Author: Marcella Renna

Information Sharing & Consent

A Guide for Children &
Young People

Inside this Leaflet

Types of Information	1
Information Sharing	2
Consent	3
Useful Contacts	4

If you are a young person, this leaflet is to help answer your questions on how information about you is shared

People working with you such as Teachers, Nurses, Doctors, Social Workers, Police and other organisations will keep information about you.
To help you receive the best service to support you, it is important that the people working with you have the correct information about you.
Types of information
Personal information: This is information used to identify you and includes your name, date of birth, address and post code.
Sensitive information: This is other information about you that is specific to your situation, such as your ethnicity, religious beliefs, education, health, difficulties you may be having and details of who may be helping you.
The only information which will be shared is, that needed by other people to give you the support, care and protection that you require.

Information Sharing

Who will see the information?
Only people who are working with you will be able to see the information held. This information can be shared with other services where this is necessary to ensure you receive the right service and you are kept safe. Information may be shared between Children’s Social Care, Police, Health Agencies, some Voluntary Organisations, Schools, Courts and Legal Services.
Why do we share information about you?
To give you the support and care that you need as quickly as possible
To reduce the number of times you are asked the same questions
To make sure you and others are protected and kept safe from harm
Keeping your personal information safe
All information about you has to be stored and used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. This says that information has to be: - Used fairly and legally - Only used for the purpose for which it was collected - Correct and up to date - Only kept for as long as it is needed - Stored safely.
If you require any further information then please talk to your worker.

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Information Sharing & Consent

A Guide for Children and Young People

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Consent

Will my parents/carers be told?
Usually we work with you and your parents/carers, with agreement to share information about you. If you do not wish us to share any information or particular details, then we will respect your wishes.
Sometimes however, information will need to be shared with your parents/carers and you will be told when this happens.
Sharing Information about you with your agreement
You will be asked to agree to information about you being shared by different people who are working with you. Your worker should explain why we need to share your information and will ask you to sign an agreement form. If you agree to information being shared this is called consent.
If you do not agree to share information
If you do not agree to your information being shared then we will only do this if there is a legal requirement to do so, if there is a risk of a crime being committed or to protect and keep you and others safe.
Informed consent
Informed consent is when you are able to understand why we need to share information about you and you agree to your information being shared. If you are not able to understand why we need to share information about you, we will then ask your parent or carer to give consent on your behalf.

Useful contacts:
Your Social Worker, GP or head teacher.
Total Voice
Total Voice provides free, independent and confidential advocacy services in Lincolnshire to people who cannot speak up for themselves, or people who feel that they do not have the power to do so.
Telephone: 01529 400479
Textphone: 07860 018887
Email: TVL@voiceability.org
ChildLine
0800 1111
www.childline.org.uk
NSPCC
0808 8005000
www.nspcc.org.uk

Can I see information you have about me?
Yes, you can see the information that we have about you. If you want to do so, talk to one of the people that are working with you.
You may have access to the information held by agencies that the law entitles you to see. You may wish to contact other agencies like education and/or health. You would need to speak to your head teacher for your education records and your GP for your health records.
If Children’s Social Care has finished working with you and you wish to see the information we have about you, please contact:
Subject Access Request Team
Serco Local & Regional Government
2nd Floor,
Thomas Parker House
13/14 Silver Street
Lincoln
LN2 1DY

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