Privacy notice - Reference for a foster carer
Overview
This privacy notice covers individuals who supply a reference for someone applying to become a foster carer for East Sussex County Council.
East Sussex County Council takes data protection seriously. Please be assured that your information will be used appropriately in line with data protection legislation, will be stored securely and will not be processed unless the requirements for fair and lawful processing can be met.
What information is being used?
In order to process the reference, provide, we will collect your name, email address and the information you submit.
How will your information be used?
The information you give through our fostering reference form will be stored on our East Sussex County Council database.
We will not use the information you provide to set up a record in your name on East Sussex County Council systems.
This information is retained so that we can fulfil our reporting duties when information is requested from safeguarding teams, other local authorities/fostering or adoption services and previously looked after children.
We aim to maintain high standards, adopt best practice for our record keeping and regularly check and report on how we are doing. Your information is never sold for direct marketing purposes.
Our staff are trained to handle your information correctly and protect your confidentiality and privacy.
Your information is processed in the UK or in a country with an adequacy agreement with the UK.
What is the legal basis for processing your information?
Usually, we collect and hold your information to enable us to comply with a legal obligation or because we are acting in the public interest or exercising our official authority.
Regulation 26 and schedule 3 of the Fostering Regulations 2011 states what information we must obtain to carry out a fostering assessment. We have a duty, under section 11 of the Children Act 2004, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. We therefore have to collect and process personal data to enable us to comply.
We are required to seek references for all individuals who apply to become a foster carer with East Sussex County Council and it will be necessary for us to process your data for this purpose.
How long will your information be kept for?
The information you give through our reference form will be stored on our East Sussex County Council Social Care database.
If we do not proceed with the application, this information will be stored for 10 years from the date of closure.
If we proceed with the application and proceed to approval, this information will be stored for 75 years from the date of the termination of approval.
These retention periods are agreed of part of our Children’s Services Retention Policy and after these times, your records will be deleted.
Sharing your information
Any information you provide will not be shared with the applicant unless we have your consent.
We seek a number of references and if you wish to remain anonymous, we will speak to the applicant or applicants about information received in the processing of checks and references without disclosing your name or sources of information.
Any sharing of personal data is always done:
- on case-by-case basis
- using the minimum personal data necessary
- with the appropriate security controls in place
- in line with legislation.
Information is only shared with those agencies and bodies who have a "need to know" or where you have consented to the sharing of your personal data to such persons.
We may use the information we hold about you to assist in the detection and prevention of crime or fraud. We may also share this information with other bodies that inspect and manage public funds.
Your rights
Under data protection legislation, you have the right:
- to be informed why, where and how we use your information
- to ask for access to your information
- to ask for your information to be corrected if it is inaccurate or incomplete
- to ask for your information to be deleted or removed where there is no need for us to continue processing it
- to ask us to restrict the use of your information
- to ask us to copy or transfer your information from one IT system to another in a safe and secure way, without impacting the quality of the information
- to object to how your information is used
- to challenge any decisions made without human intervention (automated decision making)
Please visit data subject rights for further details.
How to find out more or complain
Should you have any further queries on the uses of your information, please speak directly to our service:
East Sussex County Council Fostering Service
St Mark’s House
14 Upperton Road
Eastbourne
BN21 1EP
Email: Fostering Team
Phone: 01323 747407 or 01323 747408
To complain about the use of your information, please contact our Customer Services Team or our Data Protection Officer.
Further information on making a complaint.
You can also contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for further information or to make a complaint:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate)