In July 2026, RCPCH responded to the Department for Education (DfE) consultation on the proposed statutory guidance for the information sharing duty introduced in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act. Our response focuses on the need for clear, consistent and practical guidance that supports professionals to share information confidently and appropriately where this is necessary to safeguard and promote children's welfare.
About the consultation
The Department for Education consulted on draft statutory guidance to support the new information sharing duty introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act. The proposed guidance aims to help practitioners across health, education, children's social care, policing and other relevant services understand when and how information can be shared to support children's welfare and safeguarding.
The consultation also sought views on a supporting Data Sharing Agreement template intended to facilitate local multi-agency information sharing arrangements.
See the consultation on the DfE webpage
Our response
Our response, which you can download below, emphasised three key areas:
- The need for greater alignment between information sharing guidance issued by government departments, health bodies, regulators and safeguarding organisations.
- The importance of addressing practical barriers to effective multi-agency information sharing at a local level.
- Ensuring the guidance explicitly considers the needs of adopted children and young people, including maintaining continuity of health and safeguarding records when identifiers such as NHS numbers change following adoption.
Downloads