The Next Generation
Child Protection Information Management System
The CPIMS+ Journey
The International Rescue Committee (IRC), Save the Children and UNICEF have been working together since 2005 as a Steering Committee to promote the use of a standard inter-agency child protection information management system (CPIMS) for the child protection sector.
The IA CPIMS was originally designed to facilitate family tracing and reunification (FTR) of children in emergencies. In 2009, it was re-designed to support any thematic area of child protection, including supporting child protection systems strengthening in non-emergency settings. In 2014, the development of a ‘next generation’ web-based CPIMS+/Primero kicked off, which brought online and offline capabilities, a mobile app, and other features.
The CPIMS+ facilitates effective case management for individual vulnerable children. It is designed to promote best practice and accountability, and to assist child protection programs in delivering quality care. The vision of the CPIMS Steering Committee is to promote and support the CPIMS+ database and tools for data collection, information sharing and data protection as part of child protection case management program strengthening.
Our team continues to grow. UNHCR, Terre des hommes (Lausanne), the Child Protection AoR and Plan International have all joined the CPIMS Steering Committee. More than 50 organizations are now using the CPIMS+. Onward and upward!
Case Management
The CPIMS+/Primero provides intuitive digital forms and clear workflows to assist with documenting case management processes, from identification and registration, to assessment, case planning, referrals and transfers, and case closure. The CPIMS+ is highly configurable so that it can be adapted to different types of programmes. The software is supports internationalization and is available in English, French, Arabic and Spanish.
Family tracing & reunification
The CPIMS+/Primero uses matching technology to pair tracing requests made by caregivers with records of children registered as separated or unaccompanied. This FTR functionality is configurable, meaning that matching criteria can be changed depending on the context. See a demo video here!
Mobile Application
The CPIMS+/Primero now has an Android mobile app to support data gathering for case workers on the go, wherever they are. This brings new security and offline functionality to the CPIMS+. Case data can be safely stored on the device until the user can connect to the internet. Version 3 of the app (Android 6) is now available on the Play Store, with new features and improved performance. Check out the demo video.
Open Source Public Good
The CPIMS+/Primero is envisioned as a global public good, and has been developed according to the Principles for Digital Development. Primero is made available on GitHub under the GNU Affero GPL 3 license. We are working to build a vibrant community. Spread the word, subscribe to our blog, and check out our Support Hub.
Take a Tour of the CPIMS+
We are constantly building and improving the CPIMS+ based on the feedback from our users. To review some of the existing features, click on the button below.