School Counseling Confidentiality and Informed Consent
School Counselors provide tools and support to students in a variety of ways throughout the school year. My role here at Montessori Community School will involve communication with many students, whether it is through guidance lessons, campus encounters, or individual counseling.
Counseling sessions must follow strict legal and ethical standards to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and families. Individual counseling sessions can be conducted for a variety of reasons, including academic, behavioral, social, or emotional matters.
Confidentiality is a crucial component of individual counseling sessions. Without guaranteed confidentiality, it is often difficult for participants to speak freely and build trust. As a parent or legal guardian, you have privilege to certain information, but not all. The health and safety of the student is the first priority and takes precedence over confidentiality. Legal and ethical expectations require any information a student tells a school counselor to be confidential, with only four exceptions:
The student gives permission for certain information to be shared with specific people 2.
The student reports they are being abused
The student reports an intention to hurt themselves or hurt someone else
Court or legal proceedings where the school counselor is subpoenaed.*
These circumstances are the only reasons the school counselor will break confidentiality. Only essential information will be shared with the appropriate individuals.
Information shared with the school counselor is not considered confidential in the following instances:
Information shared on campus outside my office, as a student or teacher walking by could overhear
Information shared in group counseling with multiple students, since I cannot fully guarantee all students
will keep everything private.
Information shared via phone, zoom, or any other virtual communication tool where privacy of the surroundings is unable to be verified.
A student who is having an academic, behavioral, social, or emotional issue can be referred to the school counselor by their teacher, parent or legal guardian, school administration, or the student can request a referral for themselves. Parents or legal guardians will be notified via email or phone call if their child is referred to the school counselor.
If a student is referred to the school counselor, there will be one meeting with the student to determine the issue and best course of action. Afterward, the parent or legal guardian will be contacted to provide consent for their child to continue meeting with the school counselor as needed. According to school policy, if the parent or legal guardian does not provide informed consent, the school counselor is not permitted to continue individual counseling sessions with your child.
Thank you for taking the time to thoroughly review this information. Please feel free to email me to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
Ms. Kylie Dunn, MA, LSC
School Counselor and Learning Support kylie@montessorihawaii.org
*references available upon request
Updated August 2020