A DATABASE containing details of every child in York is safe from computer hackers, council chiefs have pledged.

The council's Child Index is designed to contain information on all the city's youngsters.

Government proposals to launch a nationwide version of the database have been slammed for opening up sensitive information to attack by hackers - and ignoring family values and privacy.

But York's own database, launched 18 months ago, is different, said Carol Runciman, the council's executive member for children's services.

Coun Runciman said: "Our database of children in York is a managed system. That means the name of each child is stored, alongside any agencies they have been involved with.

"To access any information, you actually have to pick up the phone and talk to someone, rather than go diving into the database. Because it's a system where people have to talk to each other, it's far safer."

Only authorised users - including health workers, social services and schools - are allowed to view the database at all, and they can only access it by phone, not through a computer.

The database itself contains a limited amount of information, and council guidelines say it can only to be used when there is a genuine concern about a child, not as a "fishing trip" for information.

"The system is simple and straightforward," said Coun Runciman.

"Crucially, none of the details are stored in the database. That's the way to do it, because the security of children is a very high priority."

Reacting to a report criticising the Government's national child database plans, Jonathan Bamford, of the independent Information Commissioner's Office, said: "Just because technology means that things can be done with personal information, it does not always follow that they should be done. Public trust and confidence will be lost if there is excessive unwarranted intrusion into family life," he said.

But city chiefs defended their use of the database.

Mary Cousins, manager of the Children's Trust Unit in the city, said: "This is really about a particular group of young people - the ones who are on the cusp of having a crisis. The whole point of the index is to support vulnerable children and families better.

"If a teacher is concerned about a child because their behaviour has become difficult, they need to be able to have a conversation with a knowledgeable person who can point them in the direction of services who might be able to help.

"Our system encourages people to talk to each other, and those conversations do need to take place."

A number of other councils have similar databases, all of which are expected to work with the nationwide Information Sharing Index, due to be introduced by 2008.

  • Reporter Tom Stirling asked people in York what they thought of the city's Child Index database

Susan Thompson, 40, of Stamford Bridge, said: "It sounds OK.

"If you have got nothing to hide, it shouldn't be a problem."

Derek Elliott, 80, of Rawcliffe, York, said: "In my opinion it's a good idea. Of course, we didn't have to think about anything like that in my day."

Betty Davis, 76, of Acomb, York, said: "It's hard to say. In a way, it's a good thing, but I can see the problems with it. One thing's for sure - it's a sign of the times that it's needed at all."

Alice Blower, 78, of Poppleton, York, said: "I don't think I would mind. I have a granddaughter and personally I would have no problem with her information being on a database."