5.2.14 Protocol for the Use of Social Care Data shared with Children's Centres

1. Introduction

This protocol is an Information Sharing Agreement between Lincolnshire County Council, Children's Services, to share Social Care Information data with Lincolnshire Children's Centres, relating to any children 0 - 5 who are receiving support from Social Care in their reach area.

The data will be provided monthly and will consist of a 'protected' spreadsheet, detailing the names, dates of birth, address, named Social Worker and the type of Social Care intervention (Children in Care; Children in Need and Children on a Child Protection Plan).

2. Purpose

Lincolnshire Children's Centres offer services and activities for all families and carers, with children from birth to five. By sharing Social Care data with Children's Centres will offer the opportunity for Children's Centres and Social Care to work together to provide 'early help' and ensure they are meeting the needs of local children and families.

3. Partners

This agreement is between the following Partners:

• Lincolnshire County Council, Children's Services;
• Lincolnshire Children's Centres.

4. Roles and Responsibility

Children's Services Children's Centres will:

Treat the Social Care data information as highly confidential and sensitive. If the data is printed off it should be treated as confidential waste and disposed of securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Lincolnshire County Council Children's Services will:

Performance Assurance provide the Social Care data monthly and will consist of a 'protected' spreadsheet detailing the names, dates of birth, address, named Social Worker and the type of Social Care intervention (Children in Care; Children in Need and Children on a Child Protection Plan). This will be stored on a 'shared area' for access by the Children's Centre.

5. Process

Children's Centre's will operate the following process: See Appendix 1: Children's Centre Registration Process Flowchart.

1. Check the Social Care data provided by Performance Assurance against the Centre's registration data to measure the level of active engagement the Centre has with the families of the most vulnerable children;
2. Ensure that where the Centre is aware of Social Care involvement with a family, the Centre's records have the correct named Social Worker as identified contact;
3. Identify any families accessing universal services through the Centre, but who have not disclosed any Social Care/Targeted involvement to the Children's Centre. Children's Centres will contact the named Key Worker to advise that the Children's Centre is working with the family and to offer support and/or seek advice;
4. Identify any families not already known to the Centre and inform the Participant and Engagement Worker. Record the registration as 'awaiting consent' in Soft Smart using the 'opt out' option as soon as the Social Care data is received. The Participant and Engagement Worker will contact the relevant named Key Worker, who will contact the family to seek verbal permission for the Participant and Engagement Worker to contact them. If permission has been given, the worker will contact the family with a view to register them for Children's Centre services. Following the visit and completed registration for the family, update the registration status in Soft Smart;
5. For any families where you cannot contact the named Key Worker, please escalate to the relevant Practice Supervisor.

For any queries relating to the use of this information, please contact the 'Targeted Reporting Team' via email: ChildrensTargetedReporting@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Please do not include any identifiable family information in your email; this is for general queries only.

6. Constraints on the use of the Information

The Social Care information shared with Children's Centres must only be used for the purpose it was collected, and for which the data subject has consented. The data must not be shared with any third party without the written consent of the agency. Advice must be sought before using this information for any other purpose.

7. Indemnity

Each respective organisation will accept responsibility for breaches occurring in their organisation and will take appropriate action.

Appendix 1: Children's Centre Registration Process Flowchart

Children's Centre Registration Flowchart