National Childrens Database

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

As Flash said, Welcome to 1984.

The database could easily be hackable and put childrens lives at risk. We also don't know what else this database could be used to store information about, perhaps DNA? :/

I guess you don't agree with National Identity cards either ?

[grego]

Yes, I agree, but how many of them will blame the computer system, if I thought this system will protect every child then it would be a good thing but I dont think it will.

[Margaret Pilkington]

While I agree that technology should be used to make sure children get the care they need.....I also think that technology is a risk while there are people about who can use this method for bad ends...I also don't trust the government to use the technology solely for the purpose they claim for it........and reiterate that it is still subject to human error and neglect of duty by the people who use it in their job.

[Margaret Pilkington]

The real problem is trusting people who have very limited life experience with children whose needs are specific.....I'm talking about giving caseloads to young social workers just out of Uni.....very little life experience....and low levels of suspicion.

[Margaret Pilkington]

And NO I don't agree with National ID cards.....they will not do what the government claims they will do.....they will be paid for by us, another stealth tax...and they will be subject to misuse. If the DVLA will sell your details for a pittance, then what will the government do with that vast amount of info.
BUT Hey, that is an entirely different discussion and could be seen as a thread wander.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

BUT Hey, that is an entirely different discussion and could be seen as a thread wander.

Maybe, maybe not. I suspect this childrens database is actually a backdoor system for the National Identity Card scheme. The government have more chance now of collecting names of all children living in this country than they have adults, simply because they know from child benefit records who lives here. They haven't a clue which adults live here. As each child turns 18 the records won't be wiped out, they will simply be moved to another database.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

I guess you don't agree with National Identity cards either ?

Most certainly not! Huge waste of money and wont achieve what the government thinks it will. The only people who suffer from this is law abiding citizens.

[Flash]

Really interested to read your comments and really pleased that concerns are being raised- I fully accept that technology should be utilised to protect children but the reality is that the safety of kids has nothing to do with this development really. Lancsdave is actually spot I believe in that the information is being gathered for the long run- at the moment there is no issued guidance on what will happen to the info post 18- suspicious me thinks.
Maragret is right in that professionals, human beings, need to talk to each other about any concerns they have when dealing with a child- frighteningly these lessons have not been learned consistently enough.

In a recent case in South Yorkshire three children had been kept in one bedroom of their house by their parents, in cages and had been occasionally fed scraps left over from the meals their parents were eating in the rooms downsatirs. These rooms were well furnished and kitted out with the latest hi fi, playstations, flat screen tv etc. The children were eventually taken into care and the parents prosecuted. Not surprisingly all three children were seriously malnourshired had sores down to the bone and all had taken to eating their own faeces to survive. It was therefore somewhat surprising to discover that Social services had been involved with the family for the previous 18 months.

I am not a religious person, never have been, but if there is a hell and there is a dude with red horns, forked tail, cloven hooves and a trident I would imagine that these two scum sucking pieces of filth have a front row seat booked come the day of judgement.

Its a peculiar world, but hey, Tony's got a database that will sort all of these problems out- why worry?

[grego]

Thats an awful story Flash and one I vaguely remember, I agree that their fancy computer system wont stop that happening.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Flash - you have answered your own question in that last sentence.....
Tony's got a database that will sort out these problems(I think not) - why worry? Yeah, well the fact that he seems to be able to railroad these laws in worries me greatly. What he and his government should be thinking about is - how to stop young people from stabbing one another - how to treat pensioners and the poorly off a bit better - how to stop the drain of intelligent and educated people from leaving this country - how to make punishments fit crimes,so that the guilty are deterred from their criminal activities - how to stop young people from blighting their lives smoking weed, and using other drugs that this government thought fit to re-classify (making them sound less dangerous) - how to curb alcohol abuse. I think that gives him a fair bit to go at...don't you?

[Flash]

Couldn' agree more with you Margret and the simple fact is that one of the answers to the problems you identify- making the criminal justice system work is staring him in the face. Of what am I speaking- Restorative Justice- as a practitioner myself I know it works but there is absolutely no government funding to drive this agenda forward- why? Because politicians think the British people are stupid, would think it is a soft option and would therefore lose them support- patronising and visionless.

[mallard]

Hello There i must say you could be right in what your saying i think a lot of us would agree in what you say