Privacy Notice

Visitors to our website
We collect the following information from visitors to our website:

• Details collected through forms, including information gathering forms, filled in when you contact us online
• Surveys and polls about the website
• Numbers of visitors to our pages and trends

Site usage information
We use third party tools on our website to ensure we are providing an effective website. In the main we use Google (Analytics, Adwords and Forms).
This tool measures traffic on our site and may be used for assessing our recruitment strategies.

Cookies
We use cookie technology to help log visitors to our web site. Cookies are pieces of data that are often created when you visit a website, and which are stored in the cookie directory of your computer. A number of cookies are created when you visit our website. The cookies do not contain any personal information about you, and they cannot be used to identify an individual user.

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users of the App. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you use the App and also allows us to improve the App.

We use the following cookies for the following purposes:

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For all of the above:

Various duration: a mix of session and “permanent” cookies lasting 30 mins, 6 months, or 1-2 yrs. Anonymously tracks use of website. These cookies are set or updated on any page visited. See here for full details.

Several cookies are set but all serve the same purpose; to see how people reached the site and used it, including search terms used and referring sites.

Please see below on how to disable cookies:

– Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-GB/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences

– Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61416?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en

– Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies

For further information visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

You can set your browser not to accept cookies and the above websites tell you how to remove cookies from your browser. However, in a few cases some website features may not function as a result.

Links to other websites
This privacy notice does not cover links within our website to other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit.

Your rights under the Data Protection Act
You have a number of rights which give you greater control over your information. To exercise your rights, please refer to the contact details at the end of this document.

The right to access
You have a right to ask us what personal information we hold about you, you can request a copy of your information. This is known as a ‘subject access request’ (SAR).

SARs need to be made in writing and we ask that your written request is accompanied by proof of your identity

We have one calendar month in which to provide the information to you in relation to this request (although we will try to provide this to you as promptly as possible).

Following your request, we will provide you with a copy of the information that we hold on you and make the information available for a period of 90 days.

Right to rectify
You can rectify the details of the information that we hold about you. If you need us to correct any mistakes contained in your information, you can let us know by using the contact details in this notice.

Right to erasure
You can request that the information we hold about you is deleted. We are subject to the data retention requirements in accordance with the regulations and legal frameworks described within this notice. Information outside of these requirements is kept and processed as it is in your own and our own legitimate interest for us to do so. If we hold your information in relation to an enquiry only and you decide you do not want to become a foster carer, us having your information is no longer in your interest and therefore it is not in ours either. If you request that your information to be deleted at this stage, we will comply with your request.

Please see the core rentention policy periods below, for further information regarding our data retention policy please contact us using the contact details at the end of this document.

Fostering Services – retention schedule

Prospective Foster Parents – 3 Years (relevant regulation): The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and The Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003

Foster Carers (approved carers) – 10 years from termination of approval (relevant regulation): The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and The Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003

Foster placement records (and registers) of carers – 10 years (relevant regulation): The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and The Fostering Services (Wales) Regulations 2003

Looked after children

Data is retained until the 75th anniversary of the date of birth of the child (or, if the child dies aged 17 or less, for a period of 15 years from the date of death). Once the placement has ended documentation relating to the child/young person will be provided to the Local Authority responsible for the care of that child. 

Children’s Register 

In accordance with the Fostering Regulations (England) 2011 a register of all children placed with the Agency for a period of 15 years from the date of the last entry will be kept. 

Staff members, Panel members and locum social workers etc. : This data is retained for 15 years from the date of the last entry. This is a requirement of the Fostering Regulations (England) 2011.

Fostering household and/or foster parents support network members: Due to safeguarding, we have an obligation to process this personal data. In most cases the data is minimal usually consists of Name, date of birth and address.

The Fostering Regulations state we must keep the following data for ten years:

(a)the report prepared under regulation 26(3)(b) and any other reports submitted to the fostering panel,

(b)any recommendations made by the fostering panel,

(c)the notice of approval given under regulation 27(5)(a),

(d)the foster care agreement,

(e)any report of a review of approval prepared under regulation 28(4), and

(f)any notice given under regulation 28(12).

and

(a)a record of each placement with the foster parent, including the name, age and sex of each child placed, the dates on which each placement began and terminated, and the circumstances of the termination,

(b)the information obtained by the fostering service provider in relation to the assessment and approval of the foster parent, and in relation to any review or termination of the approval.

Restriction on processing

You have the right to require us to stop processing your personal information. When processing is restricted, we are entitled to store your information, but not do anything further with it. You can make an application to restrict processing where: 

• You challenge the accuracy of the information (we must restrict processing until we have verified its accuracy). During the assessment you will be the source of information and the information should always be accurate.
• You challenge whether we have a legitimate interest in using your information – During the course of an assessment all information gathered will be of a legitimate interest.
• If the processing is a breach of the DPA or otherwise unlawful.
• If we no longer need the personal data but you need your information to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.
• If we have disclosed your personal information to third parties, we must inform them about the restriction on processing, unless it is impossible or involves disproportionate effort to do so.
• We must inform you when we decide to remove the restriction giving the reasons why, however this will prevent us from proceeding with your enquiry.

You have the right to object to processing unless it is in our legitimate business interests. We must stop using your information unless we can show there is a compelling legitimate reason for the processing, which overrides your interests and rights, or the processing is necessary for us or someone else to bring or defend legal claims. 

If you request to withdraw your consent for us to have your information where consent is used as a legal basis for processing, we will oblige your request unless it is in our legitimate interest not to do so, however we will be unable to process your information any further. 

We will make every effort to provide any data you request in a machine usable format for transfer to another information service. Due to the type and the complexity of your information it may not be technically possible to provide this in a format that can easily be transferred across platforms. We will provide you with media containing all your information.  

 Data portability applies only to:  

• Personal data an individual has provided to a controller; 
• This consists of your main details and information you supplied during your enquiry, application, assessment, and updates. This does not include data we have collected about you from other sources; 
• Where the processing is based on the individual’s consent or for the performance of a contract; 
• Data that is collected based on our legal obligations. 
• Data processing that is carried out by automated means.  

 We do not share your information with any third parties unless we are legally obliged to do so under the legal framework described within this notice. We do not share your data with any third parties for marketing purposes. 

 All data is processed within the United Kingdom. 

Use the contact form below to send a message to our Data Compliance Officer

Contact our DPO (Data Protection Officer) Service:

Contact information for our DPO Service:

Guardain Saints CiC

Eagle House
Cranleigh Close
South Croydon
Surrey
CR2 9LH

We always strive to meet the highest standards when collecting and using personal information. We take any complaints we receive seriously. We encourage people to bring it to our attention if they think that our collection or use of information is unfair, misleading, inaccurate or inappropriate.

If you remain unhappy with our response to your complaint you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office by writing to:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF