Watchdog warns councils over care records delays

COUNCILS that delay giving people who grew up in care speedy access to their records have been warned by the UK data watchdog that they could face fines or other action with one West council already handed an enforcement notice.

- AINE FOX [e-mail]

Many adults who spent time in residential care as children have endured a “lengthy, demoralising and often traumatic process” as they tried to access personal data, the Information Commissioner's Office said.

People can submit a subject access request (SAR) to organisations, which can provide information such as photographs and social worker reports which the ICO said often help them piece together “their own story”.

But lengthy delays including some people waiting up to 16 years - and heavily redacted records as well as challenges accessing support are among the problems many have come up against, according to the commissioner's office.

A survey for the ICO of around 200 adults who had been in care or others asking on their behalf found that almost three-quarters (71%) struggled with poor communication from the local authority, while more than two-thirds (69%) said the process took longer than expected.