We use cookies to improve our service. By using this site, you agree to this use. Accept and close Carers' Log-in Search form Download Info Booklet Make a difference... foster with Brighton & Hove call 01273 295444 You are here Home » Privacy notice Privacy notice Who are we? Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) collects, uses and is responsible for certain personal information about you. When we do so we are regulated under the General Data Protection Regulation which applies across the European Union (including in the United Kingdom) and we are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information for the purposes of those laws. Our Data Protection Officer is Benjamin Watts. The Fostering Service approves, supports and pays foster carers, and provides them with ongoing support, guidance and training to ensure they are fully skilled to be effective foster carers. The service also works with BHCC foster carers and a range of fostering agencies to ensure that children are placed with the most appropriate family. The personal information we collect and use Information collected by us In the course of approving and supervising foster carers we collect the following personal information when you provide it to us: Personal information (such as name, address, contact details, date of birth, gender, language) Special category characteristics (such as ethnicity, disability, religion and medical information) Family network and relationship information Employment information Financial information Information relating to assessments and approvals for suitability to foster children We also obtain personal information from other sources as follows: The local authority in whose area you live in Other BHCC departments NSPCC Disclosure and Barring Service Past and Present Employer Social Media References (personal and employment) Previous partners Health Schools How we use your personal information We use your personal information to: Process foster carer applications Assess suitability to become a foster carer Monitor the progress and stability of placements, to safeguard and support children Provide ongoing support, advice and training to foster carers Prevent or detect crime or fraud Assess and evaluate our services Inform future service planning and the commissioning of services Ensure that foster carers receive the correct payments How long your personal data will be kept We keep your information securely in line with the retention periods shown below, after which time it is archived or securely destroyed, except where required by legal reasons. In these instances BHCC will retain records for longer than the stated retention period. Category Retention Period Foster Carers Approved by BHCC - Including any person with whom a child is placed (under Regulation 34 or 38 of the Fostering Services Regulations 2002) and records of foster carer applicants who are not approved Date of last contact with Foster Carers +75 years. Finance and Procurement: Financial Services: Payments: All records relating to the payment of foster carers 6 years Reasons we can collect and use your personal information We collect and use your personal information to comply with our legal obligations under The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. If we need to collect special category (sensitive) personal information, we rely upon reasons of substantial public interest (equality of opportunity or treatment), for social security or social protection law, and for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims whenever Courts are acting in their judicial capacity. Who we share your personal information with Brighton and Hove City Council teams including Finance and children’s services Ofsted (in the event of a local authority inspection of children’s services) Other Local Authorities Fostering Agencies - Regulation 26(1A) gives the fostering service undertaking the current assessment the power to request access to records about the applicant held by the fostering service or adoption agency which granted the approval (provided that the applicant consents). We will share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities if required by applicable law. Your Rights Under the GDPR you have a number of rights which you can exercise free of charge which allow you to: Right to correction (Ask us to correct any mistakes in the information we hold about you) Right of access (Ask to see what information we hold about you (Subject Access Requests) Right to object to process (Withdraw consent if applicable) We will always seek to comply with your request however we may be required to hold or use your information to comply with legal duties. Please note: your request may delay or prevent us delivering a service to you. For further information about your rights, including the circumstances in which they apply, see the guidance from the UK Information Commissioners Office (ICO) on individuals’ rights under the General Data Protection Regulation. If you would like to exercise a right, please contact the Data Protection Team at data.protection@brighton-hove.gov.uk. Keeping your personal information secure We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, or used or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so. Who to Contact Please contact the Data Protection at data.protection@brighton-hove.gov.uk or 01273 295959 to exercise any of your rights, or if you have a complaint about why your information has been collected, how it has been used or how long we have kept it for. The General Data Protection Regulation also gives you right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The supervisory authority in the UK is the Information Commissioner who may be contacted at https://ico.org.uk/concerns or telephone 03031 231113. What is fostering? Why foster with us? Support and training Supported Lodgings Working and fostering How much will I get paid? How do I become a foster carer? Our diverse fostering community Fostering stories Contact Us Brighton & Hove City Council Moulsecoomb Hub South Hodshrove Lane Brighton East Sussex BN2 4SE Tel: 01273 295444 Lines open: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm Friday, 9am to 4.30pm fosteringrecruitment@brighton-hove.gov.uk Further Information Kinship Care Meet the team Accessibility BHCC Links Site Map Privacy notice Links & Resources [ + ] Feedback