Any thoughts?

It is a terrible, terrible idea for all sorts of reasons and just another nail in the coffin of personal freedoms in the UK. It is a way of getting ID cards in through the back door and hopefully the Tories will drop it when they get in. It will also cost a bloody fortune, be unwieldy and insecure and the reasons for having it just don't add up to me.

Oh, and it isn't just MP's and judges whose children will be 'sheilded', it is all celebs and probably anyone with a bit of money. It sucks.

Your children's data will remain on the database until they are 18. It will then not be removed completely, but kept elsewhere 'in case of need', until they are 24. I specifically asked this, and that is what I was told. I am considering not sending ds back to the UK for 6th form precisely because of this.

If I do send him back and this is in force, then I will apply to have him shielded as dh is in the Forces. We are not on the public extract of the electoral register for just that reason, so I do not see why that should not apply here.

I am totally against this database; I don't know how they will force private schools to give this data though.

The problem is that people don't seem to care. It is extraordinary how our personal freedoms have been whittled away and yet there is no outcry against it. It really scares me that the electorate thinks that measures to criminalise law-abiding citizens is 'for our own good' or, worse cares so little about it that they don't even vote.

Apologies for the awkwardness of my last sentence.

It's terrible.

Callisto - people don't not care, they don't understand and are sucked in by the 'it'll save us from paedophiles and child abusers' lie.

Which is perpetuated by government spin and an irresponsible media. Why do people assume that the government tells the truth? (though I do think a large chunk of the electorate don't care - they can't even be arsed to vote.)

If they can't keep the Child Benefit data safe, then what hope had Contact Point of being secure? Hopefully if the Tories get in they will scrap it.

Another database...wish I had paid more attention in IT...it may all go a bit Torchwood yet where the pizza delivery guys control our destiny (Bit silly today, I know) ...

They will not be able to keep the data safe. They have no history of keeping sensitive data safe. It is a very risky and unnecessary database which contains no useful safeguarding information. Its a dreadful half hearted idea, like so many poor ideas that this government has had.

I have requested that my families details are shielded.

Lets face it if some official had child protection concerns about my child shouldn't they speak to me first rather than looking it up on a database?

Cakefaced, how do you go about requesting that your children are shielded? I want to do the same but have no idea where to begin.

Absolutely horrendous.

How do you request DC details are shielded? Not that I trust them to keep details safe even then.

The idea that DC of MPs and judges should be automatically shielded is even worse.

If the security isn't good enough for their kids, why is it good enough for ours?!

Im realy suprised this subject has only 2 pages..

I am not liking this contact point database atall. Its too much to know our childrens personal information and addresses easy to get to, it is very worrying and i dont think they are protecting our children atall.

I had my child benefit details lost so i have NO trust what so ever!

what right have they got to not even give us a choice!!!

i hope this gets abolished bigtime!