EVERY child will be tracked on a giant database to prevent a repeat of the Baby Peter tragedy, under a controversial scheme starting in Merseyside next week.

Social workers, health professionals and headteachers will be able to find out which other agencies are working with youngsters in their care, to pick up early signs of potential abuse.

The focus will be on vulnerable children who are victims of domestic violence, in difficult adoptions, or in witness protection programmes, to stop cases falling into gaps between different services.

Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Halton, Warrington and Cheshire are among 17 “early adopter” local authorities that will pioneer use of the database from Monday.

However, the database is hugely controversial because it will hold the details of all 11m children in England – not simply the records of the 55,000 considered vulnerable.

The Tories have condemned the creation of what they branded “barcode babies” and will scrap the scheme if they win power next year.

Some groups working with children have argued the database is illegal under data protection laws and raised fears of home addresses falling into the hands of paedophiles.

Ed Balls, the Children’s Secretary, has the support of most children’s organisations, including NSPCC, Barnardo’s and Action for Children, plus teachers’ unions, the police and social workers.