The launch of
ContactPoint, a database that will contain details of every
child in the country, has been delayed because of technical
problems.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families
awarded the contract to Capgemini in July 2007. It is the
project's second delay, after the launch date was moved from April
to October. It will now be delayed for another three months.
Children's minister Kevin Brennan said the database will now go
live in January next year.
He said in a letter to the chair of the children, schools and
families select committee, "We have identified some issues as a
result of recent system tests which we are working urgently to
address.
"We are committed to ensuring ContactPoint goes through rigorous
testing and it is the function of testing to identify issues with
systems before they are deployed to users.
"More work needed to be done before embarking on the final
phases of testing, which includes testing with users. I have
therefore taken a decision today to postpone deployment until
January 2009 to allow sufficient time to continue to test the
system."
Privacy campaigners have raised concerns about the database
after the government announced that charity Barnado's and the
police would both have access.