Training Room 3
1. Training Room 3
1.8. Page 9
Training Room 3: Road Map to Wellness
Your Role as a Caregiver
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What is your legal obligation as a person providing services in health care, community support, volunteer, or recreational settings?
As a caregiver you have access to private information about the people you work with. Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) requires that you should have access to only that personal information necessary to do your job. FOIP also requires that you keep this information confidential at all times and only use it for the purpose for which you were given access.
You should disclose confidential client information only as necessary, with consent, as legally required or where the failure to disclose would cause significant harm to the client or others. The one exception to this rule is if you suspect that someone is being abused.
You need to be able to recognize and describe the signs of abuse and neglect and you need to know the appropriate steps to report this information. You will look more closely at this topic soon.
Unfortunately, you also need to take precautions to protect yourself from being accused of inappropriate behaviour. You should, for example,
- strictly follow all rules and procedures for conduct
- always maintain a professional relationship with people in your care
- if at all possible, never be alone with someone in your care, especially if the person is of the opposite sex
What if You Suspect Someone Is Being Abused?
Learning about abuse is not easy. Some of the information you come across in this section might make you feel uncomfortable. It is important as you move through this material to take time to reflect on how you are feeling. Make sure to connect with someone you trust—a friend, family member, teacher, or other trusted adult—if you are feeling uncomfortable or you need to talk about how this information is impacting you.
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Children depend on the adults in their lives to care for and protect them. They have a right to be safe from harm and neglect. Most of the time, young people who are being abused will demonstrate signs of the abuse, even if they never tell anyone. Sometimes a young person may display signs that seem to indicate abuse, but really the signs are pointing out another issue in his or her life. As a person in a helping role, you may be in a position to observe or suspect abuse. If you know the signs and know what to do when you see the signs and suspect abuse, you can help.
Watch “What should you do if you suspect someone is being abused?” This slide show outlines how to recognize the signs of abuse and suggests what to do if you suspect someone is being abused.
What are your concerns about recognizing and reporting child abuse? Do you think you have enough information to act if you had to? What other information would you need?
Post your reflection in a course discussion area assigned by your teacher or in a private discussion area with your teacher.