Confidentiality Policy

The West Northants SEND IAS Service is confidential except when a member of staff or volunteer has a concern relating to safeguarding which takes precedence.
Procedures:

Referrals to the service by anyone other than a parent or carer can only be made if the parent/carer has consented.

• The service respects the right for users to remain anonymous and will respond to general enquiries without asking for detailed information about a child or the family.
• Any information that a parent gives to IASS staff is confidential and will not be passed to other organisations.
• All staff are Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked in line with West Northants Council’s recruitment policy.
• Personal details will only be recorded with parent/carers consent and stored on a secure database in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection act. This information will be accessible IASS staff only.
• All members of staff will undertake not to tell any other person or agency that a parent/carer has approached the service unless the parent gives consent.
• All members of staff will undertake not to contact anybody on a parent’s behalf unless the parent/carer gives consent.
• No member of staff will access information about a child or family from other agencies unless the parent/carer gives consent.
• All members of staff will undertake not to share any information about a child or their family without consent.
• All members of staff will ask the parents/carers consent before contacting anyone involved with the family.
• Parents/carers have the right to see any information recorded on them or their child.
• The service will ensure that the identity of families is protected in any information published by the service.