Confidentiality, privacy and security

Key challenge Mitigation strategies
Confidentiality must be maintained as far as possible, but it must never replace the need to protect children.

Where appropriate, children should be given the option to participate privately on their own or with a family member, rather than with other children or with an unfamiliar person.

There may be occasions when confidentiality must be broken if this is judged to be in the interests of the child’s safety. This will need to be carefully explained to and discussed with the child, including why and how this will happen.

Confidentiality/privacy may be understood differently in some families or contexts. The concept of confidentiality must be discussed with family members who support children with disabilities. Boundaries and rules about privacy vary across cultures. The reasons why protecting privacy may be important, even if the concept is unfamiliar, will require sensitive explanation.