Confidentiality: Childhood and Sensitive Information Essay

the principles and boundaries of confidentiality are to do with safeguarding children and young people. The principle – or main reason for having confidentiality in settings is to maintain positive, supportive, respectful relationships with children and young people that recognises each individual’s right to privacy, their right to protection and their right to free expression. This could be done by finding quiet less public areas for discussing information, ensuring information given within a setting isn’t repeated outside of the setting for less professional reasons, everyone connected with a setting understands how sharing information relating to safeguarding is valued and welcomed. A boundary of confidentiality is that it isn’t always appropriate/safe to keep information confidential where there may be a risk of harm to a child or young person. Confidentiality is essential in schools. The same rules of confidentiality apply whether you are employed by the school or you are working as a volunteer. You may have been told sensitive information about a child because it helps you to carry out your role, for example, about their health or particular needs. This is sensitive information and should never be a topic for discussion in the staff room or with other parents. As a teaching or learning support assistant, you may find that parents approach you to tell you personal or sensitive information. You must let them know that you would need to share it with your manager or supervisor. Information can be passed on without permission when a child is at risk of abuse or harm. However, the information should only be passed to specific people who ‘need to know’. They can then take action and provide support to protect the child. If you are in doubt, you should always ask for advice. Information sharing In some circumstances, when a child may be at risk of significant harm, information can be shared without consent with professionals who need to know. Failure to share information has been highlighted in a number of serious child abuse cases. Sharing information ensures that problems are identified early and action is taken when children are thought to be at risk of abuse. There will be systems within your school on ways that this is done. You should always ask for advice before sharing information. and from the Collins SCH 21 chapter – and title on amazon It is best to treat everything you learn about children and their families in your workplace as confidential information; it is advisable to check with your supervisor before you pass on confidential information. Similarly, it is always best to tell your supervisor if you receive any information that concerns you. If someone wants to tell you something ‘in confidence’, you should say that you may not be able to keep the information to yourself because part of your job involves safeguarding children’s welfare. It is then up to the person to decide whether to tell you or not.