CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

Review Date / Comments/Changes / CC Manager signature / CC Link Governor signature
Oct 2013
Oct 2014
May 2016

Aim:

The Children’s Centre will aim to ensure that parents and children can share information with the centre staff in the confidence that information shared will only be used for the benefit of the child or parent. The Children’s Centre will ensure that any information shared is done so whilst respecting the privacy of children and their parents.

Methods:

The Children’s Centres hold two kinds or records on children and their families

attending the Centre.

  1. Personal Records
  • These include membership forms, signed consents, and correspondence

concerning the child or family, reports or minutes of meetings from other agenciesor staff concerning the child, an on-going record of relevant contact with parents,and observations made by staff on any confidential matter involving the childsuch as developmental concerns or safeguarding issues.

  • All confidential records are stored in a lockable cabinet which only key staff may access. Ultimate accountability lies with the Children’s CentreManager.
  • Parents have access to the records in accordance with the Freedom of

Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to records of their own child, but do not have access toinformation about any other child or family.

  • It is essential to respect and maintain a family’s right to dignity and privacy,
  • Staff will not discuss personal information given by parents with other staff

members, except where it affects planning for the child’s needs, or where thereare concerns for the child’s safety.

  • All members of staff sign to say they have read and understood the

Children’s Centre Confidentiality Policy.

  1. eStart records
  • Parents/Carers of all children attending the Children’s Centre complete a

membership form which is entered on the Centre’s eStart database system. The information provided is shared with other Surrey Sure Start Children’s Centres and Surrey County Council and will be used to keep you informed about Sure Start Children’s Centre services, events and courses relevant to you and your family. It will also be used to help the Children’s Centre to monitor, evaluate and improve these services in the future and to secure government funding.Attendance at all sessions in the Children’s Centre is recorded on paper registers and this information is transferred onto the database.Attendance records are kept for Health and Safety Purposes.

Exceptional circumstances

In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to break confidentiality. These circumstances include:

  • If information is disclosed that may indicate risk to children or parent.
  • If a staff member believes that a parent/carer could cause danger to themselves or to others.
  • If the parent/carer gives information which indicates a crime has been committed.

In these exceptional circumstances the management and staff will use their professional judgment as to the appropriate next steps. The Information sharing (see further in this policy) and Safeguarding policy will be taken into consideration.

Record Keeping

The children’s centre will keep records regarding

  • Accidents & Incidents (including any racist or discriminatory incidents)
  • Health & Safety
  • Risk Assessments
  • Partnership agreements
  • Registration - The registration form is used for statistical data and will also enable centre staff to keep a record of family contact details
  • Childminders - Information from the Childminders registration form may be shared with the Early Years & Childcare Service (EYCS)

The children’s centre will, at all times, keep records that are legible, true and concise. Any records containing family personnel details will be kept in a locked filing cabinet. All written records will be signed and dated.

Staff

  • The Centre Manager will ensure staff are aware of the importance of confidentiality when working with children and families.

See policies relating to mobile phone use, social networking and Safeguarding policy.

  • Issues to do with the employment of staff, paid or voluntary, remain confidential to the people directly involved with making Personnel decisions.

Maintaining Confidentiality

  • It is important that all sensitive information is properly respected at all times.
  • Storage – Staff should not leave sensitive information unattended in areas with public access. Confidential Information should be in locked files when not in use. Restricted information should be kept in a secure location and only unlocked for authorised use. Such information should be held away from general information such as personal files.
  • Electronic Information - This would always be password protected and discs holding confidential information should be locked away.
  • Written Communication – staff sending confidential information internally should be in a closed file or envelope marked “confidential” and if possible delivered by hand.
  • If staff hold public access files they must remove any unnecessary reference to sensitive confidential information before files are made available. Staff should not code confidential information on files, nor record judgmental comments about a person. Professional judgements must be marked as such.
  • In administering, filing, printing, typing or faxing confidential information staff should ensure that it is undertaken by a person who understands the confidentiality procedures. It is essential that confidential material is not left in machines after processing.
  • All confidential documents should be disposed of by shredding, and documents awaiting shredding kept in sealed bags (locked away if unattended) in accordance with the archiving schedule.
  • It is important that out of date documents are removed and shredded from files regularly in accordance with the archive’s schedule, either in hard copy or digitally.
  • Restricted documents should not be taken from the Children’s Centre without agreement for transport and storage. They must not be left unattended in cars or opened on public transport.
  • Storage at home should be secure and away from other household members.
  • Meetings, courses and conversations should observe the same standards as written information, making levels of confidentiality clear or seeking clarity, if staff are not told of the confidentiality level. On training courses this should be explicit from the outset.
  • Care should be taken when providing or receiving information by telephone. It is staff’s duty to ensure that they are speaking to the appropriate person. If contacting clients by phone staff should check with the client that it is secure and agree procedures for leaving messages.All confidential conversations should take place in privacy.

Lost information/Stolen information

A log will be kept of lost, stolen or unauthorised access to confidential documents. Any theft should be reported to the police, emphasising the confidential nature of the documents.

Information Sharing Policy

The ‘golden rules’ taken from the Multi-Agency Information Sharing Protocol for Surrey (MAISPS) will be adhered to at all times and staff must:

  • Confirm the identity of the person you are sharing with
  • Obtain consent to share if safe, appropriate and feasible to do so
  • Confirm the reason the information is required
  • Be fully satisfied that it is necessary to share
  • Check with a manager/specialist or seek legal advice if you are unsure
  • Not share more information than is necessary
  • Inform the recipient if any of the information is potentially inaccurate or unreliable
  • Ensure that the information is shared safely and securely
  • Be clear with the recipient how the information will be used
  • Record what information is shared, when, with whom and why; and if you decide not to share, record your reasons
  • Ensure all decisions about information sharing must be made on a case-by-case basis

Data Protection Act:Principal Points

The Centre Manager will ensure that personal data must:

  • Be processed fairly and lawfully
  • Be obtained and processed only for specified and lawful purposes
  • Be adequate, relevant and not excessive
  • Be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date
  • Not be kept for longer than is necessary
  • Be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects
  • Be protected by appropriate security
  • Not be transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection.

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