Leanne Wood AM has called for safeguards to be introduced after a local authority sent confidential social service documents to the wrong address.
A Freedom of Information request from the South Wales Central AM found that Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough posted a social services initial assessment to somebody with the same surname as the intended family.
An initial assessment is carried out whenever concerns are raised over the welfare of a child. It can contain a recommendation as serious as to place a child on the ‘at risk’ register.
The blunder was made last year and was subsequently reported by the local authority to the Information Commissioner in Wales.
Council staff have since been warned by management at the local authority to be extra vigilant when posting material out.
The Information Commissioner was also alerted when personal data concerning children’s medication needs was stolen from a minibus parked outside an outdoor activities centre during a Rhondda Cynon Taf council-run trip last year.
Leanne Wood AM said: “It is worrying that such sensitive information could be sent to the wrong address because of such an elemental mistake.
“We don’t know the effect that this error had on the family that had the assessment carried out because, although there shouldn’t be, there is stigma attached to the intervention of social services.
“Careless actions may have led to a family’s private affairs becoming common knowledge and that is unacceptable.
“I would like the council to introduce fool-proof measures to ensure that a similar incident is not repeated in future.”
