Privacy

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Privacy Confidentiality

• Protecting Privacy in Fieldwork Learning
  Instruction

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Basic Principle Confidentiality

• Instrumental but not Ultimate
• Relative but not Absolute

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Levels of Confidentiality
Biggs Blocher (1987) Foundations of ethical
counseling
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Levels of Confidentiality (a)

• First Level
• divulge information in careless, casual or
  irresponsible ways
• Unethical!

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Levels of Confidentiality (b)

• Third level
• maintain confidential in whatever situation
  except in a clear and direct threat of human life
• Try not to convey to client of this level

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Levels of Confidentiality (c)

• Second Level
• Conditional disclosure
• clear danger or threat to client or third partys
  life
• suspected child abuse
• under legal obligation
• with clients consent

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Practical Guidelines Collecting Information

• collect those which is relevant and necessary
• explain the purpose, usage result for
  collecting information
• get clients consent for taping or involving 3rd
  party

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Practical Guidelines Access to Information

• only relevant and/or authorised person can access
  to it
• for the purposes of social work intervention or
  for administrative usage

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Practical Guidelines Report Recording

• code instead of names in recordings/notes except
  in official files
• avoid specific client details in log
• use accurate substantial verifiable fact
  instead of judgments

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Practical Guidelines Storage of Information

• keep it in a safe place, e.g. locker
• try to keep it in office and carry it away when
  it is really necessary
• do not store in a computer which can be accessed
  by the public

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Practical Guidelines Disposal of Information

• no recordings (printed copies or disk copies)
  with specific client data should be kept by
  student after placement
• disguised files can be kept selectively for
  academic purpose

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Practical Guidelines Communication

• Do not use fax (unless specially arranged)
• Do not ask unauthorized 3rd party to deliver the
  communication
• Do not disclose client data in open area

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Practical Guidelines Portfolio

• Do not include client identifying data in it
• Sufficiently covered
• Submitted to the Department directly within a
  specified period
• Destroyed by student/Department after moderation

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Breach of Practice
Academic Review (warning, failure,
repeat placement etc.)
Legal Action
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Wish you a happy fieldwork experience!