Changes to safeguarding legislation have been proposed to help professionals share information more easily when there are concerns about the welfare of children or vulnerable adults.

The Safeguarding (Amendment) Bill 2025 is due for its first reading in the House of Keys on 24 June. If passed, the bill would amend the Safeguarding Act 2018 to allow information sharing without breaching data protection laws, where there are safeguarding concerns.

The aim is to reduce the risk of serious harm by giving professionals in sectors such as health, education, social work, care settings, and the third sector a clearer legal basis to share relevant information.

Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford MHK said: ‘The Safeguarding (Amendment) Bill 2025 would strengthen legislation to allay fears of safeguarding practitioners about sharing information.

‘It means the duty to share information would not stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare and protect the safety of children or adults.

‘By taking action earlier and collaborating more effectively, we can make it easier to keep children and vulnerable adults safe from serious harm, and reduce the number of safeguarding interventions.’

Lesley Walker, independent chair of the Safeguarding Board, welcomed the move.

She said: ‘I see the legislative change as critical in providing a clear legal basis for practitioners from all agencies and sectors to share information, to directly prevent citizens from suffering abuse and harm, and to promote their welfare.’

Concerns over data protection law have previously made some professionals reluctant to share information, with findings from Serious Case Management Reviews and practitioner surveys in 2022 and 2024 highlighting fear and misunderstanding as barriers to effective safeguarding.

The bill also proposes changes to how the membership of the Safeguarding Board Isle of Man is amended, and to provide greater clarity on the role of its independent chair.