Toolkit for alcohol workers

   Confidentiality policy

All alcohol agencies will already have a Confidentiality Policy in place and this may well encompass issues relating to children. However, if no such clause is included then a paragraph such as this is appropriate to insert to make explicit the nature and the boundaries of confidentiality as it relates to the discussion of children and their welfare.

“What you talk about here is kept between you and your worker.

The only time your worker will have to tell someone else outside this service is when you tell us something about a child who is being hurt or is not safe, and also if you tell us that your life or someone else’s is at risk. We are then duty bound to protect those at risk of harm.

We would always try to talk to you first before contacting anyone else.”