Introduction
In Edinburgh we are listening to and acting on parent’s views. Because every child matters, we want to improve the way we work together for children and families so that you receive better quality services more easily and more quickly.
Your child is a unique individual. For us to deliver services that will make a positive difference to your child’s wellbeing, health, education and social care, staff across Edinburgh may share information about your child. This information will allow us to understand your child’s needs in the context of their family and community.
Your agreement to let us share information will help us to do this for your child.
How will this help?
By preventing you having to repeat the same information to different professionals.
By arranging well planned contacts for you and your child with the different professionals involved.
By ensuring the information shared leads to a wellbeing assessment.
By ensuring you and your child’s views are recorded as part of an assessment.
By recording any areas of disagreement and resolving these.
By ensuring that you and your child (in accordance with their age – usually over 12 years – and level of understanding) receive copies of any assessment and resulting action plan.
By ensuring any concerns about a child’s safety are shared between appropriate agencies and professionals.
By coordinating all services required to meet your child’s needs.
You can decide not to share your child’s information
You have a choice about whether or not your child’s information is shared in the ways described in this leaflet. If you or your child do not wish information to be shared you can refuse to give your consent.
You should, however be aware that refusing consent may result in delays in organising services and you may have to provide the same information repeatedly to different people.
Who gives consent?
For children over the age of 12, consent will usually be sought from the child. For children under 12, consideration will be given to their age and level of understanding.
Where a child does not understand the nature of consent and its consequences, consent will be sought from a parent, guardian or other person with parental rights.
When we may share information without your consent
If we consider that a child is at risk of harm, we can share their information without consent.
You have the right to request access to information held about your child. Subject access request can be made under section 7 of the Data Projection Act 1998.
Your child has the right to privacy and all staff involved in your child’s care have a duty of confidentiality covered by
- The Data Protection Act 1998
- The Human Rights Act 1998
- professional codes of conduct.
Contact
For further information please contact your child’s named person:
- Pre-school - health visitor.
- School age - head teacher
or contact