From 30 September 2026, a new Information Sharing Duty comes into force, providing greater clarity about when organisations and professionals should share information to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Key points

• The duty is not limited to social workers, safeguarding teams or local authorities. It has important implications for frontline staff across housing, supported housing and other services working with children and families.
• It encourages the sharing of information that is:
  • Relevant
  • Proportionate
  • Appropriate
  • Helpful in assessing need or risk, providing support, or safeguarding a child

It's about early help, not just crisis situations.

The duty is not restricted to cases where a child is at immediate risk of significant harm. It also supports:

• Early identification of need
• Prevention of harm
• Promotion of children's welfare

Why this matters in housing and supported housing

Frontline staff often hold pieces of information that others do not:

• A support worker may observe concerns that a housing officer has not seen.
• A housing officer may hold information unknown to children's services.
• A young person may disclose concerns to a trusted staff member.
• Staff may notice changes in behaviour, relationships, visitors, appearance or engagement.

Taken alone, these observations may appear insignificant. When combined with information held by other agencies, they may reveal important safeguarding concerns.

The GDPR myth

One of the misconceptions the new duty seeks to address is that consent is always required before information can be shared.

The reality is:

• Consent is not usually required when sharing information under the statutory duty for safeguarding and promoting a child's welfare.
• Data protection laws still apply.
• Information must still be shared:
  • Lawfully
  • Securely
  • Accurately
  • Proportionately

GDPR should not be used as a reason to avoid sharing information where there are legitimate safeguarding concerns.

The practical message for frontline staff

• Don't wait until you have the complete picture.
• Don't let uncertainty about GDPR or consent prevent action.
• Share relevant information when it may help another agency understand risk, need or vulnerability.
• Recognise that the small piece of information you hold may be the piece that enables somebody else to see the bigger picture.