Duty of confidentiality

Okay, kiddo, so have you ever had a secret that someone trusted you to keep? Maybe your friend told you something they didn't want anyone else to know, like they're afraid of the dark or they lost their favorite toy. It's important to keep that secret and not tell anyone else, right?

Well, adults also have secrets sometimes, and they need someone to trust to keep those secrets safe. When someone tells a doctor, lawyer, therapist, or other professional a secret, they need to know that person won't tell anyone else about it.

This is called the "duty of confidentiality." It means that these professionals have promised to keep their clients' secrets safe, even if someone else asks them about it or they think it would be helpful to tell someone.

It's kind of like being a superhero with a secret identity - you have to keep your identity a secret to keep your loved ones safe, and these professionals have to keep their clients' secrets safe to protect their privacy and well-being.