Confidentiality (1 day)

Confidentiality is an issue that often causes confusion in Social Care &Support; particularly in informal settings such as day services and residential care. This informality often leads to boundaries being rather fluid resulting in major breaches of confidentiality. At best this can lead to conflict in teams and disrespect for service users; at worst, breakdown of services, job losses and even physical violence.
This course is designed for all staff and aims to provide clarity to a range of issues related to confidentiality. There will be opportunities for learners to translate theory and guidelines into practice.
The course certificate provides NVQ and CIS links.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course learners should have understood:

• What is meant by confidentiality
• Why confidentiality is so important in our work
• Why confidentiality has its limitations
• The consequences of poor confidentiality on service users:
        -breach of trust
        -increased risk etc.
• The consequences of poor confidentiality on others
• Professional Guidelines
        -The BASW Code of Practice
        -The Code of Practice for Social Carers etc.
• Other guidelines:
        -Care Standards
        -Data Protection
        -Human Rights Act etc
• Confidentiality in Recording
• Confidentiality in storage
• Confidentiality in disposal
• Confidentiality in computers, discs etc
• Confidentiality & verbal communication
• Confidentiality and telephone calls
• Confidentiality and the Police
• How to be assertive regarding verbal communications and demands for disclosure
• Common dilemmas e.g.
        -Disclosure to partners and family members
        -Disclosure to other service users

Training methods:

• Tutor presentations
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Group Work
• Word storm method
• Practical exercises
• Handouts
• Quiz

CP116/4.9