“Each practitioner will hold a unique view of a child and their life, or the lives of individuals connected to them. It is only when these pieces of information are put together that practitioners can fully understand what life is like for a child, to better assess need and risk, using their professional judgement.” (Information Sharing Duty - Statutory guidance for safeguarding organisations and their practitioners)
Setting the scene
As practitioners, we're often confident about when information needs to be shared, but less certain about what information is actually relevant. Chapter 2 of the Information Sharing Duty Statutory Guidance helps answer that question by encouraging us to think beyond individual incidents and consider what information may help another professional understand a child's circumstances, assess need or risk, or provide effective support.
The guidance recognises that safeguarding is rarely based on a single piece of information. More often, it relies on different organisations contributing information that helps build a fuller picture of a child's life. Information that appears minor or routine to one practitioner may be highly significant when combined with information held elsewhere.
Chapter 2 also reminds us that relevant information is not always information about the child themselves. In some situations, information about parents, carers, siblings or other adults connected to the child may be essential in understanding their lived experience, wellbeing and safety.
What is its relevance to me?
Whatever your role, you are likely to hold information that could help another practitioner better understand a child's needs, strengths, risks or vulnerabilities. Chapter 2 encourages practitioners to think carefully about the information they hold and how it might support decision-making across agencies.
When deciding whether information may be relevant, ask yourself:
- Could this help another professional understand the child's circumstances more fully?
- Could it contribute to an assessment of need, vulnerability or risk?
- Could it help explain changes in behaviour, attendance, presentation or wellbeing?
- Could it help another service decide what support or intervention is needed?
The guidance makes clear that relevant information is not limited to child protection concerns. Information may also be important where it helps identify emerging needs, supports early intervention, or promotes a child's welfare.
You should also consider whether information about someone connected to the child may be relevant. For example, information relating to a parent's mental health, substance misuse, housing difficulties, offending behaviour or experiences of domestic abuse may help another professional understand the child's situation and provide appropriate support.
Think beyond the immediate concern
Not all important information relates directly to an incident or disclosure. Sometimes it is the background information, recurring patterns or wider context that helps professionals identify concerns and understand a child's experience.
In practice, this means considering whether information about attendance, behaviour, health, family circumstances or wellbeing may help another professional build a clearer picture of what is happening for a child.
Consider the context as well as the event
A single concern may not appear significant on its own. However, when information from different agencies is brought together, patterns can emerge that point to unmet need, increasing vulnerability or escalating risk.
When reviewing information, ask yourself:
- Is this part of a wider pattern?
- Does it provide important context?
- Could it help explain something another agency is observing?
Recognise that adults' circumstances can affect children
The guidance specifically highlights the importance of information about people connected to a child. Information relating to parents, carers or other significant adults may be relevant where it affects the child's welfare, safety or development.
In practice, consider:
- How does this affect the child's daily life?
- Could this increase risk or vulnerability?
- Does it help explain the child's presentation, behaviour or needs?
Share information that is relevant and helpful
The Information Sharing Duty does not require practitioners to share everything they know. Instead, it encourages thoughtful decision-making about what information may genuinely help another organisation carry out its safeguarding or welfare responsibilities.
Before sharing, consider:
- Is the information relevant?
- Is it accurate?
- Is it necessary for the purpose?
- Could it help another organisation understand, assess or respond to the child's needs?
Don't underestimate the value of what you know
One of the strongest messages in Chapter 2 is that practitioners should not dismiss information simply because it appears minor. Information that seems routine or insignificant within your own service may be exactly what another professional needs to complete the picture.
Practice tips
When deciding what information to share:
Think about welfare as well as safeguarding
- Consider whether the information could help another professional understand the child's circumstances more fully
- Look for patterns, trends and context, not just individual incidents
- Remember that information about parents, carers and other connected adults may sometimes be relevant
- Share information that is relevant, necessary, proportionate and accurate
- Don't assume someone else already knows what you know
Key message
You don't need to hold the whole picture to help keep a child safe. The information you hold may be one important piece of a larger jigsaw. Chapter 2 encourages practitioners to think carefully about what information may be relevant and reminds us that sharing the right information, at the right time, can help other professionals assess need, understand risk, provide support and improve outcomes for children and young people.
What more can I learn, and how will that help me to share information safely?
30 Minute learning activity
One Thursday morning you arrive at your office and find a message from a family support worker from a local children’s centre who is making a home visit to see 7-year-old and 5-year-old children. She found them at home on their own. They couldn’t open the door and were speaking to the worker through the letter box. As she was talking to the children, a next-door neighbour arrived and told the worker that their mother was at the dentist. The message from the family support worker is asking if you have any information or guidance which will support her to keep the children safe.
You review your records and find that a colleague in your team made a home visit to the family the previous week. It’s recorded that the mother shared with this colleague that she would be shortly having cosmetic surgery; she recently inherited £2000 and was planning to use it to pay for dental implants. She had asked your colleague for information about any local childcare which she could use whilst she was having her dental treatment. She said that she had a sister who lived locally, but wasn’t sure if this sister would be free to take the children.
There is a record of a previous referral for these children. Six month’s previously, Children’s Social Work Service received an anonymous call to say that they were at home alone. When social workers and police arrived, the mother was at home with them. She told them the call reporting her had been malicious. There were no further concerns and the case was closed.
Your records indicate that the children’s father works away during the week. He is a contractor for a manufacturing company. He returns home on Friday evenings.
The message asks you to give the family support worker a call when you arrive at your office.
Using the principles of best practice outlined above, how would you manage this situation?
Think of another situation where you shared information. Reflecting now, what do you think went well, and how might you have approached the situation differently?