UK GDPR: sharing safeguarding information

Last reviewed on 24 June 2022
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School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 36084

Be confident in how you share safeguarding information under the UK GDPR. Know the principles to follow, your legal basis for sharing data and your responsibilities for information sharing.

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Contents

  1. Deciding when to share (or withhold) information 
  2. Justify legal reasons for processing the data
  3. How to share safeguarding information
  4. Responsibilities of staff 

Deciding when to share (or withhold) information 

Safeguarding trumps data protection

As a school, you have clear powers to share, hold and use information for the purpose of:

  • Identifying and tackling all forms of abuse and neglect
  • Promoting children’s welfare, including their educational outcomes

UK data protection laws do not prevent or limit you from sharing information to keep children safe. They only require you to share the information appropriately, in line with data protection principles (we explain more about these in the sections below). 

Whether you’re acting on a disclosure or concern, or responding to requests for information from external agencies, you can share information with the appropriate people if you believe that doing so is likely to support the safeguarding and protection of a child.

This is explained on pages 30 to 31 of

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