When accessing records is a negative experience, it’s often because of a lack of clarity about the process, and lack of support navigating it. This leaves people feeling demoralised and neglected.

People with care experience told us how supportive advocacy services have been in helping them navigate the process of accessing records and understanding what to expect. Those who had the opportunity to speak to other care experienced people about making a SAR for their records also highlighted how important this was. It provides both a source of information and a space to talk about how it feels to request and receive their records.

You have an obligation to provide information to people on how to access their information. You can also take extra steps to help people understand and navigate this process and link them to advocacy services and other sources of support. 

Accessibility

You must provide accessible, plain language information for people on how to access their care records and what to expect from the process. 

You should consider providing this information in a range of formats to meet accessibility needs and to suit different age groups.

You could share this information through: 

• your website, using text, FAQs, infographics, and videos. You could send people our short guide for care experienced people; and
• leaflets and posters that people can read and digest at their own pace.

Clear explanations

You could explain:

• how long the process may take and why this is the case;
• what format you will provide the records in, and what choices people have about the format. (You should offer a choice of format where possible);
• what relevant exemptions there are and why they may apply to information in their records;
• the type of information you may withhold when an exemption applies, for example information about other people, adoption records, or court records. (See our guidance on social work data for more detail);
• an explanation of what ‘redaction’ means, with a visual example of what it may look like;
• details on what parts of the process people can control or choose (eg important or key dates they may prefer not to receive their records on, or how frequently they would like to be updated on the progress of their request);
• how to request reasonable adjustments, where appropriate, to ensure that people can access their information; and
• information about the possibility of missing or lost information, including records that you may have lost or destroyed, or issues affecting the quality of records, such as fading of copied documents.

Providing support

Provide clear signposting to whatever support is available to them as they go through this process. 

You could provide a named contact or a single point of contact for people trying to access their records or ask questions about the process. Consider what counselling and support you could offer people with care experience when they access their records. 

You could also consider what you can do to provide people with the opportunity to access advocacy or peer support when they make a request.