Confidentiality is one of the foundations of trust in support work. People share things with workers that they have not shared with anyone else — about their history, their fears, their situation. That sharing is only possible because they trust that what they say will be held carefully.
But confidentiality is not absolute. There are situations where the need to keep someone safe overrides the duty of confidentiality — where sharing information with another professional or agency is not just permitted but necessary. Understanding where those lines are, and how to navigate them, is one of the most practically important skills for frontline workers.
This module explores the legal and ethical framework for information sharing in homelessness services — including the requirements of GDPR, the principles governing when confidentiality can be breached, and the practical skills for having honest conversations with people about these boundaries.
This is a Foundation-level module within Subject 4: Safeguarding.