Data Privacy Notice
Home-Start West Somerset (HSWS) needs to collect and keep some personal information. For families the lawful basis for us doing that is Legitimate Interest – we need the information in order to supply effective support. For our volunteers (this includes Trustees and Advisers) the basis is Legal Obligation – we need your information in order to provide our services effectively. For staff it is Contractual. What the law says is that we must only collect what is necessary, do it fairly and accurately, keep the information securely and allow you to see it. By accepting HSWS support or volunteering/working with HSWS you agree that we may collect and use your information.
- what information we collect and where we get it from,
- how we use it, how and why we might share it and how we store it securely,
- hat happens to it once support, volunteering or employment ends,
- what rights you have to access and check the information we hold.
What information we collect – we only ask for what is necessary.
The bold text in the lists below are types of information that are recognised as special by the law and they require extra justification and care in handling.
Families have this notice explained at the initial visit. The information then gathered may include the following:
Contact details, family details, family background, employment, health, disabilities, criminal convictions, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, details of other agencies involved with the family and whether any children are subject to child protection/children in need plans or have other assessment needs.
How do we collect that information?
You give us information directly when you agree to our support.
Our staff collect information during support.
Other agencies who are involved with you – for example, referrers, Health visitors, Social care professionals, other voluntary organisations, children’s centres, health professionals give us information.
Family members who are helping support you might give us information
Volunteers (this includes Trustees and Advisers) go through this notice when they apply to become a volunteer or trustee/adviser and by joining HSWS agree that we may collect personal information which includes the following:
Contact details, family background, experience/employment history, skills, health, disabilities, criminal convictions, references, DBS checks, training undertaken.
How do we collect that information?
From volunteers themselves, from applications, references and during supervisions.
Staff go through this notice when they apply to become an employee and by accepting employment agree to HSWS collecting personal information which includes the following:
Contact details, educational history, qualifications, past employment/experience, voluntary work, skills, health, disabilities, criminal convictions, right to work evidence, references, DBS checks, training undertaken, bank details for salary and pensions purposes.
How do we collect that information?
From application forms, references, interviews and during supervisions and appraisals.
Supporters HSWS keeps a list of the contact details of those who have agreed to be contacted with information about the scheme.
We also keep a record of funders who have supported us in the past and we subscribe to other agencies who provide lists of grant-giving charities.
How we use and share the information
Families it is explained to families at the initial visit that within HSWS their volunteer will discuss their support with their coordinator who will in turn discuss it with their manager. Trustees with particular roles will have access to this information in order to do their jobs. HSWS will also share information with other agencies working with the family. Normally we will tell you when we do this. The only exemption to that might be when we refer or report safeguarding concerns. The law says that if telling you might put a child or adult at more risk we may go ahead without informing you.
Volunteers It is explained to volunteers that they have a duty to keep the information we hold accurate and up to date, informing HSWS of any change in circumstances that might affect their ability to serve as a volunteer.
Staff are employed on the basis of the information they give HSWS. It is explained that they have a duty to keep the information we hold accurate and up to date, informing HSWS of any change in circumstances that might affect their ability to work.
How HSWS keeps information Secure
Access to any information HSWS holds is limited to those who have a direct responsibility in relation to personal data. Records are kept of when and why files are accessed. Records are also kept when information is shared and HSWS takes care to ensure any sharing is done securely.
All of those working for or being supported by HSWS are informed that our performance is monitored by external bodies and that some of our systems are supported by outside firms. They will have supplied HSWS with written guarantees that they abide by data protection regulations.
HSWS also prepares case studies, reports and newsletters to show the impact of what we do. These are presented in an anonymous form unless HSWS has obtained specific consent to use images or details publicly.
What happens when support, volunteering or employment ends?
Information is only kept for as long as it is needed. There are clear time limits set out in our Data Protection Policy. When those time limits are reached the information is either destroyed or made anonymous.
Rights to see the information held:
- Everyone has a right to see, free of charge, the personal information held about them by HSWS.
- Everyone, free of charge, can require HSWS to correct any mistakes in their personal information.
- Everyone can ask HSWS to remove their personal information free of charge. This may affect whether we can continue to give support and there may be certain limited circumstances where we can refuse remove it. Details of what those circumstances are can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website – contact details below.
- Everyone can request, free of charge, to have copies of the personal information they have given us.
- Everyone can object to HSWS using their personal information for marketing/fundraising purposes unless we have obtained specific consent for that.
- Everyone can withdraw their consent to HSWS using their personal information at any time.
If you want to exercise any of the above rights, please contact us using the contact details below. We may be required to ask for further information and/or evidence of identity. We will endeavour to respond fully to all requests within one month of receipt of your request, however if we are unable to do so we will contact you with reasons for the delay.
Use of Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. HSWS website uses cookies. You can find out more about what cookies HSWS website uses in Appendix 1 and by following the links there.
Complaints
HSWS has a complaints procedure which can be found on the HSWS website and complaints can also be reported to the ICO:
HSWS Contact details: Home Start West Somerset, Alcombe Children Centre, Stephenson Road, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 5EB. Telephone 01643 707304
ICO contact details Information Commissioner’s Office currently https://ico.org.uk/concerns/) or telephone 0303 123 1113
Our Current Data Protection Lead is Clare Pound, Manager/Senior Family Support Worker
This notice will be reviewed regularly by HSWS and changes will be on HSWS’s website.
Appendix 1
The Cookies We Use
YouTube & Vimeo – If you play an embedded video on our site, there may a cookie set by YouTube or Vimeo containing anonymous, non personally-identifiable information about the number of playbacks of embedded videos. To find out more please visit YouTube’s embedding videos information page. You can find out more on the Google Privacy Policy (Google owns YouTube) and the Vimeo Privacy Policy: http://vimeo.com/privacy
CloudFlare – This site is run over the CloudFlare service for extra security and speed. The ‘cfduid’ cookie is set by the CloudFlare service to identify trusted web traffic and to speed up page load times. These are necessary for the functioning of the site.
OpenStreetMap – This site uses OpenStreetMap to display the site map. It uses a cookie to help speed up map load times. These are necessary for the functioning of the service.
External Links
We are not responsible for the availability or content of external sites that may be linked to from the site. If you find a broken link or if you have any questions or concerns about a link, please contact us.
More Information
To learn more about cookies, you can visit www.aboutcookies.org. You will also find details on how to block and delete cookies from your computer as well as more general information about cookies. For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual.
Further Information
Download/View our full Privacy Policy (pdf)