Case Retention and Destruction of Records

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter looks at case file retention and the time period for which records should be retained.

AMENDMENT

This chapter was updated in September 2023.

1. Case Retention of Documentation

All records, including written or electronic and visual material that originates in connection with social work duties, are the property of the Council.

All new information created or received for a child/young person must be kept in electronic form on Livelink (see Liquidlogic Children's System and Livelink Guidance).

It is the Case Worker's responsibility for any information created or received to be uploaded to Livelink.

Under no circumstances should the materials referred to above be retained in an employee's possession, whether at home or elsewhere.

Staff using computers at home for Council purposes must ensure all documents relating to Children/Young People and their families are saved electronically on Livelink. Memory Sticks/Personal Computer Hardrives or any other form of hardware should not be used to save any information relating to children/young people and their families.

Staff are not allowed to remove case records from their office, whether this is to work at home or for meetings, except as agreed on a case-by-case basis by the line manager.

Any authorisations to remove case records from the office may be cancelled at any time and their return requested at any time, although reasons should always be given.

Any breach of these arrangements may lead to disciplinary action being taken.

2. Destruction of Files

Please see the Records Retention Schedule which provides the time period for which the Council expects business and other official records to be retained.

Records are only to be destroyed by the Records Management Service.

Before destruction, checks will be made that there is no outstanding litigation, claim or subject access request. If there is, the record will not be destroyed.

When records identified for destruction are destroyed, a register of such records will be kept on Livelink (in the case of Electronic records).