Confidentiality Procedures in Nursery Schools

By Bill, posted

Accident books should be kept to maintain records of first aid and the data within it should be kept confidential. However there are times when the information will need to be shared with other people and organisations.

Who?

People

Parents / Carer

Parents and carers may need to see the record of an accident after their child has been injured. They may want to know exactly what happened, giving them peace of mind. Well kept records can give parents more confidence about the outcome of the incident.

Record

Ofsted

Ofsted need to be informed if a child suffers a serious accident or illness within a childcare setting. The information they require is quite extensive and without accurate records may be impossible to recall. This highlights the need for a well kept accident book to help in these situations.

Ofsted has its own requirements on what it defines as a serious injury and it is worth checking with them if you are unsure. Ultimately they have the best interests of Children and complying with their procedures can help maintain better safety standards.

Social Services

Well kept records can avoid further problems occurring down the line. Social services may investigate the well being of a child and would need to see the accident records. When missing this can put a child at risk and cause investigations to be interrupted.

Data Act

Confidential information of children / staff needs to be kept securely and made only accessible to those who have the right to access it. Those involved in the storage process must know their responsibilities with regards to both the Data Protection Act (1998) and when relevant the Freedom of Information Act (2000).

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