Confidentiality Policy

Aim

To make sure that parents and carers of children with additional needs and young people are able to access support and information in complete confidence - safe in the knowledge that their records are protected and are not shared with other services without their express authority.

Processes and Procedures

•	The service operates a self-referral system – where parents are notified by the Local Authority, schools and other professionals but will contact the service directly themselves to share information.  If they would prefer not to do this they can give permission to a third party to pass on their contact details for a member of the Information, Advice and Support Service to contact them directly.

•	The service will ask permission to access records from other parties in order to build a background of the case in order to provide the appropriate support.

•	The service will ask permission to discuss the case with other professionals if it is deemed appropriate to move the case on.

•	A separate record of involvement is kept by the Information, Advice and Support Service to any Local Authority recordings, other professionals will not be able to ascertain involvement with the service and the family from any Local Authority database.  These records belong to the parents/carers and are password protected.

•	Documents are scanned into password protected electronic folders and paper copies are destroyed.  If documents are sent via email to or from the service they are password protected.

•	The Information, Advice and Support Service has its own phone line.

•	All staff have enhanced CRB checks and adhere to the confidentiality policy.

•	Staff schedules are anonymised so that other professionals can see where appointments are booked – but not with whom.

Provision of Information

•	Freedom of Information requests will adhere to local authority policy

Exceptions

•	Information which would lead us to believe a child was at risk - under these circumstances - would need to be shared and the Darlington Safeguarding Children’s Board policies would be followed as agreed by all agencies in Darlington.

Updated June 2018