Statement of Confidentiality and Anonymity:

Many of the issues discussed in Parents Support Groups and on the Parental Stress Line are private and personal.  In every Parental Stress Line call and Parent Support Group meeting Parents Helping Parents maintains confidentiality and anonymity unless there is a clear threat of serious harm to a child or adult.  Support group members often remind one another that “what is said in the group stays in the group.”

As a demonstration of our commitment to confidentiality and anonymity, Parents Helping Parents does not collect personal identifying information from anyone seeking help.  Those interested in joining a Parent Support Group are asked for their first name and phone number for contact purposes only. 

Parents Helping Parents also protects the anonymity of group members by not publicizing the exact locations of the support groups. 

The Parental Stress Line is also operated in a way that reassures callers that anything discussed will remain confidential unless there is a clear threat of serious and immediate harm.  Callers do not have to provide their name or address in order to receive counseling.  However, Federal law requires that we be able to trace calls in the event of an emergency.  We do this on rare occasions and only when someone’s safety is clearly threatened.

Personal or identifying information is never shared outside of Parents Helping Parents unless there is a clear threat of serious harm.

Family safety is the top priority of Parents Helping Parents.  If a volunteer counselor, or group member feels that a child is being abused or neglected, (i.e., there is a clear threat of severe harm) the volunteer will first ask the parent to self-refer to the Department of Social Services by going to their local DSS office or calling the Child-at-Risk Hotline, 1-800-792-5200.  If the parent attends a Parent Support Group, the volunteer will stay with the parent while the call or visit is made.

It is very important that any DSS report be made only with the parent’s knowledge, unless doing so would put the parent or the children at further risk.