This privacy notice explains:
- how personal information is going to be used
- what it is used for
- who it might be shared with and why
- how long it is kept.
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Educational Psychology Service (EPS) and Portage Home Visiting Service's clients include:
- parent/carers
- children and young people
- schools and settings.
The information you provide helps us undertake our work with children and young people effectively. It also helps us to identify and provide appropriate support for children, young people and their families. This includes the provision of psychological advice as part of the education, health and care needs assessment process.
Personal and special category data
The categories of personal data we are processing are:
- personal information, such as name, address, contact, date of birth, gender, parent or carer details, including information about your family and your child
- GP details
- current school/unique pupil reference number
- exclusion from education details
- child in care status
- assigned professionals/practitioner details
- safeguarding information
- special category characteristics, including medical information such as physical or mental health details
- reasons for the request for Portage or EPS involvement, including any learning or behavioural areas of concern
- assessment information, including details of any assessments carried out and next steps identified
- notes made and reports written following the involvement of the EPS and/or Portage
- images, which may include audio and video recording, photographs and paper records that support our work
- feedback from service users following their work with the EPS and/or Portage teams.
We may also receive information from:
- schools and other educational settings from within and outside of WSCC
- other organisations, including health and social care teams
- other WSCC teams within the Children and Families, Health and Education (CAFHE) directorate
- your GP in regard to your health
- other local authorities.
Data Controller
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) complies with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It is registered as a ‘Data Controller’ with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Reg. No. Z6413427).
You can find details for the WSCC Data Protection Officer (DPO) on our Privacy Policy.
We ensure that your personal data is processed fairly and lawfully, accurate, kept secure and retained for no longer than is necessary.
The legal basis for processing personal data
Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.
The additional legal bases that govern and direct the delivery of services is as follows (list is not exhaustive):
- statutory code: Special Educational Needs and Disability code of practice: 0-25 years (2014).
For additional/specific interventions we will seek your consent where this is required.
The legal basis for processing special category data
- Where there is substantial public interest (equality of opportunity or treatment).
- Processing is necessary for the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of law or a contract with a health professional.
If a child or other person is considered to be at risk of significant harm, people working with them will have a duty of care to share the information with the relevant services without consent.
How we use your personal information
Our Privacy Policy determines how we use personal data. We use it specifically to:
- undertake accurate assessments and make recommendations regarding support for children and young people
- consult with adults, for example parents, carers, school and setting staff
- provide a written report outlining areas of a child or young person’s strengths and difficulties and the support required for these
- measure whether our services are undertaking their statutory tasks in a timely way
- help us develop and improve our services through evaluation and quality assurance
- engage in professional supervision to develop and maintain our professional practice.
Who we share your information with
We may pass data to:
- internal departments, including teams within WSCC working to improve outcomes for children and young people
- teams outside of WSCC working to improve outcomes for children and young people, including doctors, paediatricians and other health workers
- other local authorities (education, social care and relevant housing and employment and other services)
- youth Offending Teams and relevant youth custodial establishments
- other third-party organisations, as allowed by law
- other partner agencies that provide services on our behalf
- agencies with whom we have a duty to co-operate, such as police and probation service
- HM Court Services
Anonymised data may be used to celebrate and/promote the work of the service/s.
We will not share data with third-parties for marketing purposes.
How long we will keep your personal data
Personal data will not be retained for longer than is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are collected.
The council is currently reviewing and updating its retention policies. See our records management page for published retention schedules.
Your rights
See our Privacy Policy for more information on your rights.
Complaints
See our Privacy Policy for information about making a complaint.