Editing ContactPoint (section)

== Development and closure ==
The pilot schemes (designated as identification, referral and tracking (IRT) schemes) began with [[Metropolitan Borough of Bolton|Bolton council]] in 2003<ref>Batty, David, "[http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,1084298,00.html Bolton kick-starts child database pilot]", ''The Guardian'', 12 November 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> and was used by eleven other local authorities.<ref>The twelve local authorities were [[Barnsley]]; [[Bolton]]; [[Coventry]]; [[Cumbria]]; [[Dorset]] with [[Bournemouth]] and [[Poole]]; [[Gateshead]]; [[Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley|Knowsley]]; [[Leicestershire]], [[Leicester]] and [[Rutland]]; [[Nottinghamshire]]; [[Sheffield]]; [[Telford and Wrekin]] and [[Shropshire]]; and [[Wandsworth]]. [http://www.arch-ed.org/issues/children_act/s12_150406.htm Children Act – The Index] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623061618/http://www.arch-ed.org/issues/children_act/s12_150406.htm |date=23 June 2007 }}, Action on Rights for Children, April 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> There were doubts as to the legality of Bolton council obtaining data of children from the local [[primary care trust]] to put on the database, but the council was eventually advised that it was legal. The other pilot areas followed, in different ways.<ref>Carvel, John, "[http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,1219380,00.html All eyes on the child]", ''The Guardian'', 19 May 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> On 8 December 2005, the [[Secretary of State for Education and Skills]], [[Ruth Kelly]], made the official announcement of the introduction of the database, confirmed by the [[Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families]], [[Beverley Hughes]].<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051208/wmstext/51208m01.htm#51208m01.html_dpthd1 House of Commons Hansard Written Ministerial Statements for 8 December 2005 (pt 1), Column 114WS], United Kingdom Parliament, 8 December 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061031024647/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051208/wmstext/51208m01.htm#51208m01.html_dpthd1 |date=31 October 2006}}</ref><ref>"[http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2005_0154 Better services for children as government acts on Lord Laming recommendation]", Department for Education and Skills, 8 December 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref><ref>Lightfoot, Liz, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20060720175936/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2005%2F12%2F09%2Fnchild09.xml Information on every child to be kept in new database]", ''The Daily Telegraph'', 9 December 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref>

To allow the introduction of the database, the government required all local authorities to implement the [[Integrated Children's System]], a framework to help improve outcomes for children. The government set a deadline of 1 January 2007, and 92 out of the 150 local authorities failed to achieve this.<ref>Kablenet, "[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/11/ics_runs_late/ Councils to miss child database deadline]", ''The Register'', 11 December 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> The government began a consultation on the 2007 draft regulations<ref name="2007DR">{{cite web|url=http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/The%20Information%20Sharing%20Index%20(England)%20Regulations%202007%20(Draft)-PDF.pdf|title=The Information Sharing Index (England) Regulations 2007|publisher=Department for Education and Skills|date=2007|access-date=27 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926234138/http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/The%20Information%20Sharing%20Index%20(England)%20Regulations%202007%20(Draft)-PDF.pdf|archive-date=26 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> on 21 September 2006 which ended on 14 December 2006.<ref>"[http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conResults.cfm?consultationId=1431 ContactPoint*: Consultation on Draft Information Sharing Index (England) Regulations and Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808122111/http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conResults.cfm?consultationId=1431 |date=8 August 2007 }}", Department for Education and Skills. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> In October 2006, the government selected Capgemini to design the database.<ref>McCue, Andy, "[http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39163160,00.htm Capgemini to design £224m national child database] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926225448/http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0%2C3800010403%2C39163160%2C00.htm |date=26 September 2007 }}", silicon.com, 12 October 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref><ref>Lipowicz, Alice, "[http://www.washingtontechnology.com/online/1_1/29542-1.html Capgemini captures $400M UK database deal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042722/http://www.washingtontechnology.com/online/1_1/29542-1.html |date=28 September 2007 }}", washingtontechnology.com, 18 October 2006. Retrieved 27 June 2006.</ref> On 15 February 2007, the database was renamed from ''Information Sharing Index'' to ''ContactPoint'', following research with stakeholder groups, including children and families, who decided that the name ''ContactPoint'' made clear what the purpose of the database was: to improve communication between those working with children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dfes.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies/pdfs/LAC(SG07_7)ContactPoint.pdf |title=Children's Services: Local Authority Circular |publisher=Department for Education and Skills |date=8 March 2007 |access-date=27 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926232431/http://www.dfes.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies/pdfs/LAC%28SG07_7%29ContactPoint.pdf |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}</ref><ref>"[http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/ics-home/ics-isa/ics-isindex/ics-contactpoint-febmarupdate.htm ContactPoint – formerly known as the Information Sharing Index] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626024214/http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/ics-home/ics-isa/ics-isindex/ics-contactpoint-febmarupdate.htm |date=26 June 2007 }}", Nottingham City Council, February/March 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> A consultation on a guide for database users<ref name="PG">{{cite web |url-status=dead |title=Information sharing: Practitioners' guide |url=http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/_files/ACB1BA35C20D4C42A1FE6F9133A7C614.pdf |publisher=Department for Education and Skills |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080907023330/http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/_files/ACB1BA35C20D4C42A1FE6F9133A7C614.pdf |archive-date=7 September 2008 |access-date=19 November 2016}}</ref> was launched on 4 May 2007 and ended on 27 July 2007.<ref>"[http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1482 ContactPoint: Consultation on Draft Guidance] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629212345/http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1482 |date=29 June 2007 }}", Department for Education and Skills. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref>

The database was expected to cost £224m to set up, spread over three years beginning December 2005 (therefore costing £81m a year for the first three years), and £41m a year thereafter. The database, which would be operating in 150 local authorities and would be accessible by at least 330,000 users,<ref>Ward, Lucy, "[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2105272,00.html 330,000 users to have access to database on England’s children]", ''The Guardian'', 27 June 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref> was expected to be fully operational by the end of 2008; however, following the [[2007 UK child benefit data scandal]], the deadline was pushed back for five months to allow a security review prior to implementation.<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7115546.stm Child database system postponed]",''BBC News'',27 June 2007.</ref> Training for the workers had been planned begin in spring 2008.<ref>"[http://www.childrennow.co.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=details&UID=08d7e529-97a8-46b6-a40f-3a39fa6ea60a Information sharing: Training on child index set for 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927142053/http://www.childrennow.co.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=details&UID=08d7e529-97a8-46b6-a40f-3a39fa6ea60a |date=27 September 2007 }}", ''Children Now'', 23 May 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2007.</ref>

Following the 2010 General Election the [[Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement|new government]] scrapped the database as one of their measures "to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties under the Labour Government and roll back state intrusion."<ref>[http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/05/Coalition_Agreement_published.aspx Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515024701/http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/05/Coalition_Agreement_published.aspx |date=15 May 2010 }}, [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], Published 12 May 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2010</ref><ref>[http://libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=Conservative_Liberal_Democrat_coalition_agreements&pPK=2697bcdc-7483-47a7-a517-7778979458ff Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211134147/http://libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=Conservative_Liberal_Democrat_coalition_agreements&pPK=2697bcdc-7483-47a7-a517-7778979458ff |date=11 December 2011 }}, [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], Published 12 May 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2010</ref> A YouGov poll found that there was no consensus over whether this was the correct or wrong decision.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://today.yougov.co.uk/politics/no-consensus-contactpoint |title=No consensus for ContactPoint &#124; YouGov |access-date=2010-08-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817231423/http://today.yougov.co.uk/politics/no-consensus-contactpoint |archive-date=17 August 2010 }}</ref>