Which principle involves keeping information about clients confidential within the professional team unless consent is provided to share externally?

• A. Confidentiality
• B. Privacy
• C. Disclosure
• D. Informed Consent

Answer: (A)

Confidentiality means protecting client information and sharing it only with team members who need it to provide services, not with people outside the treatment team unless there is explicit consent. In practice, this allows coordination and effective care while keeping sensitive details private. Privacy is the broader right of the client to control access to personal information, whereas confidentiality is the professional obligation to keep information shared during treatment within the care team. Disclosure is the act of releasing information outside the team, which would violate confidentiality unless consent or a legal/ethical exception applies. Informed consent is about obtaining permission to share information or participate in treatment, not the ongoing duty to keep information within the team.