Child protection: Database closes after 12 months of problems

Costing 224m, ContactPoint was established by the Labour

administration in the wake of the Victoria Climbie child abuse scandal to improve child protection.

Opened last year, it held the names, ages and addresses of all under-18s on a central computerised database, together with the contact details of their parents, schools and GPs.

Hundreds of thousands of teachers, police officers and social workers had access to the register to help co-ordinate who was working with children.

But as well as the cost, the controversial system was beset by delays, technical problems and fears over security.

The coalition Government pledged to shut the database down, saying it was "disproportionate and unjustifiable".

"Ministers do not believe that a database, which holds details of all children in England and which is accessible to hundreds of thousands of people, is the right way to help vulnerable children," the new government said.

The database is being destroyed "using government-approved security standards and processes".

Victoria Climbie, eight, died in 2000 after months of abuse.

The report into her death highlighted the need to improve the exchange of information between different agencies working with vulnerable children.

Children's Minister Tim Loughton said he was looking at establishing a new national service focussing on helping people find out who is working, or has worked, in another authority area with a child.