Dear List
Our traveller’s team have records that they keep on individuals & families
that use the councils maintained sites. They would like to retain these
files after the travellers have moved on from the maintained sites.
The files are referred to as family casework files and any information they
receive/obtain that has anything to do with any individual or family
support can be recorded in these files. Sometimes it is quite personal,
such as benefits or medical letters, sometimes it is correspondence with
various agencies around the person/families needs, or sometimes simply a
record of site/home visits made by support workers.
They claim the records are useful on an ongoing basis, and should probably
be kept for some time, as individuals/families often need repeated support
in months/years times when and if the family or individuals return to one
of the sites or camp unauthorised somewhere in the county. For the team
this information is invaluable to know the history of a family,
particularly in light of housing issues. However, I feel that there maybe
issues with regard to Data Protection and would like to advise the team
accordingly.
Do any of the local authority list members have a similar situation with
these types of files being kept by their traveller’s team? Any advice that
you would like to put forward would be greatly received on or off list.
Regards
David
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