One of the questions which comes up a lot in safeguarding training is: ‘How do I share information about a child or adult I am worried about under GDPR rules?’
I have always responded that safeguarding ‘trumps’ GDPR and you must always share information if you are worried about the safety of a child. There is much helpful advice in the 2018 document ‘information sharing – advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents or carers.’ Many people I work with find the flowchart in this document really useful.
However, during September additional information has been published by the Information Commissioner’s Office (www.ico.org.uk ). For those who work in safeguarding, this is really useful and makes it 100% clear that information should always be shared if there are safeguarding concerns about children.
In the related press release, John Edwards, the UK Information Commissioner states: “My message to people supporting and working with children and young people is clear: if you think a child is at risk of harm, you can share information to protect them. You will not get in trouble with the ICO for trying to prevent or lessen a serious risk or threat to a child’s mental and physical wellbeing.”
In fact, the headline stresses this even more strongly:
‘Share information to protect children and young people at risk, urges UK Information Commissioner’. Click this link to see the full press release.
In order to support anyone working with children and young people, 10 steps of guidance have been produced. These include useful information about information sharing agreements, and also the suggestion to develop a Data Protection Impact Assessment. Clear examples support the guidance and help to bring it to life.
Again, and again the point is stressed that information should be shared when there are concerns about children’s welfare. It is great that this has been made so clear.
For more information click here.
I urge anyone who works with children and young people to have a read of the press release and guidance.
As always, please do contact me if I can be of any assistance.