Child Rights and Confidentiality
Does a child have right to confidentiality in the same regard as an adult has this right ? And if so, should this right be limited in ways not limited to an adult? Does the parent hold a right to know the deepest thoughts and feelings of their child? And does that right override the child’s right to confidentiality? For the purpose of this discussion, we will consider child as under the age of 16 or otherwise considered a ‘minor’ in the eyes of the law. Under Canadian Law (and within the laws of many other free countries) confidentiality is limited with respect to reports of harm to oneself of others. In other words, you cannot confidentiality report to anyone your intent to harm yourself or another person and reasonably expect that information to not be reported. For the most part, other than the rule above, individuals are free to have confidential discussions between one another not to be repeated outside of that discussion. Generally speaking children c...
