National register of children is possible

A national database of all children should not be beyond the realms of technical possibility given that the vehicle licensing authority is able to track the whereabouts of any car almost instantaneously, retired accident and emergency consultant Dr Howard Baderman told child protection colleagues last week.

"Any car in this country which changes hands and moves about the country and so on and so forth, the vehicle licensing authority can find it within minutes, and its background," Baderman said. "There are 11 million children compared with 20 million cars."

Baderman proposed a national database with different levels, ranging from basic identification details, to records of contact with agencies, to information about real concern or incidents involving harm.

Access to information beyond basic details would be on a "need to know basis".