NEW INFORMATION SHARING DUTY - September 30th 2026
New Information Sharing Duty comes into effect - 30th Sept 2026
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A new information sharing duty for safeguarding practitioners commences today (Wednesday 30 September).
The duty means practitioners must share information where it is relevant to safeguarding and promoting a child's welfare. This includes where concerns relate to early help, prevention and unmet need.
Learning from reviews consistently highlights the importance of effective information sharing. Rapid reviews and Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews often identify situations where agencies each held part of the picture, but important information was not brought together early enough to protect the child.
We encourage all practitioners to read the statutory guidance and consider what the duty means for your day-to-day practice.
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Summary
This does not replace the requirement to read the full document
1. You do not need to wait until a child reaches a safeguarding 'threshold'
- Information sharing applies to early help, emerging need and prevention, as well as situations involving significant harm.
- Relevant information must be shared where it may help another organisation assess need or risk, make a decision, provide support or take safeguarding action.
2. Lack of consent is not, by itself, a reason not to share
- Where the statutory duty applies, consent is not required in order to share the relevant safeguarding/welfare information.
- However, practitioners should still be open and transparent with children and families where it is safe and appropriate to do so. (Useful resources available here.)
- Fear of a complaint or a parent being unhappy is not sufficient reason to withhold relevant information.
3. Data protection enables appropriate safeguarding information sharing
- UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act still apply, but they should not be treated as barriers to safeguarding.
- Information should be relevant, proportionate, accurate and shared securely.
- Under the new duty, the legal obligation lawful basis is likely to apply where the statutory criteria are met.
4. Think beyond information specifically about the child Relevant information can include information about parents, carers, siblings, peers and other adults or children connected to the child if it could affect the child's safety or welfare. This could include information about parental vulnerability or an individual who may pose a risk.
5. Information sharing should be proactive Practitioners should not simply wait to be asked. Each organisation may hold only one part of the picture, so practitioners are expected to identify information that could help another agency and take responsibility for sharing it. This is particularly important for identifying patterns, cumulative concerns and emerging need.