Storage of Student Counselling Notes

View a case study regarding ownership of student counselling records.

The counsellor dealing with the student should keep whatever notes are professionally necessary to address the needs of the students. Those notes should not be kept on the cumulative record of the student. They should be stored in a safe and secure manner and should be accessible only to the counsellor and the counsellor’s supervisors who may require access in order to fulfill their duties.

If the counsellor leaves the employ of the school division then the notes and records will be retained by the school division and become the responsibility of the division. This responsibility includes providing access only to those who need the notes for their duties – this would generally include only counselling staff and their supervisors.

Preserving the trust necessary for an effective counselling relationship is crucial. Legal advice should be sought before agreeing to release counselling notes to anyone.