Web resource:	http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Newsletter_42.pdf
Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Privacy, information sharing and coordinated practice - dilemmas for practice
Other Titles:	Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse newsletter
Authors:	Wilcox, Karen
Keywords:	Interagency work;Legislation analysis;Legal issues;Service provision
Year:	2010
Publisher:	University of New South Wales
Citation:	42, Spring 2010
Notes:	One of the main advantages of an effective coordinated response to domestic and family violence is the process for sharing information across agencies working with victims of violence. This process enables all agencies to be informed of risk issues, to screen effectively and to minimise secondary victimisation. Without it, victims can be required to tell their stories repeatedly to agencies in the child protection, domestic violence, criminal justice, family law and welfare/ economic support systems. Information sharing between agencies and the family courts also assists them to establish the truthfulness of allegations of violence or substance abuse, and to support quality decision making, which takes account of different factors that impact on the wellbeing and safety of children. Unfortunately, across most jurisdictions, information sharing to assist management of risk and safety is ad hoc or patchy. One of the stumbling blocks to effective information sharing has been the limits on information exchange imposed by the contradictory but important principle of privacy. Relatedly, the confidentiality of discussions between service providers and those seeking assistance also impairs effective communications across agencies. This has created a dilemma in the development of good practice. This discussion will examine the dilemma for practitioners attempting to address the need to respect laws and practices relating to client confidentiality and individual privacy, while supporting collaborative and safety focused case management. In doing this, privacy will be defined loosely, as it is the collective effect of legal, professional and practice obligations which currently constrains information exchange at the level of collaborative practice. In addressing this particular practice issue, it is helpful to conceive of the range of understandings of privacy which impact on service provision for victims of violence. These include, but are not restricted to: professional and agency codes of practice; victim privacy; personal information privacy in the various privacy regimes of the states, territories and Commonwealth; and court privacy practices. This discussion will, therefore, allude to the broad ambit of notions of privacy which potentially impact on collaborative practice focused on victim safety. Theoretical discussion of notions of privacy in contemporary Western legal culture will be left to other arenas of debate.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/16350
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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