privacy policy
1. Who we are, what we do.
Foster Wales Monmouthshire are the fostering service that manage all fostering related enquiries for Monmouthshire County Council.
Our team manage all fostering enquiries to the point that potential candidates are approved and beyond.
This notice is provided for clarification on what information the council needs in order to process enquiries to foster. It is necessary for the council to gather, collect, store and process personal information relating to claimants. The council puts measures in place to protect the privacy of individuals throughout this process
Who is responsible for your information?
All personal information is held and processed by Monmouthshire County Council in accordance with Data Protection legislation. For information on the role of the Data Controller, Data Protection Officer and Contact Details for the Council, please refer to the ‘Data Protection’ page of the Council’s website:
https://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/your-privacy/
2. What and whose personal information we hold?
If you are making an enquiry to become a foster carer, the information obtained is only in relation to your enquiry to foster and will only be used to contact you to discuss your enquiry further. If we are relying on your consent to process your data, you have the right to withdraw your consent to this processing at any point.
Separate consents will be required for any other personal information needed to continue with the fostering process.
If you are going through the process of assessment to become a foster carer we will process information on you, your partner and anyone in your household who will be involved in the process.
This can include;
Personal information – name, date of birth, address, contact details (telephone number/email address), employment, information about your family/relationships and previous partners.
Special category information – sometimes we process special category information which is afforded more protection under the Data Protection Act. This is because special category data is deemed to be more sensitive such as any health issues you may have, ethnicity, previous criminal convictions and any previous involvement with social services.
3. Where does the service get my information from?
From you, at the point of making your enquiry/application and if this progresses, during the home visit/assessment stage.
Providing accurate information
It is important that we hold accurate and up to date information about you in order to assess your needs and deliver the appropriate services. If any of your details have changed, or change in the future, please ensure that you tell us as soon as possible so that we can update your records.
4. What will we do with your personal information?
We will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry.
If it is decided to continue with your enquiry to foster, we will gather more information from you with your consent to help us determine if you are suitable to become a foster carer.
We may monitor and record calls made to us, or calls that we make to you.
5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?
Data Protection law says that we are allowed to use and share personal information only where we have a proper and lawful reason for doing so.
Our lawful basis for processing fostering enquiries and applications is to comply with;
Local Authority Fostering Services (Wales) Regulation 2018 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2018/1339/contents/made and code of practice https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-05/local-authority-fostering-services-code-of-practice.pdf
The Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2018/1333/contents/made
Social Services & Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2014/4/contents
The Children Act 1989
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/contents
Children Act 2004
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/31/contents
6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?
The main users of your personal information are Monmouthshire County Council. Your personal information is not shared with any other organisation at the point of enquiry. Your information will be shared with your consent if the enquiry proceeds, for the fostering team to determine your suitability to become a foster carer.
At this point you will be asked by our fostering assessment team to give consent for your personal information to be shared internally. Should you progress to full assessment you will be asked for consent for your personal information to be shared with other persons/organisations who are an essential part of your full assessment. Further details will be provided about these other persons/organisations should you progress to full assessment.
Other data controllers may also be responsible for your information, depending on the specific circumstances. Please contact the service area for further information.
7. How long will my information be kept?
We will only keep your personal data for as long as we need to in order to fulfil the purpose(s) for which it was collected and for so long afterwards as we consider may be required to deal with any questions or complaints that we may receive, unless we elect to retain your data for a longer period to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations. Anonymised data may be kept for statistical purposes. You can withdraw your consent to this at any time by contacting us.
8. Your information, your rights.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.
Further information on your rights and how to exercise them:
The Data Protection Act gives you a number of rights. Please note that not all of these rights are absolute and we will need to consider your request upon receipt. You have the right to request:
- to have your data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete;
- to have your data erased;
- to restrict the processing of your data;
- to exercise your right to data portability;
- to object to the processing for the purposes of direct marketing, profiling and automated decision making.
Any individual with concerns over the way Monmouthshire County Council handles their personal data may contact the Data Protection Officer at the Council as below:
Data Protection and Information Manager, Digital Programme Office, County Hall, The Rhadyr, Usk, NP15 1GA.
E mail: dataprotection@monmouthshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01633 644644
You can also raise concerns with the Information Commissioner for Wales. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales
2nd Floor
Churchill House
Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH
Telephone: 02920 678400 Fax: 02920 678399
Email: wales@ico.org.uk Website: https://ico.org.uk/
9. Contact us
We welcome your comments regarding this Statement of Privacy. If you believe that Foster Wales Monmouthshire has not adhered to this Statement, please contact us:
By email at: foster@monmouthshire.gov.uk
By telephone on: 01873 735950
In writing at: County Hall, The Rhadyr, Usk, NP15 1GA.