How we use your personal information for Fostering Recruitment purposes
The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them. Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with.
We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for the Fostering Recruitment purposes. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice.
1. Who we are, what we do.
Foster Wales RCT are the fostering service who manage all fostering related enquiries and assessment of fostering applicants and the support of approved foster carers for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.
Our dedicated regional recruitment team manage all fostering enquiries received by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Bridgend County Borough Council to the point that potential candidates are allocated for assessment.
You can read more about the stages to become a foster carer at https://www.fostercwmtaf.co.uk
2. What and whose personal information we hold?
Whether you’re making enquiries or wanting to apply to become a foster carer we will process information on you, your partner – 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 – 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.
4. What will we do with your personal information?
We will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry.
If you decide to continue with your fostering application we will carry out a home visit and gather more information from you 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
Social Services & Well being (Wales) Act 2014
Childrens Act 1989
Children Act 2004
6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?
Your personal information is not shared with any other organisation by the fostering recruitment team. Your information will be shared internally with the fostering assessment team to determine your suitability to become a foster carer.
If our initial visit is successful and you are invited to proceed to full assessment, you will be asked to complete an application form. At this point you will be asked by our fostering assessment team to give consent for your personal information to be shared with other organisations who are an essential part of your full assessment. Further details will be provided about these other organisations should you progress to full assessment.
7. How long will my information be kept?
We will keep your information for as long as we manage your enquiry.
If you are deemed suitable to go forward for assessment we will keep your information for the duration of your assessment. If you do not want to proceed to be allocated for assessment, we will retain your information in our database for12 monthsfrom the date your enquiry is closed.
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.
Click here for further information on your information rights and how to exercise them.
9. Contact us
We welcome your comments regarding this Statement of Privacy. If you believe that fostercwmtaf.co.uk has not adhered to this Statement, please contact us:
By email at enquiries@fostercwmtaf.co.uk
By telephone on 01443 425007
In writing at fostercwmtaf.co.uk, Ty Trevithick, Abercynon, Mountain Ash, CF45 4UQ.