ContactPoint's success depends on its users

In this regard, ContactPoint, the online database of every child and young person in England, has not disappointed. Our feature's countdown clock (see p22) had to be amended at late notice last week as junior children's minister Kevin Brennan announced the date for the first organisations to start using the system had slipped again, from October to January. Trials were initially supposed to start in April. The further delay leaves the date for the full national roll-out up in the air.

Last time round, the "missing discs" debacle at HM Revenue & Customs prompted Children's Secretary Ed Balls to order an independent security review of ContactPoint. As a result of that review, all users must be subject to enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks and an audit trail of data use. This time, "user testing" has been served up as the official reason for the postponement. If serious security concerns do in fact still prevail behind the scenes, the government would not admit to it. To do so would shatter confidence in the system and threaten to bring the whole initiative into disrepute.