The implications of this Act and the DFEE guidance are that each school needs to develop its own confidentiality policy to guide staff. Representation from teaching and non teaching staff, as well as parents, governors and the school nurse will ensure it is developed and implemented effectively. Pupils could input via the school council to provide their perspective and help with formatting the policy so it uses language they can understand.

The policy should;

• Identify how staff, pupils and parents or carers are made aware of the school's confidentiality policy and how it works in practice
• Reassure pupils that their best interests will be maintained
• Encourage pupils to talk to their parents or carers and identify how they will be supported to do so
• Ensure that pupils know that school staff cannot offer unconditional confidentiality
• Reassure pupils that, if confidentiality has to be broken, they will be informed first then supported as appropriate (involving the pupil throughout the process)
• Encourage pupils to talk to their parents or carers and identify how they will be supported to do so
• Ensure that pupils know that school staff cannot offer unconditional confidentiality
• Reassure pupils that, if confidentiality has to be broken, they will be informed first then supported as appropriate (involving the pupil throughout the process)
• Highlight that if there is any possibility of abuse the school's child protection procedures will be followed.

School nurses have their own professional guidance in relation to confidentiality, however, they have to abide by the school's policy when working in the classroom. If the school nurse stance outside the classroom is different to other school staff this should be made clear in the policy.

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