Key Points
Consent must be informed which means that the person who has given consent understands:
- what will happen to the information
- who will be told what
- who they will then tell
- why people are being told the information.
How to do it
- Explain to people openly and honestly what information you will share, with whom and why. The only time that you should not do this is if letting them know will leave someone at risk of significant harm.
- You should respect the wishes of family members if they do not want information shared, unless someone will be placed at risk of significant harm if you don’t share the information.
- If in doubt speak to your agency child protection advisor or a Child Protection and Reviewing officer.
- Make sure that the information that you are sharing is accurate and up to date. The information should be necessary for the purpose for which you are sharing it and only shared with those who need to know it. Having decided to share information you need not tell everyone everything. The information should also be shared securely.
- You should always record the reason for your decision; whether you shared the information or not.
