Statement of Intent
Polstead Preschool is committed to respecting the privacy of children and their parents and carers, while ensuring that they access high quality care in Preschool.
Confidentiality
The Supervisor, staff, volunteers and any other individual associated with the running or management of Preschool will respect confidentiality by:
- Not discussing confidential matters about children with other parents/carers.
- Not discussing confidential matters about parents/carers with children or other parents/carers.
- Not discussing confidential information about other staff members.
- Only passing sensitive information, in written or oral form, to relevant people.
- Giving parents access to the files and records of their own children, but not to information about any other child.
Confidential information includes:
- Registration and admission forms
- Signed consents
- Correspondence concerning the child or family
- Reports or minutes from meetings concerning the child from other agencies
- Ongoing record of relevant contact with parents
Confidential records are stored in a lockable file or cabinet and are kept secure by the person in charge in an office or other suitably safe place.
Under no circumstances should staff provide any information about children to any branch of the media. All media enquires should be passed in the first instance to the Supervisor.
In circumstances where staff have good reason to believe that a child is at risk, or is likely to be at risk, of child abuse or neglect, the Safeguarding Children Policy will override confidentiality on a ‘need to know’ basis.
Staff failing to show due regard for confidentiality will be liable to disciplinary action under the provisions of the disciplinary procedures within the Staffing policy.
Staffing
Staff have a right to privacy, as do children and their parents/carers. Personal details should not be discussed except in exceptional circumstances e.g. Safeguarding.
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