The governance of the ECHILD Database is supported by a series of approvals and ethical oversight mechanisms that ensure the responsible use of linked administrative data for specific research purposes. Approvals to create and evaluate ECHILD were granted by the following bodies:

Department for Education (DfE): DR200604.02

NHS England (NHSE): DARS-NIC-381972

Ethical approval for the ECHILD project was granted by:

National Research Ethics Service: 17/LO/1494

NHS Health Research Authority Research Ethics Committee: 20/EE/0180 and 21/SW/0159

UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health’s Joint Research and Development Office: 20PE16

The associated Privacy Notice is found here.

ECHILD is available for access through the Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service (ONS SRS) under the Digital Economy Act (DEA). This means that accredited researchers can apply to access the data for approved projects that serve the public good, in accordance with the legal safeguards and governance requirements set out by the DEA. Access is granted only to researchers who meet the accreditation criteria and agree to comply with all data protection, ethical standards and requirements set by data owners and data controllers.

The ONS Role

The ONS Secure Research Service (SRS) acts as a data processor for the ECHILD Database. It provides a secure environment where accredited researchers can access de-identified data for approved projects. Access is granted under the Digital Economy Act (DEA), which ensures that data is used only for research that serves the public good.

ONS SRS ensures:

·       Secure data handling: Data is stored and accessed in a controlled environment with strict safeguards.

·       Researcher accreditation: Only researchers who meet ONS’s criteria and complete training can access the data.

·       Output checking: All research outputs are reviewed before release to prevent disclosure of personal information.

This setup ensures that sensitive data is protected while enabling valuable research to inform policy and improve outcomes for children and families.

The ONS Secure Research Service operates under the 'Five Safes' framework to ensure responsible and secure use of data:

Safe Projects: Research must serve the public good and be approved by the appropriate governance bodies.

Safe People: Only accredited researchers who have completed training and demonstrated trustworthiness can access the data.

Safe Data: Data is de-identified and assessed to minimize disclosure risk.

Safe Settings: Data is accessed in a secure environment with strict controls.

Safe Outputs: All outputs are checked before release to ensure they do not disclose personal information.

This framework ensures that sensitive data is protected while enabling valuable research.