One of the very earliest sayings in the world of IT was "Garbage In, Garbage Out" or "GIGO". This was a vital warning to early users of the technology, too many of whom were seduced into thinking that the precision of a number was guaranteed simply because it had been produced by a computer. I wish I could say this never happens today.
By contrast, we are now continually told that we are operating in the world of "big data" in which it is possible to mine huge datasets to find new truths to inform policy and practice.
Section 251 returns on children's services finances illustrate these points well. Local authorities return more than 1,000 separate finance figures every year for children's services (see box).
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