Over the past two years, the failure in some local places to safeguard children and young people has been brought to the fore. High profile crises, such as those in Rotherham, Rochdale and Oxford, led the Government to write to local leaders, highlighting the critical role that information sharing plays in protecting vulnerable young people.

In a number of places, local partners have established a MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) to work together to more effectively safeguard children and young people.

Yet many localities have recognised that better information sharing could help improve outcomes for vulnerable people whose needs do not currently meet safeguarding thresholds – and that earlier intervention, based on information sharing, could even prevent cases becoming a safeguarding concern.