Children Services Privacy Notices

This statement confirms how and what information the Children and Supporting Families Department keeps about an individual. The Department keeps information about any individual who has come into contact with the Department, whether they are currently receiving services or have received services in the past.

Why do we collect the information?

We need to use information about you to:

  • assess your social care needs and discuss the services available to meet those needs

  • monitor your progress and care

  • provide care and assistance

  • investigate allegations of an offence or abuse

  • investigate complaints

  • look at the quality of services

Providing the most basic information is a sensitive matter. You have a legal right to expect any information you are providing to be treated with confidence and kept secure. The Council has measures in place that protect the privacy of individuals during this process.

Justification for Collecting and Recording Personal Information 

Gwynedd Council's Children and Supporting Families Department will collect the personal information in order to protect and provide support to children under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 together with any reference to other acts and regulations such as the Children Act 1989. Processing this personal information is necessary for the Department:

  1. to respond to Health and Social Care needs.

  2. as it is undertaking a task in the public's interest.  

The Department will not use your information for making automated decisions or for profiling.

Data we are allowed to collect

  • Date of Birth, name, address, family details,

  • Phone Details

  • E-mail address

  • National Insurance No. (in some cases)

  • Personal reference number e.g. Social Services number, Health Service number

  • Financial situation e.g. income, expenditure, bank details

  • Lifestyle and social circumstances

  • Record of previous complaints

  • Safeguarding reports

  • Medical details

  • Personal circumstances e.g. accommodation status

  • Photo ID, description of appearance and behaviour

  • Details of physical and mental health

  • Race and ethnicity

  • Religious beliefs

  • Crimes, cases against you, outcomes and convictions

The records are kept on paper or on computer. They are dealt with confidentially and kept secure at all times. 

Some types of information are sensitive e.g. health, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs. The legal basis for processing this information is because we provide a health and social care service.

With whom will we share the information?

In some circumstances the Council must share your information with external partners and the third sector if it relates to the care provision. These include, but not limited to, the following:

  • Other Council departments, including the Education Department

  • Other councils

  • Third Sector providers

  • Welsh Government

  • Government Departments such as the HMRC and the DWP

  • The Police

  • Credit Agencies

  • Health Services

  • The Probation Service

  • Care Inspectorate Wales

  • Housing Associations and Providers

  • Residential Care Homes

  • Community Care Service Companies

  • Representatives who act on behalf of individuals in a situation where the person does not have the capacity to make his/her own decisions.

  • Office of the Public Guardian

  • Banks and Building Societies

Information is shared in cases of genuine need, where we can improve the services that is provided to the individual. The information will not be shared unless there is a legal requirement to do so.  We will not transfer your information to another country.

For how long will we keep your information?

The Department will keep your information in accordance with the Department's policy about information involving children. We have a list of retention periods for the Department's work. For further information, please contact the Customer Care Officer. Your information will be disposed of securely once the retention period ends.

Will you be able to see what information the Department is keeping about you?

You have the right to ask for all the personal information the Department is keeping about you. In some circumstances, it will be possible to release all the information but in other circumstances this will not be possible, because:

  • it includes information about other people; or

  • that a professional believes that it would cause serious harm to the physical or mental well-being of the individual or anyone else.

If we cannot allow you access to your information we will explain the reason for refusal. 

How do I make a request to see the information the Department is keeping about me?

  • Download the application form to request access to personal information

  • Send us a letter or an e-mail

  • Ask in person

Usually, we will ask you to provide proof of identity.

As soon as we receive proof of your identity, we will then process your application within a month, or we have the right to extend this period to two months if the request is lengthy or complex.

How to contact us?

For more information, or if you wish to obtain a copy of the application form on e-mail or in the post, please contact us on the following:

Customer Care Officer – Children and Supporting Families

  • Tel: 01286 679151

  • E-mail: gcgc@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

  • Address: Customer Care Officer, Children and Supporting Families Department, Gwynedd Council, Shirehall Street, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH 

How can to get more information about your rights?

For more information go to the Privacy Statements and Cookies page.

Sharing your information with Welsh Government 

Some of the information held about you will be shared with Welsh Government. This will help them to carry out research to improve the care and support provided to you and other people in Wales. The information will be shared lawfully and will only be used by the Welsh Government for research in support of official business. 

What information will be shared with Welsh Government?

  • Some personal information about you, such as:

-       date of birth

-       gender

-       ethnic group

-       disability status

-       other health information 

  • Basic details of the care or support provided to you

  • Information from your school about your education

  • Your name will not be shared

  • Names of your family and/or carers will not be shared

  • Your address will not be shared

 

How will my information be used by Welsh Government?

  • To help with planning services for people in Wales

  • To measure how well services are being provided so that they can be improved

  • To help conduct research into people’s well-being - this may involve combining it with other information, e.g. health or education data

  • No action will be taken in relation to you personally

  • You will not be identified in any reports

  • Information will never be shared or combined in a way that could lead to you being identified

 

What are my rights relating to the use of my data?

  • Right to be informed (this notice)

  • Right to access the personal data Welsh Government holds on you

  • Right to (in certain circumstances) object or restrict processing of your information

  • Right to (in certain circumstances) for your data to be ‘erased’

  • Right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection

Is my information secure?

The information shared with Welsh Government will be sent and stored securely. It will only ever be shared with others under careful controls, to ensure it is only used in the ways listed here.

Is collecting the data lawful?

Welsh Government are collecting these data using powers set out in legislation and to ensure we are able to fulfil public functions and statutory requirements.

How long will you keep the data

Welsh Government will keep the data until the child / adults 25th birthday. After this point the data will be anonymised and continue to be used only for statistical and research purposes.

Further information

For a full description of the information being shared with Welsh Government; your rights and the relevant legal information; and complaints, please use the link below, or write to us via the address below.

  • Website: http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/local-authority-social-services-data-collections/?lang=en

  • Postal Address: Data Collection Team, Knowledge and Analytical Services, Welsh Government, Floor 4 South, CP2, Crown Buildings Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ

  • E-bost: stats.pss@gov.wales

 Purpose

The purpose of the Youth Engagement and Progression Framework is to identify and support young people 11-24 years old is to continue or re-engage with education, training or employment. 


Why do we collect your information?

We use information about you to:

  • identify young people most at risk of disengagement

  • identify young people not in education/employment and training

  • identify, broker and co-ordinate support for young people

  • ensure efficient tracking systems are in place

  • identify young people currently not accessing any mainstream support and/or provision.

  • support young people at key transition stages and ensure suitable provision is available.

  • prevent duplication of provision and ensure operational efficiency.

  • ensure greater accountability for better outcomes for young people


Justification for Collecting and Recording Personal Information

Part 1, Chapter 2 Education Act 1996
Section 2, Local Government Act 2000 


Data we are allowed to collect

  • Forename

  • Surname

  • Date of Birth

  • Address

  • Phone Number and contact details

  • Gender

  • Information about a physical or mental health condition

  • Information about Offenses

  • Qualifications achieved/results

  • Learner Profiling Tool Key Indicators

  • Details of any involvement with key organisations

  • Personal Barriers or circumstances contributing to young person being at risk of not engaging in education, training or employment. 

With whom will we share the information

In some circumstances the Council must share your information with external partners and the third sector if it is necessary to arrange appropriate support for you. These include the following:

  • Gwynedd Secondary School

  • Careers Wales

  • Grwp Llandrillo Menai

  • Gisda

  • Job Centre

  • North Wales Training

  • Agoriad Cyf

  • Action for Children

  • PaCE – Llywodraeth Cymru

  • Youth Justice Service

  • Probation Service

  • Sylfaen Cyf

  • European Social Fund Project Providers


For how long will we keep your information?

Your information will be held for a period of 7 years after the end of supporting individuals.


How do I make a request to see the information the Department is keeping about me?

To find information on how to request to see any information help, go to Privacy Notices and Cookies

What your personal information is used for 

The Youth Justice Service (YJS) uses information about children, young people and their families who receive a service to carry out specific functions to prevent offending or reoffending. We collect and hold information in order

  • to assess the needs of young people and offer help

  • to deliver the YJS across Gwynedd and Anglesey for service improvement, planning and performance

Why we are allowed to use your information

The Youth Justice Service (YJS) works with young people who come into contact with the criminal justice system because they have committed an offence or are at risk of offending.

The YJS collects and lawfully processes information about individuals under the following legislation:-

  • Crime and Disorder Act 1998

  • Criminal Justice Act 2003

  • Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

  • Offender Management Act 2007

  • Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1994

  • Children’s Act 1989

  • Children’s Act 2004

  • Social Services and Well-being Act (Wales) 2014

The type of personal information we collect

In order to provide our service users with high quality and safe services which are relevant to their needs, the YJS will collect and hold information about individuals. This may include, but is not limited to: 

  • basic details such as name, date of birth, address and contact details

  • parents/carers, family members - name, address, contact details

  • offending history

  • assessments

  • all contacts with the YJS

  • housing records

  • education records 

  • police reports 

  • information about victims of youth crime

We also collect the following special category data:

  • gender

  • ethnicity

  • religion

  • medical information

  • information from other professionals who may be involved e.g. CAMHS, substance misuse, speech and language 

We collect information in the following ways: 

  • face to face 

  • secure email

  • post

  • telephone

Who we will share your information with

Sharing information helps us to provide service users with the best interventions and support possible. We will only share relevant information about you with other services when they are involved in your care and support or where there is a legal basis for doing so. 

There are a range of professionals who may be involved in providing services to you and where necessary will be provided with relevant information about you. 

Agencies we share information with, or obtain information from include the following, but this list is not exhaustive:-

  • Police

  • Judicial agencies (HM courts and tribunal services, solicitors)

  • Children’s Social Care

  • National Probation Service

  • Health services (health visitors, school nurses, GP’s, consultants)

  • Education services/providers

  • Housing services/providers

  • Revenues and benefits

  • Drug and alcohol services

  • Prisons/secure estates

  • Other youth offending teams/services

  • Youth Justice Board

How your information is stored

The security of your personal information is important to us. The records we keep about you are secure and treated as confidential The Council has a range of procedures, policies and systems to ensure that access to your records are controlled appropriately. 

Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to only use the information for the purposes agreed and keep the information secure and confidential. 

Will this information be transferred abroad?

We do not process your personal data outside of the United Kingdom

Will your information be used to make automated decisions?

No the information will not be used to make automated decisions

How long we will keep your personal information and why

We must keep business records of our involvement with you in both paper and electronic format. The type of service you receive will determine how long we have to keep your personal information. Data is held no longer than is necessary.

For information about our retention periods, please contact the Council’s Data Protection Officer.

Your rights and details of the Data Protection Officer

For information about your rights, and details of the Council’s Data Protection Officer please see Privacy notice . 

 Purpose and legal basis for processing

Flying Start is a Welsh Government funded project.

Our purpose is to provide a service to parents and children under 4 years of age in disadvantaged areas in Gwynedd. This involves the provision of quality, part-time childcare for 2-3 year olds, an enhanced health visiting service, access to parenting programmes and speech, language and therapy support.

In order to do this we need to collect personal information about you and your family.

We must do this in line with data protection legislation, i.e. the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

The legal basis we rely on to process your personal data is article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR, which allows us to process personal data when this is necessary to perform our public task.

If the information you provide us contains special category data, such as health, religious or ethnic information the legal basis we rely on to process it are  articles 9(2)(g) and (h) of the GDPR which mean that we are processing in the substantial public interest and for health purposes.

What we need and why we need it

We will share information about you, such as your name and address. However, we will also share more detailed information about your child’s developmental needs and additional learning needs) . We do this in order to provide you with the best possible service and to tailor the support to your specific needs.

What do we do with it

We will record your details on our system. Your information may also be shared with relevant partners such as the health board, education, Barnados and childcare settings that are part of the scheme.

This will be done on a case by case basis and only if and when required

How long do we keep it

Your information will be kept in line with national retention guidance for public bodies.

Your rights

A number of rights are available under data protection legislation. For further information about your rights and details of the Council’s Data Protection Officer please see Your rights

 

February 2022

Purpose and legal basis for processing

We collect personal information about you and your child / young person in order to provide you with information, assessment, intervention and support. The information will not be used for any other purpose.

Our legal basis under the General Data Protection Regulation is Article 6(1)(c) public task and Article 9(2)(h) because it is part of our function to provide health and social care.

We will rely on your consent to share information with organisations outside health and social care.

What we collect

In broad terms we will collect and record information such as name, address, date of birth, contact details and relevant educational / medical information.

Who do we share it with

We will share the information with  Health Board staff eg community paediatricians and nurses, other Council departments and where necessary, with schools, colleges, GPs, nurseries and Carers Outreach.

How long we keep it

We will hold it in accordance with our retention policy. At the end of the retention period, the information will be securely destroyed.

Your rights

f you want to know more or make a complaint, please contact the Council's Data Protection Officer: DataProtectionOfficer@gwynedd.llyw.cymru 

Information for Families about our use of personal information

The information we collect about you is handled in accordance with data protection legislation. This means that the only records we can keep are relevant to the work we are doing with you. The records have to be accurate, up to date, secure and kept for a specific period only.

What information do we hold about you?

We record basic information about you, where you live, why you are using the Team Around the Family service and about the work that we are doing with you.

What is our legal basis for doing this?

Since we work under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 we do this as part of our public task under Article 6(1)(e) of the General Data Protection Regulation and Article (2)(h) for sensitive information.

Why and with who do we need to share information?

We share information with people who are working directly with you as a family, to make sure that they will be able to work together more effectively to ensure that your family receives the right help at the right time.

This will cut down the number of times you or your child may be asked the same basic questions over and over again by different people.

We share information with the Health Board, Barnado’s, Y Bont, Social Services, the Education Department and schools.

Official inspectors might look at your record to check that the Team Around the Family is working properly and keeping clear and accurate records.

How long we keep your information?

We will your information for up to 25 years.

Your rights

You have the right to see information held about you and your child. For further information about your rights and details of the Data Protection Officer, please go to the Rights section of our website. 

Gwynedd Council Sharing of Personal Data in Respect of Children Receiving Care and Support for Parents / Carers

The Council process personal data on a day-to-day basis. We hold certain information about you this is known as personal data. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and any information we hold will be processed in line with the principles set out by ICO Regulations, which we must comply with.

We will:

  • Continue to strengthen our processes for maintaining the privacy of all personal information we hold.
  • Have need for all our employees to comply fully with Data Protection law.
  • Only hold the minimum personal information needed to allow us to perform our role as a Council.
  • Delete personal information once the need to hold it has passed.
  • Access and process all personal information in line with fair processing set out upon collecting information from Individuals.
  • Design our systems and processes to comply with data protection principles.
  • Take immediate action if we discover that our policies are not being complied with.

This notice is designed to give you information about the data we hold about you, how we use it, your rights in relation to it and the safeguards that are in place to protect it.


What personal data we hold and how we obtain it
The types of personal data we hold and process about you can include:

  • Contact details, including name, address, telephone numbers and email address.
  • Identifying details, including date of birth, national insurance number and employee and membership numbers.
  • Information that is used to calculate and assess eligibility for benefits
  • Financial information relevant to the calculation or payment of benefits, for example, bank account and tax details.
  • Information about your family, dependents or personal circumstances, where required by a relevant service
  • Information about your health where required by a relevant service such as Social Services
  • Information about a criminal convictions where relevant.

Where you have provided us with personal data about other individuals, such as family members or dependants please ensure that those individuals are aware of the information contained within this notice.


How we will use your personal data
We may process your personal data to fulfil our obligations and this can include the processing of your personal data for all or any of the following purposes:

  • to contact you.
  • to assess eligibility for our services including calculating and providing you with benefits.
  • to identify your potential or actual benefit options.
  • for statistical and reference purposes
  • to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations as a Local Authority
  • to address queries from you and to respond to any actual or potential disputes concerning you.
  • Employment


Organisations that we may share your personal data with
From time to time we will share your personal data with partner organisations and service providers so that they can help us carry out our duties, rights and discretions in relation to the services we provide. Some of those organisations will simply process your personal data on our behalf and in accordance with our instructions. In each case we will only share data to the extent that we consider the information is reasonably required for these purposes.

Any Personal Information we hold will be disclosed, with reasonable purpose to:

  • Our staff – where the information is vital and required for their work.
  • The Courts – under the direction of a Court Order.
  • Our partners – strictly in line with agreed procedures.
  • Others – as detailed in the Council’s Data Protection registration.

Under the Digital Economy Act 2017, the Council may share personal data provided to us with other Council’s for the purposes of fraud, crime detection/prevention, to improve public service delivery, statistical research.

Gwynedd Council has a duty to protect the public fund it manages. Therefore, the information that you have provided to us may be used for the prevention and detection of fraud or shared with Council Officers responsible for auditing or administering public funds.

Where requested or if we consider that it is reasonably required, we may also provide your data to government bodies and dispute resolution and law enforcement organisations, including those listed above, the Pensions Regulator, the Pensions Ombudsman and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). They may then use the data to carry out their legal functions.

In some cases these recipients may be outside the UK. This means your personal data may be transferred outside the EEA to a jurisdiction that may not offer an equivalent level of protection as is required by EEA countries. If this occurs, we are obliged to verify that appropriate safeguards are implemented with a view to protecting your data in accordance with applicable laws. Please use the contact details below if you want more information about the safeguards that are currently in place.


How long we keep your personal data
We will only keep your personal data for as long as we need to in order to fulfil the purpose(s) for which it was collected and for so long afterwards as we consider may be required to deal with any questions or complaints that we may receive, unless we elect to retain your data for a longer period to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.


Your rights
You have a right to access and obtain a copy of the personal data that the Council holds about you and to ask the Authority to correct your personal data if there are any errors or it is out of date. In some circumstances you may also have a right to ask the Council to restrict the processing of your personal data until any errors are corrected, to object to processing or to transfer or (in very limited circumstances) erase your personal data.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights or have any queries or concerns regarding the processing of your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer as indicated below. You also have the right to lodge a complaint in relation to this privacy notice or the Councils processing activities with the Information Commissioner’s Office which you can do through the website below or their telephone helpline.

You can obtain further information about these rights from the Information Commissioner’s Office or via their telephone helpline 0303 123 1113.


The legal basis for our use of your personal data
The Council holds personal data about you in its capacity as data controller. This includes the need to process your data to contact you, to calculate, secure and pay your benefits, for statistical and reference purposes. Further information about how we use your personal data is provided below.

The legal basis for our use of your personal data will generally be one or more of the following:

  • we need to process your personal data to satisfy our legal obligations as the Local Authority
  • we need to process your personal data to carry out a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority in our capacity as a public body; [and/or]
  • because we need to process your personal data to meet our contractual obligations to you
  • processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interested of the data subject or of another natural person


Updating this notice
We may update this notice periodically. Where we do this we will inform you of the changes and the date on which the changes take effect.

If you want to know more or make a complaint, please contact the Council's Data Protection Officer: DataProtectionOfficer@gwynedd.llyw.cymru