To find out the name of your MP go to http://politics.guardian.co.uk/aristotle/
The letters below give an example of what you might want to say. You could download it, make the relevant changes, then sign and send it, but it is much better if you write in your own words.
Dear ______
The Children Bill is before Parliament at the moment.
If it becomes law, my {child’s/children’s} details will be entered on a database, and all professionals will be put under a duty to share confidential information about {him/her}, and about me. This will all be done without the knowledge or consent of my {child/children} or myself.
The law already allows professionals to share information when a child is at risk of harm, but the powers in the Children Bill go much further: they would make professionals record the slightest concern about each child’s progress and development.
The proposals are insulting because they imply that I may neglect or abuse my child unless I am monitored. They are also highly intrusive. Family life is private, except in the rare cases where a child is in danger, and it is a parent’s job to bring up their children.
I don’t believe the Bill will help children at risk of harm: the child protection system is barely coping at the moment, and the proposals are likely to cause such overload that those children who need urgent protection will be easily overlooked. In any case, people will stop asking for help if they know their confidence may be broken, and that could make life harder for even more children.
The cost of databases would be better spent on letting families know what help is available and improving services to make sure that they actually get it, and on tackling the serious shortage of child protection social workers to help children who are at risk of harm.
I urge you to oppose the information-sharing provisions contained in Part 2 of the Children Bill.
Yours sincerely,
Sample letter for younger people:
Dear _______
I am very worried about the suggestion in the Children’s Bill that teachers, doctors, social workers and many other people could share private information about me without asking my permission. If I ask someone for help, I want to know that it will be kept private unless I say otherwise.
I hope you will oppose the section of the Bill that would allow people to discuss my private life behind my back.
Yours sincerely