Sensing Friends Confidentiality Policy

Confidentiality Policy

1. At Sensing Friends we believe that everyone one has the rights to their own privacy and we respect that everyone we connect with through the organisation has the right to confidentiality. All aspects of a persons personal information will be treated by the organisation as confidential.
Sensing Friends uses Write Up, a data protected, safe secure online database to hold records confidentially and securely

2. Any personal information about an individual that is specific to them will be treated in confidence.

3. When discussing individuals in relation to supporting them such as in supervision we will discuss only the relevant personal information in a confidential, impartial and non judgmental way.

4. It is important that a persons personal information is only shared with trusted members within the organisation and that, unless we are required by law or the person is in danger of coming to serious harm or harming other*, or permission has been granted from the person concerned stating clearly that relevant information can be passed on, this information will not be shared beyond trusted, individuals within the organisation.

5. If we do have to take confidential information outside the organisation for legal or safeguarding reasons we will endeavour to discuss this matter first with the individual with a view to seeking their consent and agreeing on a suitable way of disclosure for the persons concerned.

6. Any records or notes will be recorded using a client number without using personal information, such as names, so as to maintain the individuals privacy.

7. Records and notes will be kept confidential and stored securely either electronically or as a hard copy.

Sensing Friends Safeguarding Policy

1. Sensing Friends has a designated safeguarding staff member (DSSM) of staff who has overall responsibility for dealing with the organisations safeguarding referrals. The DSSM will be suitably qualified to take overall leadership responsibility in this area.

Name: Moira Vincent

2. All staff are responsible for familiarising themselves with the Sensing Friends safeguarding policy.

3. All staff will undertake essential safeguarding training overseen by the Sensing Friends DSSM. The training of all staff will be updated regularly.

4. All staff will have appropriate, satisfactory, DBS checks insuring that they meet the necessary current safeguarding legal requirements for staff working with vulnerable individuals. The DSSM will organise essential DBS checks for all staff.

5. Sensing Friends staff who have Safeguarding concerns will raise the issues firstly with the DSSM and seek their advice. In extreme cases where a serious safeguarding threat has been disclosed and the DSSM cannot be reached a member of staff must contact the Front Doors For Families team themselves.

6. If it is felt that a safeguarding issue is occurring at the current moment, while the disclosure is taking place staff must alert the police immediately using 999.

7. Disclosures related to possible safeguarding concerns from a service user to a member of staff must be handled in a sensitive may, respecting where possible the service users autonomy and confidentiality.* Please see related Sensing Friends Standard Safeguarding Referral Procedures Document.

8. In the case of disclosures that do not pose an imminent risk, to the service users or relevant others such as involved family members, it is important that safeguarding concerns are first discussed in supervision, with the service user and relevant others before a Safeguarding referral is made to Front Doors For Families, this is important to maintain trust with service users.

9. All safeguarding referrals must be documented and where possible disclosed to service users, this is important to maintain trust with service users.

10. Sensing Friends will use regular external objective consultations, as supervision, from suitably experienced and qualified professionals in relation to the ongoing social and emotional issues that may arise when working with service users.

This Policy was reviewed on
Date 16/09/2022
Signed by Penny Wright (Chairperson)

This Policy will be reviewed again on
Date 15/09/2023