What to Say About the Person You Support, and What Not To

A locksmith at the door asks why the client won't come to greet him directly, and a worker, trying to be helpful, mentions a diagnosis to explain it. It seems harmless, a quick bit of context so the interaction goes smoothly. It's also information that wasn't the locksmith's to have, shared without the person's knowledge or consent, for a convenience that a simpler answer would have covered just as well.

These moments happen constantly and rarely get formal training, because they don't look like privacy breaches in the way a leaked file or a gossiping colleague would. They're small, well-intentioned, and easy to justify in the moment. The habit worth building is a simple filter, applied consistently, rather than a judgement call made fresh every single time.

What is the minimum-necessary principle?

Share only what someone genuinely needs to do their job or interact appropriately in that specific moment, and nothing more. A tradesperson needs to know which room to access, not why the person prefers not to greet visitors. A shop assistant needs to know a preference or an access requirement, not the diagnosis behind it. The filter is simple to state and takes deliberate practice to apply automatically, because the instinct to over-explain runs strong, especially when a worker wants an interaction to go smoothly.

Can a diagnosis ever be mentioned to explain behaviour?

Generally, no, not without the person's own agreement to share it. Most situations that seem to call for a diagnostic explanation can be handled with a simple, respectful comment instead, noting a preference or a need without naming a condition behind it. Diagnostic information belongs to the person, and it's rarely actually necessary for the stranger in front of a worker to know it.

What about neighbours or acquaintances who ask out of curiosity?

A polite redirect usually works better than a full answer or an abrupt shutdown. Keeping the conversation general, or gently noting that it's something the person would need to share themselves, protects privacy without creating unnecessary friction with people who live nearby and aren't trying to overstep, they're just curious. The tone matters as much as the content here.

Does this change for professionals genuinely involved in someone's care?

Health professionals, allied health workers, and others directly supporting the person often need more detail to do their job properly, and sharing relevant information with them is appropriate and expected. The same discipline still applies though, share what's relevant to that specific interaction and role, not everything a worker happens to know about the person's history or diagnosis.

What if the person themselves wants information shared more openly?

Follow their lead. Some people are entirely comfortable with their diagnosis or situation being discussed openly, and a worker over-protecting privacy the person hasn't asked for can be its own kind of overstep. The principle is respecting the person's own preference, not applying a blanket rule regardless of what they actually want.

How CORA's course fits into this

CORA's course Talking About the Person to Strangers, part of the Soft Skills stream in the course library, works through the daily judgement calls workers make with tradies, neighbours, shop staff and healthcare workers, the minimum-necessary principle, and following the person's own lead. It builds understanding and judgement. It doesn't replace supervision, and CORA doesn't certify a worker's competence, that assessment sits with the provider.

If you're mapping this alongside the rest of the Soft Skills stream for your team, the Pathway Builder is a free tool that maps it out, no sign-up required. Or request a demo if you'd rather talk it through.

Sources and further reading

• Australian Privacy Principles, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
• Privacy and confidentiality, what workers need to get right, CORA Workforce

This page is general information for support workers and providers, not legal advice. Always follow the person's individual support plan and your organisation's privacy policies.