We are a group of teachers and education professionals who are deeply affected by the tragic death of one of our students, 14-year-old Ibrahima.

His death, which we believe was entirely avoidable, has left an indelible mark on our hearts and minds. All too often, we see that failures, missed opportunities, and inaction by various professionals and services responsible for safeguarding children's welfare have highlighted critical gaps in the current systems designed to protect children like Ibrahima.

At present, there is no mandatory requirement for schools, police, health services, and children's services to share safeguarding information. This lack of coordination and communication often means warning signs are missed, and opportunities to protect vulnerable children slip away.

Most importantly, the lack of a single, centralised chronology of events (including actions/inactions by professionals) means that the various services involved in protecting children cannot hold each other to account. This lack of transparency and accountability is costing lives.

Ibrahima's story is sadly not unique, but it is a devastating reminder of the potential consequences of these systemic failures.

According to findings from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, failures in communication and coordination between agencies are recurring themes in serious cases of child harm and neglect. In 2022–23, the Panel received 393 serious incident notifications involving children, with many national reviews highlighting fragmented information sharing and ineffective multi-agency responses as contributing factors. Tragic cases such as the deaths of Awaab Ishak and those uncovered in the Telford and Rotherham abuse scandals further illustrate how poor coordination between services can lead to devastating consequences. Implementing a centralised information system could significantly reduce such risks by ensuring that all professionals involved in a child's care are accessing and acting upon the same up-to-date, comprehensive data.

We propose the introduction of "Ibrahima's Law," a groundbreaking legislative change to enforce mandatory information sharing between all agencies involved in safeguarding the welfare of children in the UK. This law aims to foster transparency and accountability among professionals, ensuring all parties involved are equipped with the knowledge they need to protect children effectively.

The introduction of a centralised child safeguarding information system is not only plausible—it is supported by international precedent. Countries such as Norway and New Zealand have implemented integrated child welfare databases that allow education, health, and social care professionals to securely share key information. In New Zealand, the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) has enabled earlier intervention and more coordinated services, contributing to a decline in substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect over the past decade. Similarly, Norway’s Child Welfare Reform (2017) introduced clearer national standards and data-sharing protocols, which improved accountability and reduced systemic failures. These examples demonstrate that when agencies are held accountable and operate with transparency, the likelihood of preventable child tragedies is significantly reduced.

Our demand is unequivocal: parliament must act swiftly to legislate the mandatory sharing of safeguarding information. Let us ensure that Ibrahima's tragic death stands as a catalyst for profound change, preventing similar tragedies in the future.

Please join us in calling for this vital legislative reform. Sign this petition and support "Ibrahima's Law" to protect the lives of countless children across the UK. Together, we can make a difference and safeguard the future of our children. Sign now to lend your voice to this crucial cause.