This privacy notice is designed to help you understand how and why the fostering service processes your personal data. This notice should be read in conjunction with our corporate privacy notice.
Who are we?
North Yorkshire Council is a ‘data controller’ as defined by Article 4(7) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The fostering service is responsible for processing data relating to foster carers and the children and young people they look after.
We have appointed Veritau Ltd to be our data protection officer.
Their contact details are:
Information Governance Office
Veritau
West Offices
Station Rise
York
North Yorkshire
YO1 6GA
Email: infogov@northyorks.gov.uk
Tel: 01904 552848
What personal information do we collect?
In order to deliver our Fostering service, we will need to collect both personal and special category data, specifically:
Personal data collected:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- family composition
- contact details
- relationships information
- personal referees
- housing information
- family history
- financial information
Special category data collected:
- ethnicity
- religion
- health information
- police involvement/convictions
Why do we collect your personal information?
We are required to collect data regarding children in care in order to meet legal responsibilities. The Children Act 1989 requires councils to make sure children in care are safe and well. This involves supporting children in places that meet their needs. For some children this is foster care.
Purpose of processing your data:
- fostering service delivery, namely processing your enquiry to become a foster carer
- ensuring children are receiving a high level of care and support
- service improvement
Who do we share this information with?
In the course of performing our legal duties, we may share your information with a number of agencies who are key to delivering our service.
Within the council:
- social work practitioners and senior managers
- independent reviewing officers
The Safeguarding team Agencies we share information with:
- Ofsted
- health agencies
- police
- other local authorities
- education providers
- the fostering network
- fostertalk
How long do we keep your information?
The following table details the retention periods for records relating to the foster care service:
| Data held | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Client records relating to the provision of foster care | 75 years from the date of birth of the child |
| Records relating to the creation and management of providing foster care places | 6 years from when process changes |
What is our lawful basis for processing your information?
With regard to personal data:
Article 6(1)(c) – legal obligation: the processing is necessary to comply with the law
With regard to special category data:
Article 9(2)(h) – Provision of health and social care
The legislations, policies and guidance that relates to this service include but is not limited to:
- children act 1989
- boarding out of children regulations 1991
- children's home regulations 2001
- fostering services regulations 2011
- national minimum standards 2011
- care planning, placement and case review regulations 2010 (amended)
For more information about how we use your data, including your privacy rights and the complaints process, please see our corporate privacy notice.