Confidentiality and information sharing

Information sharing between relevant bodies, groups and agencies is important to be able to properly safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults at risk. Often, it is only when information from a number of sources has been shared, collated, and analysed, that it becomes clear someone is suffering or is likely to suffer, harm. Therefore, to keep everybody safe, information needs to be shared appropriately so that decisions can be made to protect them.

Clear boundaries around information sharing are also important to maintain confidentiality, and to ensure that only those who need the information are made aware of it. However, concerns over confidentiality must never prevent an individual sharing information with appropriate and relevant persons, when not doing so may prevent appropriate safeguarding action and place someone at risk.

Whenever anyone at parkrun receives information that raises concerns about anyone, decisions, therefore, need to be made about information sharing.

There may be times when media (such as television, radio, websites, or journalists), show interest in something related to a specific event, or to parkrun in general, and seek information from volunteers or participants. It is important that event teams make no comment, and refer any media enquiries to media@parkrun.com.

Individuals and teams should never pass comment or opinion regarding safeguarding issues on any social media that is connected to the event. If matters related to parkrun or people you know through parkrun are presented on social media, it can become extremely challenging for us to provide support.

Who to share information with

parkrunners and parkrun volunteers should, as a first step, only share safeguarding concerns with the Event Directors, Run Directors, or parkrun HQ.

Our Safeguarding Team will then make decisions as to any further individuals or organisations who should be made aware. Part of this safeguarding decision-making process will include consideration about who to share information with. This could include:

• Statutory organisations such as your country’s law enforcement agency and/or appropriate children’s or social services, who must be informed about child protection concerns
• Bodies who carry out criminal record background checks may need to be informed
• Other clubs and other sports organisations will need to be considered, in order that they themselves can safeguard children and vulnerable adults in their care who may be at risk of harm
• Internally, at parkrun, we only ever share safeguarding information on a strictly-governed need-to-know basis

Our policy is that only those that need to know are told. This means only those individuals stated within an appropriate reporting structure, who need to know, and no one else unless directed by statutory agencies.

If we request that information is kept confidential, it is essential that this is adhered to, as failure to do so could significantly increase the risk to the welfare of vulnerable individuals, and may lead to disciplinary action or being stepped down from a role.