What are the situations in which confidentiality can be broken?
Asked by: Robyn Halvorson | Last update: October 7, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (69 votes)
Practitioners often advise patients at the outset of treatment as to situations in which confidentiality might be breached. These may include when patients present a danger to themselves or others as well as child and elder abuse reporting.
What are the situations in which confidentiality will need to be broken?
This is called 'breaking confidentiality'. It should only happen if: There are concerns that you're at risk of serious harm or you're in danger. For example, if you've told someone that you're being abused, they may need to share this to make sure you stay safe.
Under what circumstances might confidentiality be broken?
Situations in which confidentiality will need to be broken:
There is disclosure or evidence of physical, sexual or serious emotional abuse or neglect. Suicide is threatened or attempted. There is disclosure or evidence of serious self-harm (including drug or alcohol misuse that may be life-threatening).
What are the 3 reasons to break confidentiality?
- If the client may be an immediate danger to themself or another.
- If the client is endangering another who cannot protect themself, as in the case of a child, a person with a disability, or elder abuse.
- When required to obtain payment for services.
- As required by state or federal laws.
What is an example where confidentiality would be broken?
Here's a confidentiality breach example: you accidentally send sensitive information about a client to another client or a third party who shouldn't have access to it.
Confidentiality: when it can be broken
What are 5 examples of confidentiality?
- Social Security number.
- Name.
- Personal financial information.
- Family information.
- Medical information.
- Credit card numbers, bank account numbers, amount / what donated.
- Telephone / fax numbers, e-mail, URLs.
When can a confidentiality agreement be broken?
It is possible to void an NDA if the party signing it had access to the information before formally becoming a signatory. One of the most compelling instances in which an NDA is revocable or “null and void” is when a court order is imposed or a government regulation requires its disclosure.
What are four examples of exceptions to confidentiality?
- Child abuse or neglect: All states require professionals to report suspected child abuse or neglect. ...
- Elder abuse: ...
- Threats of violence: ...
- Severe mental illness:
What are the five confidentiality concerns?
The five pillars of information security—Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Authenticity, and Non-repudiation—form the bedrock of modern cybersecurity practices. As threats grow more sophisticated, a nuanced understanding of these principles becomes not just valuable, but essential.
What is an example of confidentiality bad?
Breach of confidentiality examples include: A freelancer who works for a number of clients in the same industry accidentally emailing confidential business information to the wrong one. Where there is sensitive information on a work laptop and it's stolen.
How can confidentiality be violated?
Leaving confidential information unattended in a non-secure area. Disclosing confidential information without proper authorization. Discussing confidential information in the presence of individuals who do not have the "need to know' to perform assigned duties. Improper disposal of confidential information.
When can confidentiality be broken in social work?
Social workers are required to breach confidentiality if they believe a client poses an imminent risk of harm to themselves or others, or in cases of suspected child or elder abuse. This is a legal exception to confidentiality and varies by jurisdiction.
Under what circumstances are you free to break confidentiality?
- If you present an imminent threat of harm to yourself or others.
- When there is an indication of abuse of a child, dependent adult or elderly adult.
- If you become gravely disabled.
What is the most common breach of confidentiality?
A classic example of a breach of confidentiality is mistakenly sending Client A an email that was meant for Client B. In this instance, you've shared Client B's sensitive information with a third party without their consent. This could either be by you as the business owner or one of your employees.
When can a patient confidentiality be broken?
There are a few situations in which a doctor can break confidentiality. They may need to share medical information with others to provide or obtain treatment, report child abuse or neglect, or protect someone from harm.
What are the boundaries of confidentiality?
Confidential information may only be shared without authorisation from the person who provided it, or to whom it relates, if it's in the public interest – ie where not sharing it could be worse than the outcome of doing so.
What are the 3 limits of confidentiality?
The following situations typically legally obligate therapists to break confidentiality and seek outside assistance: Detailed planning of future suicide attempts. Other concrete signs of suicidal intent. Planned violence towards others.
What are confidentiality concerns?
Confidentiality has to do with the privacy of information, including authorizations to view, share, and use it. Information with low confidentiality concerns may be considered "public" or otherwise not threatening if exposed beyond its intended audience.
What are three situations where information normally considered to be confidential?
A person has been, or is likely to be, involved in a serious crime. A person is likely to harm others. Your safety is placed at risk. A child or vulnerable adult has suffered, or is at risk of suffering, significant harm.
When can you break confidentiality?
Murder, manslaughter, rape, treason, kidnapping, child abuse or other cases where individuals have suffered serious harm may all warrant breaching confidentiality.
What overrides confidentiality?
The clearest situations in which confidentiality can be justifiably overridden are those in which the patient places another person or the community at significant risk of serious harm. Confidentiality is a prima facie duty. It may be validly overridden by more compelling obligations.
What is one exception to confidentiality?
You disclose something that your treating therapist is required to report (e.g., child abuse, child sexual assault, and elder abuse). In these cases psychologists are required to telephone and file a written notification to the relevant public office, such as Child Protective Services.
What can break confidentiality?
Breaching confidentiality is only justified in specific circumstances where there's a severe threat to the patient or others, legal mandates require disclosure or public health concerns require sharing information to prevent harm.
What voids a confidentiality agreement?
Unreasonable scope of the agreement
Setting an unrealistic duration or harsh restrictive terms, like an NDA that lasts a lifetime, can invalidate the agreement. Similarly, having an overly broad agreement that covers information that is not confidential can result in legal complications.
What is the breach of confidentiality rule?
It is a criminal offence to disclose protected information without authorisation. A breach of protected information is punishable by a maximum of 2 years imprisonment.