Module 5 - Information sharing

Sharing information in a timely and accurate way is an essential part of delivering better services to children, young people, their families and carers. Sometimes it can help to save lives. Practitioners at different agencies should work together and share information appropriately for the safety and well-being of children. It is important to understand and respect legislation and ethics surrounding the confidentiality and security of information.

It is crucial to build trust with the child or young person and their family from the outset by clarifying issues and procedures surrounding confidentiality, consent and information sharing. Practitioners should adhere to the correct principles, policies and procedures for information sharing, ensuring that the child or young person, parent or carer understands the process.

Skills

·         Make good use of available information, appraising its content and assessing what else might be needed.

·         Bring together relevant information about clients, either by completing paperwork or electronically.

·         Assess the relevance and status of information – for example whether it is observation or opinion – and handle it appropriately.

·         Identify gaps in information.

·         Be open and honest with the child, young person and their family or carer about why, what, how and which information will, or could be shared, unless to do so would increase the risk of them or any other person suffering harm.

·         Encourage children, young people and their families to consent to the sharing of information where appropriate, ensuring that they understand why it is important to do so, their rights and the implications of sharing or not sharing the information.

·         Understand the need to balance the benefits and risks of sharing information with the benefits and risks of not sharing information and make a professional judgement based on the facts of the case.

·         Understand that consent is not always necessary to share information, even when the information is confidential. It may be shared without consent in certain circumstances, for example where a child is suspected of suffering or being likely to suffer significant harm, or when there are legal obligations to disclose information.

·         Understand that it is not always necessary to collect information directly from children, young people and families as this may frustrate them (if they are being asked to give the same information repeatedly). Be aware that information can often be gathered from other sources.

·         Know that information sharing usually involves the need to make case-by-case decisions about whether to share personal information, what to share, and with whom.

·         Know the importance of ensuring that information sharing is necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure.

·         Know how to share information securely in writing, by telephone, electronically or in person.

·         Know what to record, how long to keep it, how to dispose of records correctly and when to feed back or follow up. This should include keeping a record of the decision to share or not to share information, the reasons for the decisions and what was shared with whom.

·         Be aware of your own, and other people’s professional boundaries, particularly around confidential and sensitive information.

·         Be aware that different types of information exist, for example personal information, confidential personal information, and sensitive personal information. Understand the implications of these differences.

·         Understand the importance of confidentiality and consent. Be aware that, in many cases, the consent of the child, young person or family will be required for the lawful sharing of information.

·         Be aware of the need to respect, where possible, the wishes of those who do not consent to share confidential information. Know that information may be shared without consent if there is an overriding public interest.

·         Wherever possible, make clear to the child or young person, parent or carer how the information they provide will be used, unless to do so would increase the risk of harm to them or another person or hamper the investigation or prosecution of a serious crime – that is, a crime which causes or is likely to cause significant harm to a child or serious harm to an adult. Awareness of laws and legislation.

·         Have awareness and sufficient knowledge of current legislation and the common law duty of confidentiality.

·         Know that the Data Protection Act (DPA) is not a barrier to sharing information but provides a framework to ensure that personal information about living persons is shared appropriately.

·         Understand the legislation that governs your own profession; and the different policies and procedures surrounding confidentiality, consent and information sharing.

·         Be aware of any relevant legislation which specifically requires or restricts the disclosure of information.

·         Understand the principles that dictate when young people are considered sufficiently mature to give or refuse consent to their information being shared; in particular taking into account young people’s ability to demonstrate understanding of what they are consenting to and the consequences of their decision.