Information Sharing
Effective sharing of information between professionals is essential for effective identification of need, assessment and help.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduces an Information Sharing Duty, placing a clear legal expectation on multi-agency partners to share information relevant to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Where the information sharing duty applies, organisations must share information with another organisation, or the requestor, if it is considered that sharing may help the recipient’s relevant functions, including assessment of need, make a decision, provide support or take action to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child, including when a child potentially poses a risk to others.
The information to be shared can relate to the individual child or anyone connected to them – this could be in relation to a peer on an adult.
Consent is not required to share information and should not be requested. However transparency is of critical importance. Families should be told about the information that is being shared, where it is being shared and why, unless it is not safe to do so.
You can read the new information sharing guidance by clicking here
Click here to open a one page guide to support understanding of the new information sharing duty
Click here to read the answers to some frequently asked questions