A guide to the Child Protection – Information Sharing service

The Child Protection – Information Sharing (CP-IS) service is helping health and social care staff to share information securely to better protect society’s most vulnerable children

The Child Protection – Information Sharing service (CP-IS) helps health and social care professionals share information securely to better protect:

• children with looked after status
• those who have a child protection plan
• expectant women who have an unborn child protection plan

CP-IS links IT systems used across health and social care to help organisations share information securely. As it covers 100% Local Authorities in England, it’s the only national register of social care status, and the only system to provide information when a child is out of area. It already covers over 1,000 unscheduled health care sites. 

CP-IS has a roadmap to extend coverage and champion data sharing between agencies, as safeguarding is a vital responsibility for every front line professional. It’s a system that saves.

When a child is known to social care and is a Child Looked After or on a Child Protection Plan, basic information about that plan is shared securely with the NHS.

If that child attends an NHS unscheduled care setting, such as an emergency department or a minor injury unit:

• the health team is alerted that they are on a plan and has access to the contact details for the social care team
• the social care team is automatically notifed that the child has attended
• both parties can see details of the child’s previous visits (up to 25) to unscheduled care settings in England

When the mother of an unborn child is known to social care and subject to an Unborn Child Protection Plan, this information is shared securely with the NHS and processed as above.

CP-IS endorsement

CP-IS is endorsed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and is included in the key lines of enquiry during CQC inspections. It’s also included in the standard contract for providers of NHS unscheduled care.

The benefits of CP-IS

Early intervention – taking action to prevent or reduce future harm happening to children

• Knowing the child protection status of the child contributes to a more holistic clinical assessment whilst in a healthcare setting. As a result, decisions can be made to seek intervention earlier. With instant access to CP-IS information, communication with the appropriate social worker can take place quickly leading to a better outcome for the child.

• The social worker is notified immediately that a child in their care has presented at an unscheduled care setting. The social worker has knowledge of the child and family and can assess whether an intervention is required to achieve a good outcome for the child.

Improved safety and care – doing the best when children need help

• CP-IS is a national system. Health staff can see vital information about children based anywhere in England. Social care staff can see if a child in their care attends an unscheduled care setting anywhere in the country.

• Health and social care staff are provided with each other’s contact details so they are able to work more closely together. Sharing information will support better decision making about the child’s care.

• Health staff in unscheduled care settings have more reliable checks and the risk of missing a child who is known to a local authority is reduced. In addition, a flagged vulnerable child is more likely to see a senior clinician ensuring a senior overview of the child’s care.

Increased workforce efficiency and effectiveness – doing the most for children with the resources we have

• Child Protection – Information Sharing replaces manual processes, thus freeing up resources to be used elsewhere. The process is automated and information is sent to the NHS Spine daily ensuring child’s data is always up to date and current.

• In the long term, local authorities won’t have to collate a child protection list and send it to their local health partners. This will remove the associated costs, time and effort in managing this process. Likewise, NHS trusts won’t have to receive and distribute the child protection list to the relevant departments or set safeguarding flags to alert clinicians if a child attends. The freed up time, cost and effort can be used elsewhere.