Confidentiality

Cyfrinachedd

Patient confidentiality

Confidentiality is important in every aspect of working with people. Confidentiality develops trust and a positive relationship with parents/carers. It shows professionalism and supports positive relationships between workers. Childcare workers in the early years have information and facts about children and their families/carers that they should not share with others. This may include:

  • names
  • address and phone number
  • dietary needs
  • medical information
  • changes in the family.

The information can be provided over the phone, or during a one-to-one conversation. Most of the information that a setting has about children and their families/carers is stored on paper or electronically. Paper records need to be kept in a locked cupboard, they should not be available for others to see. The information should be kept tidily, it should be organised and it should be updated. Computer records should be protected by a password which is shared with authorised individuals. The setting will have a confidentiality policy, which will include procedures with regard to how to record confidential information, how to treat, keep and share such information.

If parents/carers share private information with a childcare worker, the childcare worker should explain that it cannot be kept confidential and that the information must be transferred. For example, if a childcare worker is told that a child has HIV, or that he has asthma, the staff must be informed so that they can provide effective care.

Information must be shared if it is necessary for the well-being of the child. If private matters need to be discussed with a parent/carer or another individual, it should not be done where other children or parents/carers can hear. A room or private space should be arranged. Although discussing children with people is part of the work of childcare workers, this does not mean that they can discuss such information with friends. Information that is shared at the setting must be confidential. Parents/carers have a legal right to see what is written about their child; this must be remembered when writing information – only the facts should be stated.

In some cases, confidentiality must be broken in order to provide information to a higher authority. If a childcare worker notices unexplained bruising on a child, maybe when changing a nappy, they should notify somebody. Childcare workers should be aware of professional rules of confidentiality. Any child protection matters must be referred to a line manager. Some information may need to be shared with other professionals, such as health visitors, schools, the police or social services if a child is in danger.

In some cases, childcare workers will need to 'blow the whistle'. Childcare workers have a duty to note their concerns if they suspect any sort of misconduct at the setting. A childcare worker may have suspicions with regard to abuse or bullying, substance abuse (alcohol or drugs) or the misuse of funds or resources e.g. fraud. Childcare workers may reveal their concerns to regulatory bodies appointed by the Government, e.g. Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), or bodies such as the press, the police or the Welsh Government if required. Each setting should have a whistle-blowing policy in place so that every member of staff is aware of the procedures and their rights when disclosing this type of information.

Mae cyfrinachedd yn bwysig ym mhob agwedd o weithio gyda phobl. Mae cyfrinachedd yn meithrin ymddiriedaeth a pherthynas positif â rhieni/gofalwyr. Mae’n dangos proffesiynoldeb ac yn cefnogi perthynas bositif rhwng gweithwyr. Mae gan gweithwyr gofal plant yn y blynyddoedd cynnar wybodaeth a ffeithiau am blant a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr nad ydyn nhw i rannu ag eraill. Gall hyn gynnwys:

  • enwau
  • cyfeiriad a rhif ffôn
  • anghenion dietegol
  • gwybodaeth feddygol
  • newidiadau yn y teulu.

Gall y wybodaeth gael ei drosglwyddo dros y ffôn, neu yn ystod sgwrs wyneb yn wyneb. Mae llawer o’r wybodaeth sydd gan y lleoliad am blant a’u teuluoedd/gofalwyr yn cael ei storio ar bapur neu’n electronig. Mae angen cadw cofnodion papur mewn cwpwrdd dan glo, nid yn agored i eraill eu gweld. Mae angen cadw’r wybodaeth yn daclus, trefnus ac wedi’i ddiweddaru. Dylid gwarchod cofnodion ar gyfrifiadur gyda chyfrinair a gaiff ei rannu gydag unigolion awdurdodedig. Bydd polisi cyfrinachedd yn y lleoliad, sy'n cynnwys gweithdrefnau ar sut y caiff gwybodaeth gyfrinachol ei chofnodi, ei thrin, ei chadw a'i rhannu.

Os bydd rhieni/gofalwyr yn rhannu mathau o wybodaeth breifat gyda gweithiwr gofal plant, bydd angen egluro na ellir cadw hyn yn gyfrinachol ac y bydd rhaid trosglwyddo'r wybodaeth. Os dywedir wrth gweithiwr gofal plant fod gan blentyn HIV, er enghraifft, neu fod ganddo asthma, rhaid i'r staff gael gwybod er mwyn iddynt allu gofalu amdano'n effeithiol.

Mae angen rhannu gwybodaeth os yw’n hanfodol i les y plentyn. Os bydd angen siarad am faterion preifat â rhiant/gofalwr neu rywun arall, rhaid gofalu nad oes plant na rhieni/gofalwyr eraill o fewn clyw. Rhaid ceisio trefnu ystafell neu le preifat. Er bod trafod plentyn â phobl yn rhan o waith gweithwyr gofal plant, nid yw hyn yn golygu y ceir eu trafod â ffrindiau. Rhaid i wybodaeth sy'n cael ei rhannu mewn lleoliad fod yn gyfrinachol. Mae gan rieni/gofalwr hawl cyfreithiol i weld beth sy'n cael ei ysgrifennu am eu plentyn; rhaid cofio hyn wrth nodi gwybodaeth ar bapur – rhaid cadw at y ffeithiau.

Mewn rhai achosion, mae angen torri cyfrinachedd er mwyn adrodd gwybodaeth i awdurdod uwch. Os ydy gweithiwr gofal plant yn sylwi ar gleisiau anesboniadwy ar blentyn, efallai wrth newid clwt, bydd angen dweud wrth rywun. Mae angen bod yn ymwybodol o reolau cyfrinachedd proffesiynol. Rhaid cyfeirio unrhyw faterion sy'n ymwneud ag amddiffyn plant i sylw rheolwr llinell. Efallai y bydd angen rhannu ychydig o wybodaeth â phobl broffesiynol eraill, megis ymwelwyr iechyd, ysgolion, heddlu neu wasanaethau cymdeithasol os bydd y plentyn mewn perygl.

Mewn rhai achosion, bydd gweithwyr gofal plant angen ‘chwythu’r chwiban’. Mae gan gweithwyr gofal plant ddyletswydd i nodi eu pryderon os ydyn nhw’n credu fod unrhyw fath o gamymddwyn yn y lleoliad. Efallai y bydd gan gweithiwr gofal plant amheuon o gamdriniaeth neu fwlio, camddefnyddio sylweddau (alcohol neu gyffuriau), neu gamddefnyddio arian neu adnoddau, e.e. twyll. Gall gweithwyr gofal plant ddatgelu eu pryderon wrth gyrff rheoleiddio a benodir gan y Llywodraeth, e.e. Arolygiaeth Gofal Cymru (AGC), neu gyrff megis y Wasg, yr Heddlu neu Lywodraeth Cymru os oes angen. Dylai pob lleoliad fod â pholisi chwythu'r chwiban mewn lle er mwyn i bob aelod o staff fod yn ymwybodol o’r gweithdrefnau a’u hawliau wrth ddatgelu'r math hwn o wybodaeth.

Good practice with regard to maintaining confidentiality.

Drag the statements over to the correct column.

Arfer da wrth gadw cyfrinachedd.

Llusgwch y datganiadau i’r golofn gywir.