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Fostering services privacy notice

Who is the data controller?

Liverpool City Council is the data controller for the information that you provide. Fostering Services is committed to protecting your personal information and ensuring that processes and procedures are in place to make us compliant with data protection regulations.

Why we collect your data

The purposes for which the data will be used are:

  • The recruitment, training, assessment and approval of persons wishing to become foster carers, including those persons who wish to become foster carers for family members –referred to as family and friends foster carers or connected foster carers.
  • Support and supervision of all foster carers registered with the city council.
  • Training and development of all foster carers registered with the city council.
  • Placement finding and matching exercises for children requiring placements with foster carers registered with the city council

It is very important that we are able to plan, monitor and realign our delivery of services to meet the needs of Liverpool’s children and families’. To do this, we carefully and responsibly use the information we collect. Where personal information is used for statistical purposes we will ensure it is anonymised.

In certain cases, such as safeguarding inquiries and criminal investigations we are legally obliged to provide information to the police. However we have procedures in place that allows this to be carried out in a secure and confidential manner.

What is the legal basis for collecting and processing this data?

All organisations must provide a legal basis for processing your information. In most cases this is found in the new data laws of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

The Fostering Services (England) Regulations, 2011 allows Liverpool City Council to provide Fostering services. Article 9 of the GDPR also requires us to process your information based on your explicit and informed consent, with associated data subjects’ rights applicable at all stages.

The information we may collect

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

Who will your information be shared with?

Liverpool Fostering services works in collaboration with a number of local authorities and third party agencies.

  • Where you agree to the placement of a child from another fostering service we will share your information with that fostering service.
  • We are required to provide your data for the purpose of statutory data collection by external agencies including OFSTED.
  • If you apply to another fostering agency for the purposes of fostering or adoption the agency can ask to see the information that Liverpool Fostering services may hold about you.
  • Where directed to by the court in any family proceedings.
  • Foster panel, Foster Talk, Fostering Network, NSPCC

We are statutory obliged to protect public funds, which include allowances and discretionary payments made to foster carers. In some circumstances we will be required to share information to authorised bodies for the prevention and detection of fraud.

  • Foster Talk – we purchase membership for carers and access independent support.
  • Fostering Network - we purchase membership for carers.
  • NSPCC - to access support services
  • GP and authorised NHS agencies
  • Other local authorities, independent fostering agencies and assessors would be able to view files if carers transfer to them, or if a safeguarding issue arises.

How long will you keep this information for?

This information is set out in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. In addition we will keep your information for a period of time (1 year) where you do not proceed from enquiry to application to enable us to complete our statutory annual fostering return. Please see What we do with your data for the council's full retention schedule.

How will my information be stored?

Your information will be stored securely on our computer databases. Access to these databases will be restricted to those who are entitled to view and process your data. If the information is collected in a paper format we will also ensure it is kept secure and destroyed when no longer required.

Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?

No

Will my data be transferred abroad?

No

What rights do I have when it comes to my data?

You have a number of rights that are set out on the How to access your data page of this section.

Where can I get advice?

View our Help and advice page for more information.