Procedure

Foster Carer Confidentiality &
Information Technology (IT) Generated Files

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

[This part needs to detail the scope of the chapter, and this needs to include any legislation that is relevant to the procedure]

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Storing Information Technology (IT) Generated Files
  3. Transferring Information Technology (IT) Generated Files
  4. Storing and transferring Information Technology (IT) generated files relating to the registered foster carers and their family

1. Introduction

  1. As members of the team around the child, foster carers are provided withconfidential information about the children in their care, and the families ofthose children. This can sometimes run to many files and documents,almost all of them generated by the various systems belonging to NorfolkCounty Council (NCC) such as email, Care First output and Worddocuments created by employees of NCC.
  2. Foster carers also create their own electronic files relating to children intheir care, ranging from photographs and video images through to thedaily recording they are required to undertake according to NationalMinimum Standards.
  3. Foster Carers are not employed by NCC and are consequently notprovided with equipment such as laptops, smart phones or mobiletelephones that would enable them to process electronic files in the samesecure way as other colleagues in the team around the child.
  4. This policy highlights the key principles to be adhered to when considering the safest way to store and share electronic files and sets out the procedure that should be followed in order to comply with the policy.

2. Storing Information Technology (IT) Generated Files

  1. IT files made accessible to a foster carer by NCC before and during a placement of a looked after child MUST NEVER BE STORED on any computer equipment belonging to the foster carer or a member of their family. These files will be sent to the foster carer by NCC employees using the council’s encrypted email system. Upon viewing the email and any attachments delivered, the foster carer may print a copy which they MUST then immediately place in the secure box provided by NCC. They should subsequently close the encrypted email WITHOUT SAVING the files.
  2. Foster carers are asked by NCC to provide written accounts / reportsrelating to the children in their care (“Your Life in Our House” etc.) Thesedocuments are the property of NCC and the responsibility for the safekeeping and protection of these documents rests with NCC. Althoughthese documents can be created and completed by the foster carer usingtheir own IT equipment, they MUST NEVER BE SAVED to thatequipment. Instead, the foster carer should print two copies of eachdocument, placing one copy in the secure box provided by NCC andpassing the other securely to the employees of NCC concerned.
  3. IT files that are created as a part of normal family life (photos, videos etc.)should only ever be stored on IT equipment in the foster home that thefoster carer is able to share with the child or young person in their care.Encryption of these files is not necessary, but consideration should begiven as to where they should be stored, taking into account the lookedafter child’s wishes and feelings and remaining sensitive to therelationships in the foster family.
  4. As soon as the child is no longer accommodated with the foster carer, thecarer will ensure all IT files as outlined in 2.3 above are transferred to thechild’s social worker, with any
    back-up copies deleted by the carer uponsuccessful transfer – see 3 below.
  5. No images or recordings of looked after children should ever be placed onsocial networking media such as facebook or twitter without a clearagreement to do so in the Placement Plan for the looked after child.

3. Transferring Information Technology (IT) Generated Files

  1. Foster carers must never transfer electronic files they store regarding thechildren in their care to any other party (parent of child or other familymember, other foster carer, any other colleague, social worker) usinginformation technology systems (personal Email, iCloud, Drop Box, OneDrive, Google Drive etc). These systems do not have the correct levels ofencryption to keep the files safe and secure.
  2. Where it is necessary to transfer the electronic files outlined in 2.3 above,this can be carried out in one of the following ways:
  3. By using the NCC secure email method and replying to aconfidential email sent by an employee of the council expressing awish for the carer to send the files.
  4. By placing the files on an external storage device and passingthe device directly and in person to the employee of the council whohas requested the data.

4. Storing and transferring Information Technology (IT) generated files relating to the registered foster carers and their family

  1. Foster carers may also be asked to provide Information Technology (IT)generated files in relation to their own foster carer registration that containNO INFORMATION REGARDING LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN andtheir families. (For example this might include details of their fosteringassessment or a review of their registration). Foster carers also regularlysend email and text messages to employees of the council that are nottransferring information about looked after children.
  2. It is the foster carer’s responsibility to ensure how files of the abovenature are stored and shared and this should be discussed and agreedbetween the foster carer and their supervisor.

End

Document owner: / Peter Ronan/Mike Woodward / Version number: / 1
INET number: / [insert] / 1 / Date created/revised: / [insert]