Confidentiality of the child's process in Play Therapy

"How do I explain to a 5-year-old child that his trial is confidential? -This is not possible! And will he even understand it? "- I heard from a therapist with several years of experience in therapeutic work with children. IT IS POSSIBLE AND EVEN NECESSARY IN CHILD THERAPY

Confidentiality in a child's therapeutic process is like a nest for chicks, where they can safely develop naturally and when the time comes - fly out on their own wings. Confidentiality creates a sense of place for the child that is safe and serves their development. Without confidentiality there is no process. Without confidentiality there is no therapeutic alliance.

Let's look at where these difficulties with confidentiality come from?

• When we talk about confidentiality, the first association is mainly about confidentiality relating to adult matters. We know the definition of the word, but one used by adults. This is the first dead end, as there are no words to adequately describe for a child what 'confidentiality' is and what it is for.
• The second obstacle is - the parents: how to keep the child's process confidential with the parents, especially those who ask the child after the session: how was it ? what did you do ? They pay, they demand? The therapist must also set boundaries for them and explain the importance of confidentiality.
• Another obstacle is the teachers and the management of the institution where the therapies are carried out: whether and how to share information? with whom? to what extent? The lack of Polish regulations causes chaos and, as a result, abuse of children. There is a lack of clearly defined circulation and scope of shared information regarding the child in therapy. The entry of RODO in May 2017 will probably not change much regarding the confidentiality of the child's process.
• Another obstacle (the smallest one) is the child's age and developmental level: different strategies are needed at different levels. One is definitely not enough.
   

As you can see, the confidentiality of the child's process is the responsibility of the therapist towards the child, towards the parents, towards colleagues.

You will find out, among other things, how to protect the child's process and how to communicate to the child what the confidentiality of his or her process is - at the Play Therapy training course, to which I warmly invite all those who want to help children in a conscious manner.

Our job as child therapists is to protect the child.
Confidentiality is a great gift from us therapists to the child, it is a gift that perhaps the child has never received before from anyone, not even from his parents, and is not aware of it, because only fusion with others and not autonomy has determined his value in the eyes of others and his own.