Council cites improvements in training and quality assurance processes.
The number of data breaches reported by Suffolk county council has been called "shocking" and "concerning" by a body which represents parents and carers.
A Freedom of Information request by the Suffolk Parent Carer Forum found there were 21 cases reported in 2023, and 17 in 2024.
According to media reports, Claire Smith, the Suffolk Parent Carer Forum chair said she was shocked by the number of reports, and "any data breach is one too many.”
“Suffolk County Council tells us that drafts are checked before they are sent to families,” she said. "If effective checks were happening, there should be no data breaches in EHCPs."
In response, Andrew Reid, cabinet member for education and SEND at Suffolk County Council, said "any data breach is one too many" and the authority is "working hard to address" the issue.
He cited new processes to check the quality of each education, health and care plan it issues, including an increase in staff training and a focus on quality assurance processes. “Therefore we expect the number of data breaches to fall.”
Written by
Dan Raywood
Senior Editor
SC Media UK
Dan Raywood is a B2B journalist with more than 20 years of experience, including covering cybersecurity for the past 16 years. He has extensively covered topics from Advanced Persistent Threats and nation-state hackers to major data breaches and regulatory changes.
He has spoken at events including 44CON, Infosecurity Europe, RANT Conference, BSides Scotland, Steelcon and ESET Security Days.
Outside work, Dan enjoys supporting Tottenham Hotspur, managing mischievous cats, and sampling craft beers.
