Privacy notice – services for children and families

Privacy notice for the provision of services for children and families.

Why do we collect and use this information?

In order to carry out our functions in respect of children and families, Southampton City Council processes personal data about the following types of people:

• Children and families referred in or receiving a service from Southampton City Council
• Foster carers and adopters
• Carers or representatives
• Complainants, enquirers or their representatives
• Professional advisers and consultants
• Representatives of other organisations
• Staff, persons contracted to provide a service
• Students and pupils
• Suppliers
• Traders and others subject to inspection
• Applicants
• Offenders
• Suspected offenders
• Victims

We hold this personal data securely and use it to carry out services in respect of:

Children's Social Care

• Adoption
• Fostering
• Friends and families
• Looked after children
• Safeguarding CRS (Children's Resource Service)
• Protection and Court (PACT)
• Pathways
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
• Phoenix @ Pause Southampton

Education and Early Help

• Admissions and school place planning
• Child employment and performance
• Early years and childcare
• Educational psychology
• Education Welfare
• Learning leader
• School improvement
• Vulnerable pupils

Safeguarding and Compliance

• 0-19 Integrated Service
• Child protection
• Children's Resource Service
• Independent reviews
• Quality assurance
• Safeguarding boards
• Step down partnership
• Youth Offending Service

Unless stated, we are the data controller for your personal data, and the following sections provide detail about the information we process, and explains what allows us to do this (the lawful basis), who we may share it with, and how long we keep it for (the retention period).

The categories of information that we collect, hold, and share

As a local authority, we only process data that is necessary for us to carry out our statutory functions. To carry out our duties in providing services in respect of children and families, the type of information we process is as follows:

Personal Data

• Banking or payment details
• Case file information
• Children's data (u18)
• Contact details (name, address, telephone number, etc.)
• Employment details
• Education details
• Family details
• Goods and services
• Housing needs
• Lifestyle and social circumstances
• NHS Number
• National Insurance Number
• Relevant Contact (e.g. Next of kin / carer)
• Student and pupil records
• Visual images, personal appearance and behaviour

Special categories (or sensitive personal data)

• Religious or philosophical beliefs
• Criminal record
• Criminal proceedings
• Physical or mental health
• Racial or ethnic origin

The lawful basis on which we use this information

The use of your personal data is compliant with the following conditions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA2018):

• Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR – In some circumstances, we will require your consent. In these instances, your consent can be withdrawn at any time
• Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR – It is necessary for us to process your information so we can comply with our legal obligations
• Article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR – It is necessary for us to process your information so we can carry out our official functions or public tasks
• Article 9(2)(a) of the GDPR – In some circumstances, we will require your explicit consent. In these instances, your consent can be withdrawn at any time
• Article 9(2)(g) of the GDPR and Schedule 1, Part 1, paragraph 1 of the DPA2018 – It is necessary for us to process your personal data as we believe there is substantial public interest in doing so
• Article 9(2)(h) of the GDPR – It is necessary for us to process your personal data so we can provide social care, and maintain our social care systems and records

The majority of our statutory functions arise from the Children Acts and Education Acts, but further details of all our statutory powers and duties can be found on the Local Government Association’s website.

What happens if you don't provide us with your information?

If you don't provide us with the information we need to carry out our duties, the level and type of service you or your children could receive might be affected.

Storing and securing data

The information provided to us in providing services in respect of children and families will be held in the following format: Both paper and digital.

The information provided to us will be held in accordance with the Council’s Retention Schedule, and then it will be securely destroyed.

Who do we share information with?

We may share your personal information with external organisations, such as the Police, to prevent and detect crime, however, this would only occur when the law allows us to do so.

If there are any safeguarding concerns, we will share relevant information where necessary, in order to comply with our statutory obligations in respect of this.

We may have to share your information with other teams and departments in the Council, in order to fulfil this, and other statutory duties, and to deliver a sufficient level of service, in the public interest, as a local authority.

For the purposes of providing services in respect of children and families, we will routinely have to share your data with the following types of organisations:

• Central Government
• Commissioned Providers
• Corporate Suppliers (e.g. IT system providers)
• Education Providers
• Healthcare Providers
• Housing Associations and Landlords
• Local Authorities
• Ombudsmen and Regulatory Authorities
• Police
• Probation Services
• Voluntary and charitable organisations

Contact information

If you have a question regarding our privacy notice, please submit it for the attention of the Quality Assurance Unit Manager using the following form.

If you have a complaint about the service, please use the following form.