Deptford Green School Confidentiality Policy
Deptford Green School Confidentiality Policy
Deptford Green School Confidentiality Policy
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<strong>Deptford</strong> <strong>Green</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
<strong>Confidentiality</strong> <strong>Policy</strong><br />
<strong>Policy</strong> Statement<br />
<strong>Deptford</strong> <strong>Green</strong> <strong>School</strong> seeks to put young people at the heart of the learning process and to provide<br />
a safe and secure learning environment.<br />
It is committed to developing creative and positive ways for young people’s voices to be heard whilst<br />
recognising the responsibility to use, hold and safeguard information received.<br />
The school is mindful that it is placed in a position of trust by all stakeholders and there is a general<br />
expectation that a professional approach will be used in all matters of confidentiality.<br />
Aims<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
To protect young people at all times<br />
To give all staff involved clear, unambiguous guidance as to their legal and professional roles<br />
To ensure good practice throughout the school that is understood by pupils, parents/carers<br />
and staff.<br />
Links with other policies:<br />
This policy has links with the following school policies:<br />
• Safeguarding<br />
• Sex and Relationships<br />
• Drug Education<br />
• Anti-Bullying<br />
Dissemination<br />
This policy has been distributed to all teaching and non-teaching staff. A copy of the policy can<br />
always be found in staffroom and school reception areas and on the school website. All new staff<br />
receive a copy of the policy when they join the school.<br />
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Guidelines for all school staff<br />
We recognise that there are occasions when pupils are worried about something and feel that they<br />
cannot talk about it to their parents/carers. This can result in enormous stress for the individual<br />
which impacts on their education and health. Some pupils may feel that they can turn to teachers<br />
and other staff members for support and we want to be as helpful as we can whilst recognising that<br />
there may be some potential difficulties in being supportive.<br />
All staff at <strong>Deptford</strong> <strong>Green</strong> will adhere to the following policy:<br />
When talking with pupils, it is important for you to be aware of maintaining your professional<br />
boundaries.<br />
You must be clear to pupils that you cannot offer unconditional confidentiality when a pupil<br />
first begins to talk about something where confidentiality may become an issue.<br />
Pupils should be warned that if there is a child protection issue where the pupil, or others, is<br />
likely to be at risk of significant harm, you are under a duty to inform the school’s Child<br />
Protection Designated Teacher who may have to involve other agencies. It is important that<br />
each member of staff deals with this sensitively and explains to the pupil that they must<br />
inform the appropriate people who can help the child, but that they will only tell those who<br />
need to know in order to help.<br />
In all cases where you feel that you have to break confidentiality with the pupil, you must<br />
inform the pupil, (unless there is a good reason not to inform them e.g. risk of harm) and<br />
reassure them that their best interests will be maintained.<br />
In talking with pupils, you need to encourage them to talk to their parents/carers about the<br />
issue that may be troubling them and support in doing this should be offered where<br />
appropriate.<br />
All information about individual children is private and should only be shared with those staff<br />
who have a need to know.<br />
All personal information about children including social services records should be regarded<br />
as confidential. All social services, medical and personal information about a child should be<br />
held in a safe and secure place which cannot be accessed by individuals other than those key<br />
school staff who need to know this information.<br />
Information such as medical reports, SEN reports, SEN minutes of meetings and social<br />
services minutes of meetings and reports will be sent between key members of staff in sealed<br />
envelopes and once read should destroyed or securely filed.<br />
Mentoring programme<br />
Mentors are not allowed to promise to keep secrets but all conversations between the mentor and<br />
mentee will be kept confidential except in the following circumstances:<br />
If a pupil discloses either any form of abuse or anything else that would make them worry<br />
about their safety. If the mentee is about to disclose this sort of information, the mentor<br />
must tell them that they will need to take it to the Child Protection Designated Teacher.<br />
In the classroom in the course of a lesson given by a member of teaching staff or an outside visitor<br />
including health professionals.<br />
Careful thought will be to be given to the content of the lesson. Ground rules must be<br />
established to ensure confidential disclosures are not made. It should be made clear to pupils<br />
that this is not the time or place to disclose confidential personal information. When a health<br />
professional is contributing to a school’s health education programme in a classroom setting,<br />
they are working with the same boundaries of confidentiality as a teacher.<br />
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Disclosures to a counsellor, school nurse or health professional operating a confidential service in<br />
the school<br />
Health professionals such as school nurses can give confidential medical advice to pupils<br />
provided they are competent to do so and follow the Fraser Guidelines (guidelines for<br />
doctors and other health professionals on giving medical advice to under 16’s). <strong>School</strong> nurses<br />
are skilled in discussing issues and possible actions with young people and always have in<br />
mind the need to encourage pupils to discuss issues with their parents or carers. However,<br />
the needs of the pupil are paramount and the school nurse will not insist that a pupil’s<br />
parents or carers are informed about any advice or treatment they give.<br />
Contraceptive advice and pregnancy<br />
The Department of Health has issued guidance (July 2004) which clarifies and confirms that<br />
health professionals owe young people under 16 the same duty of care and confidentiality as<br />
older patients. The duty of care and confidentiality applies to all under-16’s. However, the<br />
younger the patient the greater the concern that they may be being abused or exploited. The<br />
Guidance makes it clear that health professionals must make time to explore whether there<br />
may be coercion or abuse. Cases of grave concern should be referred through child<br />
protection procedures.<br />
Information for Staff and Governors<br />
All staff can normally expect that their personal situations and health will remain confidential unless:<br />
It impinges on their terms of contract or<br />
Endangers pupils or other members of staff or<br />
There is a legal obligation to disclose such information or<br />
It is necessary for legal proceedings or<br />
Despite the duty of confidence, the staff member’s interest or the wider public interest<br />
justifies disclosure.<br />
Information for Parents/Carers and Families<br />
<br />
The school prides itself on good communication with parents and carers and staff are always<br />
available to talk to both children and parents/carers about issues that are causing concern.<br />
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Our staff will be supportive to pupils who approach them with concerns but will make it clear<br />
that they cannot offer confidentiality to the pupil on anything that involves an illegal activity<br />
or anything that is a potential child protection issue where the pupil or others are likely to be<br />
at risk of significant harm.<br />
The school encourages children to talk to parents/carers about issues causing them concern<br />
and may in some cases support a child to talk to their parents in school.<br />
Senior staff in the school will liaise with parents/carers as appropriate in cases where a staff<br />
member has reported an issue over which they cannot offer confidentiality.<br />
All parents are written to in Year 7 asking whether or not they give permission for their<br />
child’s photograph to be used in school publications, the school website and at times in the<br />
local media. Replies are stored in the students’ file and electronic record. If there is then to<br />
be a larger publicity campaign involving particular children, such as the promotion of the<br />
school by Lewisham for open events, the school contacts the families involved to seek<br />
additional permission.<br />
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Information about children will be shared with parents but only about their child. Parents<br />
should not have access to any other child’s books, marks and progress grades at any time<br />
especially at parents’ evening. However parents should be aware that information about<br />
their child will be shared with the receiving school when they change school.<br />
Addresses and telephone numbers of parents will not be passed on except in exceptional<br />
circumstances or to a receiving school.<br />
We recognise that sometimes there may be family issues which may affect a pupil and which<br />
the family will only disclose to us if they can be sure the information will be treated<br />
confidentially. We will respect the wishes of the family and where it is felt necessary to share<br />
the information given to us, this will be discussed with the parents/carers first unless a pupil<br />
is considered to be at immediate risk and /or there is an overriding child protection concern.<br />
Parents/carers and children need to be aware that the school cannot guarantee total<br />
confidentiality and the school has a duty to report child protection issues.<br />
Information for pupils<br />
We understand that there may be times when there are things which may be worrying you but you<br />
can’t talk about them with your family. Teachers and other members of school staff will do all we<br />
can to help you but need to know the following:<br />
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If you want to talk to someone about something that is worrying you then you can speak to<br />
any adult that you trust and know.<br />
The teachers and other members of staff in the school will often be able to help you with<br />
many of the things that may be worrying you but they cannot promise to keep everything to<br />
themselves. For example if you tell them about some things like stealing, they will have to<br />
speak to the Leader of Learning who might then have to speak to your parents or carers.<br />
If the staff member feels that they have to tell someone else what you have talked about,<br />
they will normally tell you first and help you sort it out, perhaps helping you to speak to your<br />
parents/carers if you want this.<br />
Very rarely there are things which you talk about that can be very harmful for you or for<br />
other young people e.g. someone trying to hurt you. The staff member may have to tell<br />
someone else about what you have said, but they will normally tell you first and always help<br />
you to sort things out.<br />
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Development Process<br />
This policy was developed in March 2010 by:<br />
Senior Leadership Team member<br />
Extended Services Co-ordinator<br />
Teaching staff<br />
<strong>School</strong> Nurse<br />
Ian Paish<br />
Samantha Hawkesford<br />
Healthy <strong>School</strong>s XLA group<br />
Martin Simmonds (Union Rep)<br />
Maria Casey<br />
in consultation with:<br />
The Parents Forum<br />
The <strong>School</strong> Council<br />
This policy will be reviewed and updated in three years.<br />
Signatures:<br />
Executive Headteacher<br />
Robert Ellis<br />
Governor<br />
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