Family Information Service privacy notice

Privacy notice for customers who access the service as part of our statutory duty to provide information on the provision of early years and childcare in West Sussex.

The Family Information Service offer:

  • free, impartial, information, advice and guidance on activities, services, early years and childcare to all families
  • help to find finding Ofsted registered childcare
  • support with queries around Early Years Funded Entitlement
  • extra help for parents and carers with bespoke childcare needs
  • advice and support with starting school, early education and learning, support groups and services

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

The information you provide helps us deliver our services effectively.

Personal and special category data

The types of personal data we hold may include:

  • contact details
  • parent or carer details
  • National Insurance and National Asylum Seeker Service number
  • date of birth
  • ethnicity
  • personal characteristics relating to family health and environment
  • special educational needs and disabilities
  • family status (one or two parent family)
  • employment status

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 accurate, processed fairly and lawfully, 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 legal basis for processing special category data

This personal data is recorded to enable the Family Information Service to evaluate the quality and usefulness of the service and enables the service to identify our reach to ensure we are meeting the needs of the whole community.

How we use your personal information

We may also receive information from other professionals in West Sussex and professionals from within the NHS.

We use personal data in accordance with our how we use personal data and specifically to:

  • provide families with information on early years and childcare provision across West Sussex
  • understand the childcare needs across West Sussex and identify gaps in childcare sufficiency
  • share correspondence and relevant information that you have requested
  • provide you with appropriate services including from external agencies
  • identify childcare, activities and support services to suit individual families’ needs
  • anonymised statistical data to monitor the effectiveness of our service

Who we share your information with

From time to time, West Sussex County Council are required to pass on some of this data to:

  • other local authorities
  • central Government departments, for example the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
  • agencies that are prescribed by law
  • Ofsted

Personal and special category data will not be shared without consent unless there is a legal obligation to do so.

See our Privacy Policy if you require more information about how we use this data.

How long we 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.

 
Last updated:
30 January 2025
Share this

Also in Privacy notices


Share this

Help us improve this website

Let us know if this page was helpful so we can make improvements. Leave your feedback below to show how useful you found this page.

  • West Sussex County Council will only use this email address to respond to any issues raised.