Teacher parent confidentiality

[2510]

Some advice please.

My sons teacher recently agreed to and had a meeting with my father, discussing my son's progress and special needs. Neither my husband nor I were aware of this meeting, nobody at the school checked he was who he claimed to be and nor did they check with us if it was alright to discuss things with him. Had we been asked we would have refused point blank.
I am angry that they blithely went ahead without checking. Is this a breach of confidentiality?

Yes. I would complain in writing to the head and chair of Governors. It is a major lapse, and could have far more serious consequences.

I would have thought so, as he doesn't have parental responsibility.
In the state sector, that would be a major confidentiality breech. Do independent schools have the same rules and consequences?
My mother was given permission by me to discuss either of my children at school as necessary, but I had to give written consent.

If he's not down as being a contact for your child the school cannot speak to him.

Ouch, that is a bad one and you need to make a formal written complaint to the headteacher to get some answers as to why this happened.

whilst I agree that this is not acceptable - how do you know that this happened? Has your father told you or the school?

If it was your father then you need to check with the school that this actually happened as he may well just be saying that in order for you to be more open about any issues (i.e. if he thinks that he already knows everything then you will discuss it freely).

if it was the school that told you, then I would complain in writing to the head

Yes, you should be pissed at school, but, erm, what the actual frick did your father think he was playing at? I'd be equally as pissed at him, tbh.

Formal written complaint to school, and get a grip of your father.

I should add that at one point I went to see the GP as I was livid about the standard of care my grandfather was receiving (which was having an intolerable effect on my own mother's health) so am well aware that frustration sometimes leads you to chuck confidentiality out of the window.

What was your father's motivation to seek out this appointment?

If your father is not one of the contacts then the school as broken the law by talking to him. Schools are not allowed to discuss students with anyone, including absent parents, if they are not on the contact list that the school holds.

I posted tis re the school nurse on the thread about the same thing:
Your school nurse has behaved incorrectly; nurses have a legal duty of confidentiality under their code of conduct "You must respect people's right to confidentiality." Also following the Gillick ruling at my senior school, yr 9 upwards, children are asked their permission for their health needs to be discussed with both their parents and their housemasters and matrons. Obviously the vast majority give it. Sometimes children are asked outright re talking to parents but if children are seen on their mobiles talking to mum and discussing their illness then permission is not sought but children are always asked when it comes to the school staff/ grandparents/aunts etc. Your school health centre will have a policy re: confidentiality and its "independence" from the rest of the school: a non judgemental place a child can go where and everything he says is confidential. Your DS should have been told about this when he started at the school or at the very least been given an information leaflet about it! Hope this helps.