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Research report into organisations handling requests for care records

Contents

Executive summary

This report sets out the findings from research we’ve carried out in to the challenges facing organisations who handle children’s social care records. In particular, how they respond to subject access requests (SARs) from care experienced people. We conducted this research in the summer of 2024, following our survey to understand more about the experience of those trying to access social care records. Read more about our survey research. 

During the course of this research, we held focus groups and one-to-one interviews with organisations across the UK, including local authorities, health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland, as well as charities and other bodies. Our aim was to understand three things about organisations:

  • The process they follow when responding to these requests.
  • The barriers they face in delivering a good service.
  • The resources they use and need or want to do the job well.

We found that organisations followed similar processes when responding to requests. The most significant parts of the process were collating information and applying relevant exemptions. There was a variety of ways in which organisations engaged with requesters throughout the course of a request. Some of the techniques were developed by staff through experience working on these records over time. Generally, we found that organisations viewed applying exemptions as a lower risk than inappropriately disclosing personal information, particularly around the serious harm exemption. 

People working on responding to care records told us that they cared deeply about the job. However, they reported being under considerable pressure and feeling that they didn’t have sufficient resources to carry out their role. These pressures included the: 

  • statutory time limits for requests;
  • volume of records;
  • difficult decisions around redaction; and
  • number of staff working on responding to requests. 

Participants also reported that resources had sometimes increased through intervention from the ICO (eg a complaint), but they wanted a greater right of reply on complaints to us about how they handled requests. 

Despite these pressures, organisations and the people working to respond to requests were trying to find ways to adapt. This included some organisations developing more person-centred and trauma-informed approaches to SARs and setting up dedicated teams to respond to requests. There was a clear desire for more specific guidance and engagement around responding to these requests, reflecting their unique challenges and the importance that these records can have for care experienced people.