We need to hold personal information about you on our computers systems and in paper records to help us with management of your needs.

The Chief Executive is responsible for their accuracy and safe keeping. Please help to keep your records up to date by informing us of any change of circumstances.

Charity staff have access to your records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care, if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by a legal duty to keep their details secure, accurate and up to date.
All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent loss.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is present, or in the case of public charity matters. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released.

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone, fax or email unless we are sure that we are talking to you or your carer. Information will not be disclosed to family and friends unless we have prior consent and we do not leave messages with others.

 Why do we collect and use information?

We collect and use your information so that we can provide services to you. We also ensure we have a lawful basis for processing the data.

We use your data:

  • to support services to you
  • to monitor and report on your support and welfare
  • to provide appropriate pastoral care
  • to assess the quality of our services
  • to comply with the law regarding data sharing
  • to support you to decide what to do after you our services

Categories of information that we collect, hold and share include:  

  • Personal information (such as name and contact details)
  • Characteristics (such as ethnicity, language, nationality, and country of birth)
  • Relevant medical information

Collecting your information

Whilst the majority of information you provide to us is mandatory, some of it is provided to us on a voluntary basis. In order to comply with the Data Protection Regulation, we will inform you whether you are required to provide certain information to us or if you have a choice in this.

 Storing information

The charity stores information on several computer and paper-based systems and have set periods for each system for the information to retained. Should you require further information about which systems, please contact our Data Protection Officer. The longest period that we can hold your information is until you leave our services plus 6 years, at which point all data will be removed fror our systems.

Sharing Information

There are strict controls on who can see your information.  We will not share your data if you have advised us that you do not want it shared unless it is the only way we can make sure you stay safe and healthy or we are legally required to do so. We do not share information about our services users with anyone without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.

We routinely share information with:

  • our local authority and their commissioned providers of local authority services
  • Social Services
  • Our information is held on a number of systems that have third party access, we have checked with each supplier to ensure they are compliant with General Data Protection Regulations, and that they will not access or use any data without prior and specific permission from you.

Requesting access to your personal data

Under General Data Protection Regulations, you have the right to request access to information that we hold. To make a request for your personal information, please contact our data protection officers directly, who will arrange for this to happen within the required time.

You also have the right to:

  • object to processing of personal data that is likely to cause, or is causing, damage or distress
  • prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing
  • object to decisions being taken by automated means
  • in certain circumstances, have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed; and
  • claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the Data Protection regulations

Data Protection Officer

The charity has an independent data protection officer service supplied by Global Policing Limited. Global Policing is an organisation run by ex-senior police officers who specialise in working with schools / organisations and have vast experience of data protection matters. If you have any questions or comments, or wish to make any requests under the Regulations, you should contact them directly:

Please note that should you instigate any of your rights under this act, your basic information will be shared with the data protection office who will make contact with you to support your through the processes and procedures.

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using personal data, we ask that you raise your concern with us in the first instance. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns