This NHS England video describes the Child Protection Information Sharing programme and how joined-up information helps protect vulnerable children. Hilary Garratt highlights that failures to connect separate pieces of information are a recurring issue in serious case reviews.

The animation explains how local authority records are used. Each file can include identifiers and plan details such as the child's or mother's NHS number, the type of plan, plan dates and social services contact details. Files are encrypted, transferred securely and held on the NHS Spine, with access limited to authorised users and audited.

When a child attends unscheduled care - for example in hospital, out-of-hours general practice or a walk-in centre - the NHS number can be used to query the system. If the child is registered, relevant local authority information is returned to the NHS organisation, and the local authority is notified that the record was accessed. The aim is two-way visibility: health staff can recognise vulnerability at the point of care, and social care can see patterns of attendance and follow up where needed.