1.2 Explain The Importance Of Legislation Relevant To The Study

In all work settings, staff are made aware of the confidentiality policy which complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. This policy ensures that all practitioners working in a setting can do so with confidence, they will respect confidentiality in many ways such as, information about children will be shared with parents but only about their child. Parents should not have access to any other child’s books, marks and progress at any time, especially at parents’ evening. However, parents should be aware that information about their child will be shared with the receiving school when they leave the setting.

All personal information about children, including social services records should be regarded as confidential. It should be clearly understood
by those who have access to it, and whether those concerned have access to all, or only some of the information. Practitioners will not discuss individual children with people other than the parents of that child; information given by parents to practitioners will not be passed on to third parties, unless they have obtained parental consent.
Should there be a child protection matter concerning the parent then the Data Protection Act allows an allegation without consent, for example to apprehend or prosecute an offender, to detect or prevent a crime. Personnel issues will remain confidential to the people involved. Any anxieties and/ or evidence relating to a child's personal safety will be kept in a confidential file and will not be shared within the setting except for the child's key worker and manager. All information regarding the children in the setting is kept in a locked fireproof box. Sharing information is the solution to improving beneficial outcomes for all children. It is essential to facilitate early intervention and preventative work for
safeguarding children. All professionals involved with children must know and understand what to do and the most effective ways of sharing information about children who are at risk of abuse or neglect. In some situations, sharing information with a family about their child could seem good practice, but it is not crucial e.g. where evidence of abuse or neglect could be destroyed or removed by a parent/carer or where a child could be placed at an increased risk when parents/carers have this knowledge. The schools policy on safeguarding children should be used as a guideline when sharing or handling information.
In all work settings, staff are made aware of the confidentiality policy which complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. This policy ensures that all practitioners working in a setting can do so with confidence, they will respect confidentiality in many ways such as, information about children will be shared with parents but only about their child. Parents should not have access to any other child’s books, marks and progress at any time, especially at parents’ evening. However, parents should be aware that information about their child will be shared with the receiving school when they leave the setting.

All personal information about children, including social services records should be regarded as confidential.
It should be clearly understood by those who have access to it, and whether those concerned have access to all, or only some of the information. Practitioners will not discuss individual children with people other than the parents of that child; information given by parents to practitioners will not be passed on to third parties, unless they have obtained parental consent. Should there be a child protection matter concerning the parent then the Data Protection Act allows an allegation without consent, for example to apprehend or prosecute an offender, to detect or prevent a crime. Personnel issues will remain confidential to the people involved. Any anxieties and/ or evidence relating to a child's personal safety will be kept in a confidential file and will not be shared within the setting except for the child's key worker and manager. All information regarding the children in the setting is kept in a locked fireproof box. Sharing information is the solution to improving beneficial outcomes for all children. It is essential to facilitate early intervention and preventative work for safeguarding children. All professionals involved with children must know and understand what to do and the most effective ways of sharing information about children who are at risk of abuse or neglect. In some situations, sharing information with a family about their child could seem
good practice, but it is not crucial e.g. where evidence of abuse or neglect could be destroyed or removed by a parent/carer or where a child could be placed at an increased risk when parents/carers have this knowledge. The schools policy on safeguarding children should be used as a guideline when sharing or handling information.