ContactPoint is Safe
A lot of these comments are based on supposition and lack of understanding as to the architecture and processes put in place for LA's and their partners to use ContactPoint - this has been a 4 year process thus far and is close to going live.
ContactPoint has many built in security elements and will only be accessible by trained users within a closed environment within Children's Services teams in LA's, the NHS, Police, 6th Form Colleges and Independent Schools. Authentication to ContactPoint is using two factor authenticatio, the users credentials have a set time limit or life within the system - and all users are eCRB checked. Administrators of ContactPoint (such as IT people) have no access to child data.
ContactPoint is a resource for LA's to have visibility of child details collated across other organisations (partner agencies) who provide child welfare - hopefully making it simpler to identify at risk children and take remedial action before issues arise such as Baby P.
I run a company which is interfacing CMS's into ContactPoint and are well aware of the complexities and the security aspects put in place for connecting to and using ContactPoint. I don't believe the public have to worry about any aspect of ContactPoint - as this is just a central copy of key child data that is already held in a variety of CMS's and proprietory forms within LA's and their partner agencies.
Now I have further understanding of the project I am convinced that ContactPoint will add value to the welfare management of vulnerable and at risk children.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
