Information sharing

Effective information sharing between professionals is vital in safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children. Reviews seeking to learn from serious harm and deaths of children frequently highlight information sharing as an area for improvement.  

When to share information

Professionals working with children, parents, or adults in contact with children, should always share information with children's social care where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child may be suffering or is at risk of suffering significant harm. Sharing information under these circumstances is legitimate and in the public interest. 

Useful resources

Guidance on information sharing can be found in:

• Working together to safeguard children 2018 (Pages 18-20)
• London Child Protection Procedure on information sharing
• London multi-agency safeguarding data sharing agreement exists to which local partners are signed up and under which any local organisation may operate.