Confidentiality Policy

Walsall Community Active Projects CIC

Company number 17051741

Confidentiality Policy

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1. Statement of Intent

Walsall Community Active Projects CIC respects the privacy of everyone who uses our services or works with us. We will handle personal and sensitive information carefully, share it only when needed, and explain clearly to people how their information will be used.

This policy sits alongside our Data Protection Policy and our Safeguarding Policy.

2. What We Mean by Confidentiality

Confidential information is anything shared with us that should not be passed on without good reason, including:

• Personal details such as name, address, family situation and health
• Information about a person's emotional wellbeing or mental health
• Information shared in mentoring or one-to-one sessions
• Safeguarding information
• Information about staff, volunteers and trustees
• Sensitive partner, funder or financial information

3. Our Commitment

We will:

• Only collect information that we genuinely need
• Explain to people why we need information and how it will be used
• Keep information safe and secure
• Share information only with those who need to know and have a right to know
• Tell people clearly that confidentiality cannot be promised when there is a safeguarding concern

4. Limits of Confidentiality

Confidentiality is not absolute. There are situations where we must share information, even without consent, including:

• Where a child, young person or adult is at risk of harm
• Where someone is at risk of seriously harming themselves or another person
• Where we are required to share information by law or by a court order
• Where there is a serious risk to public safety, including terrorism-related risk

Staff and volunteers will make this clear to participants at the start of any one-to-one work.

5. Sharing Information

When sharing information, we will:

• Share only what is necessary and proportionate
• Use secure communication channels
• Record what was shared, with whom, when and why
• Tell the person whose information is being shared, unless doing so would create further risk

6. Storing Information

All confidential information will be kept securely:

• Electronic records protected by passwords, encryption and restricted access
• Paper records held in locked storage
• Safeguarding records held separately from general records
• Old records securely destroyed when no longer needed

7. Staff and Volunteer Responsibilities

All staff, volunteers and trustees must:

• Treat all personal information as confidential
• Only access information they need for their role
• Not discuss participants outside work, including with family, friends or on social media
• Sign a confidentiality agreement as part of induction
• Continue to respect confidentiality after their involvement with us ends

Breach of confidentiality may be treated as a serious disciplinary matter.

8. One-to-One Work

In mentoring, mental health and wellbeing, and other one-to-one work, staff and volunteers will:

• Explain confidentiality and its limits at the first session
• Keep brief, factual notes rather than detailed transcripts
• Discuss concerns with their line manager or the Designated Safeguarding Lead, not with peers informally
• Avoid promising secrecy, especially with children and young people

9. Working with Partners

When working with schools, housing providers, the local authority, the NHS and other partners, we will:

• Agree clear information sharing arrangements in writing where possible
• Use professional, secure channels of communication
• Be open with participants about who we work with and why

10. Concerns and Complaints

If a person feels their confidentiality has been broken, they can raise a concern under our Complaints Procedure. We will investigate quickly, fairly and take action where needed.

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Policy Review

This policy was adopted on 14 February 2026 and will be reviewed annually, with the next scheduled review in February 2027. It will also be reviewed earlier if there are significant changes in legislation, guidance, or our activities.

All staff, volunteers and trustees will be made aware of any updates and asked to confirm they have read and understood the revised version.

Signed on behalf of the Board