Confidentiality Policy

Aim  

To protect learners and staff at all times and to give all staff involved clear, unambiguous guidance as to their legal and professional roles and to ensure good practice throughout the company that is understood by, learners and staff. 

Rationale  

TTB seeks to put the learner at the heart of the learning process and to provide a safe and secure learning environment. It seeks to implement the underlying principles of safeguarding and to address any issues which may arise about confidentiality. It is committed to developing creative and positive ways for the learner’s voice to be heard whilst recognising the responsibility to use, hold and safeguard information received. Sharing information unnecessarily is an erosion of trust. TTB is mindful that it is placed in a position of trust by all stakeholders and there is a general expectation that a professional approach will be used in all matters of confidentiality. 

Objectives: 

To provide consistent messages at TTB about handling information about learners once it has been received.  

• To foster an ethos of trust within TTB, where learners and all staff feel safe to confide and share problems.  
• To ensure that staff, and learners are aware of TTB’s confidentiality policy and procedures.  
• To reassure learners that their ‘best interests’ will be maintained.  
• To ensure that learners and carers know that TTB staff cannot offer unconditional confidentiality.  
• To ensure that if there are safeguarding issues then the correct procedure is followed, working within the guidelines set out in the policy.  
• To ensure that confidentiality is a whole company issue and that in lessons ground rules are set for the protection of all.  
• To ensure that learners have a right of access to any records TTB may hold about them. 

Guidelines: 

All information about individual learner is private and should only be shared with those staff that have a need to know.  

• All social services, medical and personal information about a learner should be held in a safe and secure place which cannot be accessed by individuals other than TTB staff.  
• TTB continues to actively promote a positive ethos and respect for the individual. 

Safeguarding Officers 

TTB has appointed a safeguarding officer. Who will ensure that: 

1. There is clear guidance for the handling of safeguarding issues  

2. All staff have regular training on safeguarding  

3. There is clear guidance for procedures if a member of staff is accused of abuse.  

4. Staff are aware of the need to handle all issues about different types of families in a sensitive manner  

5. Information collected for one purpose should not be used for another.  

6. Learners and carers are aware that TTB cannot guarantee total confidentiality in all cases, for example issues involving safeguarding or criminal issues.  

7. Learners and carers should be reassured that only in exceptional circumstances will confidentiality be broken. 

• TTB prides itself on good communication with learners and carers. All staff make sure they are available to talk to all parties concerned about issues that are causing concern.  
• All learners have a right to the same level of confidentiality irrespective of gender, race, religion, medical concerns and special educational needs. Much data is generated in TTB by these categories but individual learners should not be able to be identified.  
• Confidentiality is a whole company issue. Clear ground rules must be set for any classroom work and other session dealing with sensitive issues. Strategies are in place and all learners are aware of them for dealing with sensitive information, which may fall outside the boundaries of safeguarding procedures.  
• TTB will be proactive so learners feel supported but information is not unnecessarily revealed in a public arena. Even when sensitive information appears to be widely known it should not be assumed by those immediately involved that it is appropriate to discuss or share this information further. 
• Health professionals have their own code of practice dealing with confidentiality. Staff should be aware of learners with medical needs and the class information sheet should be accessible to staff who need that information but not on general view to other learners.  
• Photographs of learners should not be used outside of TTB premises without permission 

Reporting 

All personal information about learners should be regarded as confidential. This should be clearly understood by those who have access to it, whether those concerned have access to all, or only some of the information. Information regarding health /medical reports, minutes of meetings will be circulated in a secure manner. 

• Any personal data will only be kept as long as necessary or for the length of time as stipulated by law.  
• Staff laptops are password protected.  
• Logs of administration of medication to learners should be kept secure. Addresses and telephone numbers of learners will not be passed on except in exceptional circumstances.  

Staff need to be mindful that from time-to-time issues are discussed or brought to their attention about staff and learners. Staff must observe complete confidentiality when asked to do so by management, especially in relation to matters concerning individual staff, learners or parents.