Resources on Confidentiality for Self-Help/Mutual Aid Support
Groups
Confidentiality is the anchor of mutual support. By creating and maintaining trust we can share, support and heal more deeply.
This collection of resources is designed as a kit to help you and group members take steps to build clarity and commitment about confidentiality within your group.
Inside you will find:
An introductory Fact Sheet (yellow)
Planning Guides to help you build clarity and commitment in your group (green)
Help Sheets for difficult challenges you may face (orange)
Group Activity Sheets to help you talk about and practice tough situations (pink)
Information about the Ontario Self-Help Network program and services (blue)
Resources on Confidentiality for Self-Help/Mutual Aid Support Groups
These resources were developed by the Ontario Self Help Network in collaboration with Martha Jack of the Womens Health Care Centre of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre/Four Counties Self Help Network. We drew on some resources from the Government of B.C.s Self-Help Mutual Aid Facilitator Training. Drawings are by Leslie Fraser. The Ontario Self Help Network (OSHNET) is a program of the Self Help Resource Centre, funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care as part of the Ontario Health Promotion Resource System. The Self Help Resource Centre is a United Way Member Agency. Copyright 2003 by the Self-Help Resource Centre, Toronto, Canada. All Rights Reserved. The Self-Help Resource Centre encourages others to copy, reproduce or adapt to meet local needs any or all parts of this book, provided that the parts reproduced are distributed free or at cost not for profit. Illustrations cannot be reproduced in isolation from the original text. Any organization or person who wishes to copy, reproduce or adapt any or all parts of this book for commercial purposes must obtain permission from the Self-Help Resource Centre of Greater Toronto. Before beginning any translation or adaptation of this book or its contents, please contact the Self-Help Resource Centre for suggestions about adapting the information in the book, updates on the information provided, and to avoid duplication of efforts. Please send the Self-Help Resource Centre a copy of any materials in which text from this book has been used. First Edition: March 2003 Printed in Toronto, Canada The Self-Help Resource Centre 40 Orchard View Blvd., suite 219 Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4R 1B9 www.selfhelp.on.ca
Resources on Confidentiality for Self-Help/Mutual Aid Support Groups
Ontario Self-Help Network/Self-Help Resource Centre 1
Fact Sheet: Confidentiality in Self-Help Support Groups
What is confidentiality?
Many of us have been told personal stories in secret by friends or family members. In a self-help group we hear personal information and stories from people who are strangers or people we dont know well. Most self-help support groups ask participants to keep information and stories in confidence, or in secret. Technically speaking, confidentiality means we do not share any information or stories with others. However, many groups decide that members may talk about what they heard or learned in the group, as long as no identifying information is shared. This means nothing about name, workplace, family members, address, etc. is shared. It is very important that each group member respects general agreements about confidentiality and anonymity. Confidence is defined in the dictionary as a state of trust. Why is confidentiality so important? Personal sharing is important to self-help. An environment of trust and safety allows group members to share more deeply with others. People must feel that information will be kept confidential before they can safely share their stories. Some groups describe confidentiality as the anchor of mutual aid. Confidentiality is the anchor of mutual support. By creating and maintaining trust with each other, we can share, support and heal more deeply. Two exceptions you should know about: There are two exceptions where you must report information. You should make sure that group members understand these exceptions. 1. If you suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection. 2. If someone declares a plan to harm him/herself or another adult.
Here is what some people have said about confidentiality in groups:
Generally speaking, confidentiality means never discussing, without direct consent, the circumstances of another group member. (Self-Help Mutual Aid Facilitator Training, Ministry of Social Services, Government of B. C.)
What you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here!! (Dreamcatchers peer support group pamphlet)
Resources on Confidentiality for Self-Help/Mutual Aid Support Groups
Ontario Self-Help Network/Self-Help Resource Centre 2
1. In a case of suspected child abuse or neglect:
The Child and Family Services Act states clearly that members of the public (including professionals who work with children) have an obligation to report promptly and directly to a childrens aid society if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection.
Action must be taken if the person having charge of the child is suspected of causing, or knowlingly failing to protect the child from: physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect or risk of harm.
If you need to contact a childrens aid society (sometimes called family and childrens services), check your telephone directory for the closest office or call the police. For more information on this child protection law, call the Ontario government publications office at 1-800-668-9938 and ask for a copy of their pamphlet Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (ISBN 0-7778-9391-6). 2. If a person plans to harm him/herself or another adult: If a group member clearly states a plan to harm him/herself or another adult, it would be wise to quickly get confidential advice on how to help or intervene. For example, if you believe that someone is in danger right now, try to call a distress or help line. The counsellor on the phone can help you figure out the situation and decide on the best (if any) action you should take. A professional who provides support to your group could also help with this. Otherwise, call the police. Besides the two exceptions outlined above, the only time you can change a commitment to confidentiality is if you ask and talk directly with the person concerned. What does my group need to do about confidentiality?
Confidentiality is both a commitment and a skill. To gain peoples commitment, discuss the specific needs of each group member. Then decide on shared rules for your group. To be sure everyone is clear, (especially newcomers) you can:
Read out a statement at the beginning of each meeting Ask people if they have questions or concerns about the groups current confidentiality agreements
Give examples of a common situation where confidentiality needs to be practiced (e.g. meeting a group member at a public event)
Use rituals which remind members about their commitment To support group members skills in practicing confidentiality you can:
Talk about case studies or group members experiences Try role playing difficult situations
The Ontario Self-Help Network has more resource materials to help you take action on the above
suggestions. For more confidentiality resources, guidance or training, call 1-888-283-8806 or email [email protected].
This factsheet was published by the Self Help Resource Centre, a United Way Member Agency.
Resources on Confidentiality for Self-Help/Mutual Aid Support Groups
Ontario Self-Help Network/Self-Help Resource Centre 3
Planning Guide: Deciding on a Confidentiality Agreement
Basically, the word confidentiality will mean whatever your group decides it should mean for you. Confidentiality means different things to different people. Thats why it is very important to talk about confidentiality as a whole group and be clear about what you have agreed to. It is also very important to make sure that new members know the rules of your group and agree to them. Peoples ideas about what it means to keep confidence about what happens and what is said in the group can and will be different. Some people will think that NOTHING about the group should be shared........as if it is a secret society. Others will think that simply protecting the names of people who are there means that the group is confidential. A good confidentiality agreement probably lies somewhere in between these two viewpoints. Set aside at least one whole meeting to talk about confidentiality. You will need to come back to this subject every once in awhile as things come up, or go over it with new members. Heres how to walk your group through a discussion about what confidentiality will mean to everyone in the group: Step 1. Go around the group, asking each person to say what protecting their confidentiality would mean to them. Write all this on a flip chart. Step 2. Once everything is written, go back and encourage people to talk about what each statement means. This is where you will all begin to see how different people see confidentiality differently. Step 3. Take each statement one by one, and begin to flesh out an agreement for each issue with a 1 or 2 sentence explanation for each. For example:
We agree to keep private the identity of people in this group. We will not give each others names, addresses or phone numbers to anyone, and will protect any other identifying information as well. We will respect members requests to not be greeted at ch
