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ContactPoint

JARGON BUSTER

What is ContactPoint?

ContactPoint will be the quick way for a practitioner to find out who else is working with the same child or young person, making it easier to deliver more co-ordinated support. It will be a basic online directory available to authorised staff.

Changes to ContactPoint Delivery Date

The DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and families) have recently announced rescheduled dates for the implementation of ContactPoint. ContactPoint is now scheduled to be available in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire from early 2009.

The changes to the national project timescales have been made in order to accommodate design changes in response to stakeholder input. The fundamental design of ContactPoint will not change; the alterations will make sure the system works even more effectively for users and improve the ability of local authority ContactPoint teams to manage user access.

Further work will identify exactly who requires access ready for training from early 2009.

ContactPoint is a key element of the national Every Child Matters programme and is one of a range of tools that will help services work together more effectively.

ContactPoint will include the following information:

Basic identifying information for all children in England (aged up to 18): name, address, gender, date of birth and a unique identifying number.
Basic identifying information about the child's parent or carer.
Contact details for services involved with the child:

Framework Access will be restricted to authorised users who need it as part of their work. This will include those working in education, health, social care, youth offending and some voluntary organisations. All users will have to go through appropriate security checks.

For further information about ContactPoint in Nottingham City, contact:
peter.larkin@nottinghamcity.gov.uk or visit www.nottinghamics.org.uk