How should confidential information about children and families be stored and shared?

• A. In secure systems with access controls, consistent with privacy laws and agency policies, and only on a need-to-know basis
• B. Insecurely on shared drives
• C. Shared openly with all staff
• D. Printed and filed in an open cabinet

Answer: (A)

Confidential information about children and families must be kept in secure systems with proper access controls and shared only with staff who have a legitimate need to know, in line with privacy laws and agency policies. This means electronic records should be protected with strong passwords, role-based access, encryption for transmissions, and audit trails so you can track who has viewed or changed information. Sharing should be limited to those whose duties require it, and even then only through approved channels (for example, secure email or encrypted portals). If any information is printed or handled on paper, it should be stored in locked areas with limited access and only when absolutely necessary.

Why the other options don’t fit: storing information insecurely on shared drives risks exposure to people who don’t need to see it. Sharing openly with all staff creates unnecessary access and potential misuse. Keeping printed records in an open cabinet makes them vulnerable to theft, loss, or damage and violates the principle of restricting access to those who need it.