DRAFT - Amendment to SNIX register policy July 2015
Registration of Children with Disabilities (SNIX register)
The Children Act 1989 (Commencement and Transitional Provisions) Order 1991
Sections 17, 23 and 29.
“SCHEDULE 2 LOCAL AUTHORITY SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Maintenance of a register of disabled children
2(1)Every local authority shall open and maintain a register of disabled children within their area
(2)The register may be kept by means of a computer”
Policy
The policy and procedures relating to improving and maintaining the countywide register of children with
disabilities (SNIX) which is for use in multi agency planning and in the dissemination of information to both
parents and professionals.
General
The Special Needs Index is a register of children with disabilities who live in Northamptonshire, the register is
known as SNIX and will be referred to as SNIX throughout this policy
In the context of SNIX a child is disabled if “their impairment is such that they are clearly unable to achieve the
normal function and development of a child of their age”.
It is obligatory for the Local Authority to keep a register and the information held on it has to be given voluntarily.
Where a child is “looked after” there may be issues regarding parental consent to be registered and the child’s
views must be considered if they wish to be added.
The Local Offer Manager and the development workers within the SEN ( EHC ) department of the Local
Authority are responsible for the operation and maintenance of SNIX.
SNIX has a two-fold purpose. To provide information for:i. planners.
ii. parents/carers about services and resources on a regular basis.
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Inclusion on the register will neither entitle nor guarantee service provision. Refusal to register will not reduce
service provision.
Data ( but not individual’s details) will be shared with Commissioners in order to plan for future needs within
Northamptonshire. Children’s Centres are issued with information about children receiving support from the
Portage Service. This aims to ensure that families and children receive all the support that is being commissioned
for them. Information about children’s SNIX registration will only be available to Childrens Centre staff if a
referral is made for support from the Children’s Centre, for example from the Portage or Early Help Team
The Childrens Act encourages active partnership between agencies and parents and children. The child should
be involved in completing the SNIX registration form where their age and comprehension is deemed appropriate.
Parents of children registered on the data base will be sent a termly newsletter advertising services and
provisions that are found on the Local Offer either by post, or preferably by e-mail.
Parents, young people and professionals are encouraged to provide feedback on the services and provision
found on the Local Offer.
Criteria
A child who is to be included on the SNIX data base must satisfy all of the following four criteria.
The child must:
be aged between 0 and 25 years

have a disability

have their home base in Northamptonshire, even if the child lives in an out of county placement (i.e. an
expectation that they may return to the family home within the county).

the parent or main carer must give consent for the child’s details to be included on the index
Identification Process
Children who are eligible for registration can be identified with the assistance of professional staff working with
children and families, including (but not exclusively) the following:

pre-school teachers and Portage Service

special schools, specialist units and resourced provisions

Special Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) in mainstream schools

Social Workers within the Disabled Children’s Service

Service Co-ordinators within the Early Help Team for Disabled Children

Information and Advisory Support Service staff (IASS)

Paediatricians

Health Visitors and other health professionals
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Where SNIX is brought to the attention of parents or carers by other means, they may contact the Local Offer to
register for SNIX directly.
Registration takes place by completing an online form that can be accessed via
SNIX registration form
The registration process is designed to be simple and straightforward. The majority of children will already be
known to the Local Authority and the SNIX register is an additional element of the Local Authority’s database that
can be included on a child’s registration identifying them as disabled. Any child, who already has either a
statement or an EHC plan, will have their status and diagnosis brought forward to their SNIX registration. These
details are kept securely and are only accessed by trained and authorised staff.
No child will be placed on the disabled children’s register without their parent’s consent and completion of a
registration form.
The registration form will be kept electronically with the registration records.
It is the expectation that parents will wish to complete the registration form themselves. Parents are invited to
contact the Local Offer team if they require further assistance or help with completing the form. If a child is under
five and parents require support to complete the registration form they will be invited to contact their local
Children’s Centre who will be able to provide direct support.
Any parent who indicates to a professional that they wish for their child to be registered but is unable to complete
the form themselves may be assisted by that professional.
Updating Information
Parents/carers are requested to notify the education setting that their child attends, or the Local Offer team if their
child is not yet, or no longer in education if any details, such as addresses or circumstances alter.
There is an expectation that a professional closely involved with the family will inform the Local Authority or
update Capita One with the news of a child’s death. The Capita One team will advise all “additional involvements”
including SNIX and the records will be closed.
A request by a parent/carer for their SNIX registration to be closed will be immediately complied with. The
individual’s involvement will be closed on the data base, recording the reason and date.
Once a young person reaches the age of 25 (or earlier if they so choose) their involvement with SNIX will be
closed and their entitlement to a printed copy of the newsletter will cease. (These newsletters will continue to be
available on line).
Professional working with children and their families will be reminded each year of the existence of the SNIX
register to encourage uptake, which will provide a more accurate picture for the commissioners.
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Capita ONE Privacy Note
Why do we collect personal data about you?
We collect personal data from you so we can provide education and children’s services to you and
your family; to monitor our work; to report on progress made; and to let us fulfill our statutory
obligations and statutory returns as set by the law.
How we protect and use your personal data
All personal data we collect from you complies with the data protection principles, as stated in the
Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and NCC’s Data Protection Registration with the Information
Commissioner’s Office; for full list please check this website:
https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/DoSearch?reg=165079
The personal data we collect may be held as an electronic record on data systems managed by
Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) or as a paper record. The records are only seen by staff who
need the personal data so they can do their job. The security of the data follows NCC policies on
Information Management.
We make every effort to keep your personal data accurate. If you tell us of any changes in your
circumstances, we can update the records with the personal data you choose to share with us.
We will keep the personal data for no longer than is necessary. Sometimes, the law sets the length
of time personal data must be kept.
Sharing personal data
So we can provide the right services at the right level, we may share your personal data within
county council services or with relevant organisations in line with NCC data registration, please see
link above. Where this is necessary we will comply with all aspects of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Your rights
You have the right to ask us to stop processing your personal data in relation to any council service.
However, this may stop us delivering a service to you. Where possible, we will do as you ask, but we
may need to hold or process personal data to comply with a legal requirement.
If you find that the personal data that we hold is no longer accurate, you have the right to have this
corrected. Please contact the service holding the personal data or our Customer Services Centre for
this.
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Further information
If you would like further information about the personal data we hold or if you have a complaint
about how your personal data has been used, please contact the Freedom of Information and Data
Protection Team, Northamptonshire County Council, County Hall, Northampton, NN1 1ED;
dataprotection@northamptonshire.gov.uk.
To be signed by the customer/service user:
I confirm that I have read and understood the above statement.
I agree that, by using your services, I am accepting the terms of this Privacy Notice and
consenting to the collection, use, disclosure and retention of my personal information as
described in this Privacy Notice.
Customer Name:
Signature:
Date:
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