School put a report on my son child in another child's bookbag.

[twinkletoedelephant]

Basically I am not sure if I am really pissed of about this or should just accept that sometimes these things happen.

Another mum gave me the report this morning after finding it in their child's book bag last night.

Its has all of my details on it. It has all of Ds medical information school assesments plans for the future. Problems he is having and how they plan to help him. What clinics/consultants he is under, his full diagnosis and their plans to have him assessed further.

The mum said that she didn't read it (about 10 pages folded in half with a paperclip).

But I still feel a bit awkward that she knows so much about our home life as well as all the issues he is having at school.

Obviously I can't do anything about it now as that information is out there and if the other mum chooses to share with other parents I can't stop that. He is already known as a 'naughty child' ( but is well liked) and I am worried that if she does share this info other parents will stop their children from playing with him :(

WOW! Massive breach of confidentiality. You would be totally justified in complaining at the highest level IMO, particularly as this is the the second time confidential information has got into the wrong hands.

Obviously it should have been in a sealed envelope. Perhaps it was, I'd definitely ask the school about whether it was. What a shocking amount of confidential info.

If I received someone else's information, I would not read it and would not be interested in it. However, if it was re the child who is ruthlessly bullying my child at the moment, I would read it as I want to know why this child terrorises my Ds. I understand that's wrong but i need to protect my own child. So unless your child has some sort of issue with the child who took the paperwork home, I'd assume it hadn't been read.

This is serious. It includes sensitive personal data e.g. medical information not just everyday information such as reading levels. The school should put in place steps to make sure this doesn't happen again. A sealed envelope would at least be a start but I wonder if that sort of information should be handed directly to the parent / carer by a member of staff.

I would complain to the school. It sounds like the children are reasonably young but in a couple of years it could be one of his classmates finding it in their bag and reading it before a parent has spotted the mistake.

Chances are are that the other Mum wouldn't read it. You would have to be quite a low life to do that. So hopefully you are ok on that front.

I wouldn't be 'going mental' but I would be asking that the school do something so that it won't happen again. I think it's a serious incident and I imagine the school will agree.

I actually think it's a bit risky leaving information like that in the correct kids bags - kids bags are not secure and they get lost.

You should complain to the school, not write about it on here.

This is the fault of administration; We used to receive confidential reports like this direct from the office, shoved in pigeon holes or left on desks, available to all who chose to read them. Envelopes were kept locked in an office drawer along with postage stamps (in case staff took them for their own use); you had to ask every time you needed one.

I am a former school governor and I think that once you have ascertained the facts (like wether or not the report was sealed in an envelope) you should write to the school governors to state a) that the letter was unsealed and b) that it was wrongly delivered. Ask them to respond and state what policies the school have in place to prevent this breach of confidentiality. I can assure you they will take it very seriously.

Sadly, I do not think you can assume that the letter has not been read by others.

I did go into the officethe reception staff and the senco was very apologetic and promised it would not happen again.

DS goes to a specail school, there are a lot of letters sent home and anything other than a letter to all parents is sent in a sealed envelope addressed to "the parents of", basic good practice!

I did go into the officethe reception staff and the senco was very apologetic and promised it would not happen again.

I actually think you should have gone to the HT. The breach was that serious.

I did go into the officethe reception staff and the senco was very apologetic and promised it would not happen again.

I actually think you should have gone to the HT. The breach was that serious.

Chances are are that the other Mum wouldn't read it. You would have to be quite a low life to do that.

relying on other people to be decent is a high risk strategy, sadly.

Happened at our school- sheets containing all the contact information, medical information etc about each child were placed (not in envelopes) in random book bags as the TA hadn't realised that they werent all the same so the whole class got the wrong sheet. My husband reported it to the data protection commissioner. It's not just a mistake when it's sensitive information, the school have a reaponsibility to use the information correctly.

It happened when I was at school (1960s) someone else's report was posted to my parents and, presumably, mine was sent to his. Nobody got upset about it.