Domestic Violence
Information Sharing Pathway Introduction Last update: 28 April 2004 InstanceBeginEditable name="last update" >28 April 2004
Sharing Personal and Sensitive Data in Domestic Violence Contexts – A Tool for Practitioners
Practitioners who encounter domestic violence victims and perpetrators often need to assess whether and how to share personal information about clients with other professionals. Lawful and responsible information sharing can be vital to help keep victims and their children safe, to carry out risk assessment, to provide support and advocacy services and to help bring perpetrators to justice.
In the past, information-sharing may have been seen as a daunting task by those without specialist expertise and knowledge. This tool provides a simple and straightforward resource to help you negotiate the legal and good practice requirements when sharing personal and personal sensitive data.
An overview of the processes to be followed is provided in the pathway diagrams that are available for both the child process and the adult process . A series of step-by-step instructions will help guide you through the information-sharing pathway to help you to determine whether information can be shared with other professionals, with sources of further information and advice if you need it.
You must read the Introductory Notes to use the tool properly. The notes will allow you to be aware of the limitations of the tool and to use the information contained correctly. You may also wish to read the Home Office Development and Practice Report: Safety and Justice: Sharing Personal Information in the Context of Domestic Violence that the information-sharing tool is based upon.
Why practitioners may need to share information
There are numerous realisable benefits to lawful and responsible information-sharing in domestic violence contexts. Failing to share information or doing so inappropriately can put clients and their children at serious risk. (Read the Information Sharing - Recognising the risks case studies). Ultimately, the final decision on whether and how to share information will always depend on the particular circumstances involved and a system covering all eventualities is impossible to devise. However, using your professional judgement backed by guidance, protocols and management/specialist advice where necessary can help you be confident in carrying out this important duty of care to share information responsibly.
With your help, we will continue to develop the tool in line with the needs of practitioners. Following completion, we would welcome any suggestions or feedback that will help us improve the tool.
I have fully read the Introductory Notes – Proceed
Last update: 28 April 2004