Should I tell the school or not? (Balancing confidentiality and transparency)

A child receives a psychiatric diagnosis, such as ADHD, an anxiety disorder, or an eating disorder. Shortly afterward, many parents wonder whether the school should be told. Sometimes time is of the essence because the child is standing out in class or has been missing an increasing number of days. Other times, the situation is calm, and parents want to wait and see.

This decision involves health information—specifically, highly sensitive information about your child. It’s one of the things parents control themselves. You decide who is informed, how much is shared, and when. This page explains the legal situation and outlines the pros and cons of disclosure.

There is no general obligation to report a mental health diagnosis to the school. Under the General Data Protection Regulation, health data falls under the special categories of personal data. In principle, the school may only process such data with the parents’ consent. Without consent, the school may only collect data necessary for schooling, such as name and address.

There are exceptions in which schools take action on their own initiative. In cases of acute danger to oneself or others, the school’s duty of care applies. Otherwise, the decision rests with you. Even accommodations—that is, adjustments to exam conditions such as extra time or a quiet room—require a request from the parents. Without this step, the school’s diagnosis remains confidential. Because school law is a matter for the states, the rules vary from state to state.

Concrete ways to make daily life easier are a strong argument for disclosure. Teachers may interpret behavior differently if they know the background. A child who stands up in class or fails to finish assignments is then less likely to be seen as lazy or disrespectful. Compensating for disadvantages becomes possible only once the school is aware of the situation. It becomes easier to make arrangements regarding absences, tests, or a quiet place to work.

There are real risks associated with disclosure. A diagnosis can pigeonhole a child. Some teachers have lower expectations of a child with a psychiatric diagnosis or attribute every behavior to it. Information spreads to other teachers, classmates, and their parents. For older children and adolescents, their own attitude often matters: Many want to keep their diagnosis private at school.

You don’t have to choose between telling everyone and telling no one. A phased approach is possible, where you control who finds out what.

• Describe the need. Often, it’s enough to specify the type of support needed without mentioning the diagnosis. A sentence like “My child needs extra time and a quiet place during exams” tells the teacher what to do.
• Choose a trusted contact. The homeroom teacher or the school social worker is usually sufficient as the first point of contact. The entire teaching staff doesn’t need to know the details.
• In writing and limited in scope. If you submit medical documents—for example, to request accommodations—a certificate stating the need for support is often sufficient instead of the full medical report.
• Involve your child. Starting in elementary school, your child should know what information is being shared with the school. For older students, their consent is important.

For more detailed information on how to prepare for a diagnostic meeting with the school, see “Communicating a Diagnosis to Schools and Daycare Centers.” Ongoing collaboration with teachers is discussed in greater depth there.

If you’re unsure, you don’t have to make the decision on your own. Your first points of contact should be the child and adolescent psychiatry clinic treating your child or your child’s pediatrician’s office. They can assess what information will truly be helpful to the school. The school’s data protection officer can provide information on data protection issues. State-specific rules regarding accommodations for students with disabilities can be found at the respective Ministry of Education.

Janike As a parent coach, she guides you through exactly these kinds of decisions, listens to you, and helps you sort through the options. She cannot make a diagnosis or prescribe treatment. That is the responsibility of medical or psychotherapeutic professionals and the child and adolescent psychiatry department.