C ONFIDENTIALITY Region 7 Education Service Center Head Start

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact C ONFIDENTIALITY /P RIVACY Done or communicated in confidence; secret. Entrusted with the confidence of another. Confidentiality respects privacy.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact M ANAGEMENT S YSTEMS AND P ROCEDURES Head Start Performance Standard (g) Record-keeping systems. Grantee and delegate agencies must establish and maintain efficient and effective record-keeping systems to provide accurate and timely information regarding children, families, and staff and must ensure appropriate confidentiality of this information.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact P OLICIES Employees requesting access to confidential records must be familiar with the Region 7 ESC Head Start Confidentiality Policy and FERPA.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact W HAT IS FERPA? FERPA, also known as the Buckley Amendment, stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of The law is designed to protect the privacy interests of students with regard to their educational records.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact W HAT ARE THE B ASIC R ULES ? You have access to information only for legitimate use in completion of your responsibilities as an employee. Records are confidential. You have a responsibility to protect records that are in your possession.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact R ECORDS & S ENSITIVITY Children’s records Family information (e.g. application, enrollment) Private Conversations Medical information Interview information School and Head Start Staff issues

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact P ROPER C USTODY OF C ONFIDENTIAL R ECORDS I NCLUDES : Not leaving records on desks or tables where others can see them. Securing computer screens so that people who come to your work area cannot see student information.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact P ROPER C USTODY OF C ONFIDENTIAL R ECORDS I NCLUDES ( CONT ): Disposing of papers that contain private information in a secure way (shredding). Not sharing your systems passwords.

Copyright 2010 by Region 7 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. For permission, contact W HO D O I C ALL I F I H AVE A Q UESTION ? For questions about an interpretation of the Confidentiality Policy or about specific situations, contact: YOUR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR or If in doubt, DON’T GIVE IT OUT ! If we breach confidentiality, we lose the trust of the families we work with.