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ContactPoint

 

All children have a right to the universal services of education and primary health care. ContactPoint will show whether they are receiving those services.

  What Is ContactPoint?

ContactPoint is a key part of ‘Every Child Matters’ which aims to improve outcomes for children and young people. It is a basic directory which will store information on all children and young people under the age of 18 years. It will hold:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Date of Birth
  • Unique Identifying Number
  • Education Setting eg School
  • Primary Medical Practioner eg GP
  • Other services

It will have a facility for a worker to include their own contact details if they are dealing with a child or young person but it will not store detailed notes.

ContactPoint will NOT store information on:

  • Medical Histories
  • Dental Records
  • Exam Results
  • Case Records
  • Family Circumstances

ContactPoint also has the ability to ‘shield’ data from Contact Point users and a shielded record will only show:

  • Name
  • Gender
  • Date of Birth
  • Unique Identifying Number

The ability to shied information is decided on a case by case basis, for example, having information on a child may:

  • Place a child at increased risk of significant harm – such as fleeing violence or domestic abuse
  • Put a child’s placement at risk – in the case of adoption
  • Prejudice the prevention or detection of a serious crime

 

What Are The Benefits of ContactPoint?

Having one national database will provide:

  • Streamlined flow of information.
  • Coordinated services and more timely response to Children and Young People’s needs.
  • Reduced repeat assessments and referrals.
  • Quicker and more effective intervention before problems become serious
  • A fuller picture of individual children and young people needs.
  • A vital way of identifying if a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) has been carried out and who the lead professional is.
  • Better use of time for workers searching for information on a child.
  • Joined up working across local authority boundaries.

 

Who Will Use ContactPoint?

Access to ContactPoint will be strictly limited to those who need it as part of their work. Each user will be subjected to very stringent security controls. Authorised users will include those working in the health, education, youth justice, social care and voluntary organisations to help ensure a more efficient and coordinated service provision for children and young people.

Specific training will be given to EVERYONE with a need to use ContactPoint.

 

How Will Users Access ContactPoint?

Access to ContactPoint will only be given to formally 'accredited' organisations.  There are 28 Contact Point Accreditation conditions, many of which do not apply for organisations that will only be providing information such as voluntary youth groups. Those organisations that will need to view information on ContactPoint will need to meet ALL 28 conditions. Once an organisation has met the appropriate conditions and undertaken training it will gain formal accreditation.

The ContactPoint Project Team will help you determine what level of access your organisation will need and support you to meet the criteria.

 

When Will ContactPoint Be Available In Northamptonshire?

ContactPoint began nationally in early 2009 and will begin in Northamptonshire from December 2009.   

 

If you would like any more information then please visit
www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/contactpoint

Last updated on 16/12/09 by Tiffany Irons