Contactpoint Closure July 2010

Other key findings from the Centre's latest intelligence report include:

The database will be destroyed using Government-approved security standards and processes.

The Government continues to consider the feasibility of a new signposting service for professionals to help them to support and protect our most vulnerable children, particularly when these children move areas or access services in more than one area.

Closure arrangements

On 22 July 2010, Tim Loughton MP, Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Children and Families, placed a written ministerial statement in Parliament, to confirm arrangements to shut down ContactPoint. The statement is available from the DfE News page.

Also on 22 July 2010, Tom Jeffery, Director-General, Children and Families Directorate, wrote to all local authority directors of children's services and chief executives of ContactPoint National Partners to confirm arrangements for the closure of ContactPoint. The letter, available from the DfE News page, includes a timetable and guidance for the safe and effective shut down of the system.

Local authorities and ContactPoint National Partners are responsible for ensuring local partner organisations, users and suppliers receive notice of ContactPoint closure.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Why have you decided to end ContactPoint? How are you so sure it is the right thing to do?

Ending ContactPoint is part of a longstanding policy commitment from both coalition partners. Ministers do not believe that a database, which holds details of all children in England and which is accessible to hundreds of thousands of people, is the right way to help vulnerable children.

What is your alternative approach?

We are exploring the practicality of a national signposting approach, which would focus on helping a strictly limited group of practitioners to find out whether a colleague elsewhere is working, or has previously worked, with the same vulnerable child. We are working closely with our partners to assess the feasibility and affordability of such an approach.

How are you shutting it down?

We are closing this database in a managed, safe and controlled way. This involved providing local authorities and practitioners with a period of advance notice before the system was switched off, to aid local planning and management. We also provided detailed guidance on the steps central government will take, and what local authorities and other partners should do.

Practitioners and organisations should talk to their local authority (or National Partner where appropriate) about any activities they need to undertake related to the closure of ContactPoint.

Archived information

Archived ContactPoint content can be viewed at the National Archives website.