Some details about family in sex abuse case can be shared: Privacy watchdog

VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s privacy watchdog says no rules were violated when the Ministry of Children and Family Development shared files about a family involved in a child sexual abuse case.

Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham makes the ruling in a complaint filed by a mother identified only as J.P.

The mother recently won a court case against the ministry after a judge found social workers knowingly violated a court order and allowed unsupervised access to a father who had sexually abused his children.

A review of J.P.’s case was ordered, and Denham’s office stepped in when the mother complained private documents about the family had been shared without her consent.

Denham confirms two documents were given to ministry employees but says the Privacy Act allows personal information to be shared without consent if workers need the details to complete a task.

Denham also says security arrangements were adequate to protect the personal information in the documents.