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Transient Homes

Answer

We recognise the importance of effective mechanisms for ensuring that appropriate information can follow children with additional needs when they move between England and Wales.To this end, my officials are working with the Welsh Assembly Government on the establishment of data standards to support appropriate information transfer between English and Welsh local authorities.The ability of agencies in England to receive, store and transfer such information will also be enhanced by the information sharing index to be established under section 12 of the Children Act 2004, following my announcement of 8 December 2005. The index will provide an important tool to support better communication and closer working among practitioners working in children's services by enabling them to identify who else is involved with a child. It will help ensure continuity of support when children and families move from one area to another by enabling services in their new area to identify which services they were receiving in their old area. My officials will continue to liaise with officials of the Welsh Assembly Government as the index is implemented.In relation to children on the child protection register, when such a child moves to another local authority area in England and Wales, the authority where the child has been living must notify the receiving local authority of the child's move. The receiving local authority should convene a child protection conference within 15 working days of being notified of the move.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

446 c791-2W; 66939

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Children Databases Cross border cooperation Migration Wales

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk