as well as focus on smaller sections of information needed. Specific forms and data items are considered helpful for record-keeping purposes; for the child, for example, if they choose to access their file they can see why certain decisions were made; for practitioners to ensure they are recording the necessary information and as a reminder of anything that needs to be followed up; for statutory recording; for an audit trail of the decision-making and planning processes surrounding a child/young person; and for evaluating and monitoring workload. Additional helpful aspects of some forms and data items relate to the structure and types of questions asked. For example, practitioners identified subjectivity and flexibility as helpful. There was a consensus between all participants, that the forms supported their ability to understand a child/young person’s journey through care and the relationships they have both with those involved in the CSC system and beyond. 8 DfE Project 2A: User research into social worker inputted data to CMS The Missing Chapters report shows that children and young people believe that record keeping about their lives should reflect their lives and who they are. They placed a higher importance on this than the business and practice side of record keeping. Most said they do not know what information practitioners write about them. Theme 2: Understanding problems with recording and reporting data No item was considered ‘not helpful’ to record by practitioners in their work with children and families, rather specific data items are considered useful to collect but unhelpful in certain contexts primarily due to duplication and the use of language, guidance, and design. Duplication is problematic for the following reasons: when the same information that 