For example, the draft guidance on information sharing asks whetherthere should be mandatory reporting of sexually active under-13s. Thisis already being piloted in London and Sheffield where some havewelcomed it on the grounds that the law is being broken and that thesechildren may be at risk, even if activity is consensual.
The recent judicial review, which revisited whether a young person whois Gillick-competent should be able to seek confidential medical advice,has highlighted this further. There is, however, a danger of a knee-jerkreaction to tragic events such as Soham if we go too far in pushingprofessionals to share information without consent.
Nobody would deny the need to share information about a child withcomplex health needs to save the family endlessly repeating their story.But what about young people with mental health problems, those who endup in hospital as a result of a one-off binge-drinking episode, or thosewho seek help for a drugs problem? Is it right for such information tobe shared if it could be used in the future to prevent a young personfrom taking opportunities for employment or study?
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