ACAL has participated in a campaign to get care leavers better access to care records. This articles appeared in th Guardian explaining the problem, and what steps are being taken to improve Local Authority guidance on the subject.
“Adults who have spent time in care homes as children are able to apply for access to personal information held in care records under the Data Protection Act. But campaigners say that local authority responses to such requests are erratic and inconsistent: applicants are too often told their records can’t be located, or handed files rendered virtually meaningless by the thick black lines of redaction, with no explanation of the deletions. Support or signposting to organisations that can help are also thin on the ground.”
To read the article click here.
Hi , I been from adoption and foster care due child abuse , how to get access to my record.
Make application for your records to your supervising local authority, and refer to the Data Protection Act 1998, together with the transitional guidelines under the Children Act 1989 which are linked from our campaign page “Access to Care Records” If you have trouble contact one of our panel lawyers referred to in the “Find a Solicitor” section