Understanding and overcoming barriers in data and information sharing relating to care experienced children, across public sector agencies and organisations in Scotland.

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The Issue 

Scotland’s Independent Care Review heard that children and young people do not have enough ownership and control of how their personal stories are recorded and shared.  

For some children, young people, and adults that have experienced care, this means that official narratives are negative, distressing and disempowering. They do not reflect the experiences and identities of the person they are about. 

In other cases, a lack of appropriate information sharing can be an important contributing factor to the failure to keep children safe. Information is not always shared in a timely manner, does not always reach the right people, and in some cases, information that is shared is not listened to or taken seriously.  

Recent work by The Promise Scotland has found evidence of positive changes being implemented to empower children to have more control over how their experiences are recorded and who that information is shared with. It also evidenced that those who work with children are making progress in ensuring that they write about children in caring, strengths-based ways and focus on the voice of the child.  

Additionally, Scotland already has tools and toolkits designed to ‘fix’ the problem and overcome the barriers, a useful framework of data and information sharing guidance and a clear idea of the barriers and challenges. However, organisational culture within key agencies and bodies does not currently align with this guidance, and tangible progress is yet to be made in a way that is felt by children, young people, and their families. Elements such as leadership, risk appetite, incentives, and clear guidance based on legislation are all factors that are affecting how organisations handle data and information, getting in the way of change in this area.  

Why Does it Matter? 

For public services to be able to deliver their services, it is necessary and important for data and information about individuals to be collected, stored, and managed by citizens themselves, multiple agencies and organisations. It is key that data and information about children, young people, and their families are handled in ways that:  

• Respect the Rights of the Child;  

• Are compliant with legislation;  

• Are mindful of the potential re-traumatisation of repeat telling;  

• Seek to inform decisions made on behalf of and for that child and their family for their best outcomes.  

• Are in consideration of the creation, control and sharing of the data and information, and access to this data and information about care experienced people. 

Our Project 

Our project looks to develop an understanding of the data sharing barriers across three themes: Legal/Regulatory, Technical and Cultural. The planned outcome will be a time-bound action plan that can drive organisational change in relation to information sharing. The aim is to seek ownership and commitment by the appropriate organisations to act upon the concrete actions, ultimately leading to a culture shift in data and information sharing across public sector agencies and organisations in Scotland to the benefit of care experienced children, young people, and families. 
 
The scope of the work is in consideration of the creation of data and information, the control and sharing of the data and information, and access to this data and information about care experienced people in Scotland.  

Anticipated outputs include:   

• Clear definitions of data and information sharing. 

• Further development in understanding enablers and barriers to data and information sharing in relation to knowledge gaps, such as:  

  • the impact of previous initiatives, including the development of data and information-sharing toolkits, 

  • how culture shapes an organisation/division/team on decisions,

  • risk assessment practices,  

  • leadership practices, 

  • decisions tracking, in terms of their impact on the needs of children and young people, and their families.

• A suite of concrete and tangible actions that can be taken forward by one or more organisations that would bring positive change to the public sector's data and information sharing.

Who is Involved? 

Trace Data 

Mydex CIC 

Urban Foresight 

York St John University 

The Promise Scotland 

Scottish Prevention Hub 

 
With advisory support from:  
 
Scottish Government 

Information Commissioner’s Office 

The Scottish Prevention Hub 

Theme 

Ad Hoc