Fiducia TogetherConfidentiality in care
Keeping information private, and the limits of that promise.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
Confidentiality means information about a person is shared only with those who need it, with consent where possible, under data protection law and professional codes.
Where it applies
GCSE and BTEC health and social care and childcare.
How it works
It is not absolute. Information must be shared where there is a risk of serious harm, where a court requires it, or where a safeguarding duty applies — and workers must never promise unconditional secrecy.
UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 govern the handling — see GDPR in our Business A-Z — and health and care information is special category data with additional protection.
How to use it in your work
Always state the limits when defining it. An answer saying only that information is kept private is incomplete.
In a scenario where someone says "don't tell anyone", the correct response is to explain that you cannot promise that if someone is at risk. Say so explicitly.
Where to get help
Your teacher and your board's specification — these qualifications vary more between boards than the traditional GCSEs do, and much of the grade is coursework marked against stated criteria.
Revise this with a song
These are ours. We write revision songs because a lot of people remember a tune when they cannot remember a page, and because revising out loud in the kitchen beats staring at a highlighter.
- The Health and Social Care Song The health and social care topics, set to music.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.