Confidentiality and impartiality

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Confidentiality

SENDIASS Confidentiality policy

We offer a confidential service to parents and young people. We recognise we have responsibilities for data protection. 

We will not share any information, including whether you have been in contact with us, unless: 

  • you have given permission to share the information, or 
  • there are serious public interest concerns, such as child protection 

We follow the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related Barnet Council policies. This means that information held by SENDIASS is only accessible to SENDIASS staff.  

Access to records held by teams in Barnet Council are not shared with us without your permission. 

Exceptions to confidentiality

At times it might be helpful to pass on information about cases. But this will only happen with your permission and only to help you. 

We will always document in the notes when we have a user’s permission to share information. 

The only exception to confidentiality is if we think someone is at risk. By law, we must pass on concerns about child protection to Social Care professionals. 

Before sharing information, concerns are always discussed with a senior manager. The SENDIASS complies with Barnet Child Protection procedures and Adult Protection Procedures. 

Sometimes, for training purposes, we may discuss cases or use them as case studies. If this happens, we remove any identifying details.  

For this document we define parents as all adults with parental responsibility. 

Impartiality

Impartiality Statement for SENDIASS

Impartiality is one of the most important things for our service. 

It is your right to have access to impartial information, advice and support. By impartial, we mean: 

  • not favouring one side or opinion over another 
  • treating and respecting everybody the same 

If you’re a young person, you can get our support without the permission of your parents, carers or anyone else. 

We base our information, advice and support on the law and the 2015 SEND Code of Practice. 

The information and advice we give is impartial. It will include all your available choices, to help you decide for yourself what is important. 

The support we offer will help you to deal with the people who work with you. 

We work independently from the council’s Special Educational Needs Team and the Clinical Commissioning Group. 

How we show that we are impartial 

Impartiality means we are not biased towards or influenced by any person, point of view or policy. Including the council, schools or education centres. 

We also treat each impairment, disability or special educational need as important. We do not think of one as more important than any other. 

We work to national quality standards as approved by the Department for Education.  

We act independently, impartially and confidentially with no unnecessary influence or control from the council, the local clinical commissioning group or any other organisation or individual. 

To make sure that we are impartial, a Multi-Agency Advisory Group supervises us. They help us to improve our services. 

SENDIASS Advisory Group Terms of Reference

The group ensures that we provide the right support and information to parents and carers of children and young people with SEN. 

The group is made up of: 

  • at least 5 parent representatives who have children of school age. 
  • two service users 
  • a representative of the 0-25 Service 
  • a representative of the Children and Families Team within Social Services 
  • the Line Manager and Manager of the service 
  • Children and Young People’s Commissioner 

Members can stay on the group for 4 years but may stand again for membership. Parent representatives can self-nominate. The group must agree all appointments. 

The Advisory Group will: 

  • meet at least once every term. 
  • support the annual work plan for the SENDIASS team and receive feedback on work done 
  • advise the development of the SENDIASS service 
  • promote the work of Barnet SENDIASS and identify potential funders of the project 
  • draw on their own knowledge of statutory guidance and the Code of Practice on SEN, to be able to advise on procedural issues in discussions 

The SENDIASS Service will endorse the annual report at the end of each academic year.