Do social workers take typing tests?
Seriously
Only if recording *detailed* notes into a computer is needed I'd guess unless someone is a fair typist (shall we say 20WPM minimum?) *very* few of those notes they have been scribbling are going to end up on some child's record. Handwriting recognition (scanned or tablet entry).? Voice to text perhaps?
Let's note that in some ways child protection IT is a lot like *many* local/central government IT systems including social work, NHS patients and "offenders" from arrest to trial to prison to (possibly) parole.
1) Population of people moving through *multiple* jurisdictions/locations.
2) Notes may need to be attached to their record, possibly by *multiple* organisations. The classic "problem" family with parents on welfare, children misbehaving at school or committing crimes up to and including daddy being a bit too "affectionate" with his children could need input from at least social services, police, schools, hospitals, GPs.
3) Individual authorities have the right to procure their own systems.
4)The systems should be able to report on staff to some level of detail.
5)The system (whatever it is) *will* change how staff work.
Perhaps they should concentrate on *core* functions and make damm sure the data can be transferred
But at heart the system needs staff who will do their *jobs*.
It took 60 visits to kill Peter Connelly.
it would have taken *one* (by someone *authorised* ) to save him.