We have been asked to clarify whether or not Social Services Departments meet their legal obligations under the Data Protection Act by stating that they will only allow the person to see relevant records ut not provide them with an actual copy of it.
Does social services have to provide the social service records or are they allowed to offer the enquirer to come up and view them ?
The answer given.
"Social services can offer the enquirer the opportunity of coming up to view the documents. If however, the person insists on a copy, that is what must be supplied under the Act. Under the Data Protection Act 1989, if the enquirer asks for and specifies he/she requires 'copies of the documents requested', that is what must be supplied under the Act."
Please note: The issue of access to social services records is complicated. Not all records have to be shown or copied. Some records are exempt from disclosure.