Supporting Families Privacy Notice

This privacy notice explains how we use personal information when delivering our Supporting Families service. The service works with families who face multiple challenges, helping them to access coordinated support that improves outcomes for children and adults. We aim to identify families who need help early, provide tailored interventions, and monitor progress as part of the Government’s Supporting Families Programme.

We work closely with families, schools, health professionals, housing providers, police, and other agencies to ensure support is joined-up and effective. This notice sets out what information we collect, how we use it, who we may share it with, how long we keep it, and how we protect your privacy.

What information we collect, use, and why

Whenever you contact us, whether in person, by phone, or online, we collect certain information to provide the Supporting Families service. This helps us identify you, understand your circumstances, and deliver tailored support. We categorise the information we collect into three main types: personal data, special category data, and (where relevant) criminal data.

Personal data

Special category data

Criminal data

Sources of Information

We primarily collect information directly from you and your family. However, we may also receive information from:

• Central Government Agencies
• Other Local Authorities
• Health and social care providers
• Police and probation services
• Education providers
• Commissioned partners
• Members of the public (referrers)
• Family members

What is your personal information used for?

We use your information to:

• Assess family needs and deliver tailored support: to understand your circumstances and provide the right interventions for your family.
• Coordinate multi-agency support: to work with health, education, housing, police, and other partners to ensure services are joined-up and effective.
• Deliver the Government’s Supporting Families Programme: including evidencing positive outcomes for funding and reporting purposes.
• Support early help and prevention: to identify issues before they escalate and reduce risks such as neglect, crime, or homelessness.
• Monitor and improve service quality: to check how our services are performing, request feedback, and make improvements.
• Plan and develop services: using anonymised data for research, service planning, and performance reporting.
• Detect and prevent crime or fraud: to protect public funds and ensure services are used appropriately.
• Fulfil legal and statutory duties: under legislation such as the Children Act 2004, Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and other relevant laws.

Who do we share your information with?

We share your information only when it is necessary, lawful, and relevant to deliver the Supporting Families service. This includes sharing with:

• Health service providers (e.g., NHS, GPs, hospitals): to ensure you receive appropriate medical care and coordinate health-related support.
• Education providers (schools, colleges, nurseries): to improve school attendance and support children’s learning.
• Social care services: to safeguard children and vulnerable adults and provide joined-up family support.
• Housing services and providers: to address housing needs and prevent homelessness.
• Police and probation services: to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and support rehabilitation.
• Fire and rescue services: to ensure family safety and provide fire prevention advice.
• Domestic abuse and substance misuse services: to provide specialist interventions for families affected by these issues.
• Youth justice services: to support young people involved in the justice system and reduce reoffending.
• Government departments (e.g., Department for Work & Pensions, Department for Education, Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities): to comply with statutory reporting and evidence programme outcomes.
• Public Health teams: to monitor health trends and improve community wellbeing.
• Commissioned partners and voluntary organisations: to deliver specific support services as part of the programme.

All organisations receiving your information are required to handle it securely and in accordance with data protection legislation.

By sharing your information with these organisations, we aim to provide you with comprehensive and coordinated support, ensuring your needs are met effectively and efficiently.

Data Processors

We use data processors to support the delivery of the Supporting Families service and ensure your information is managed securely and efficiently. Data processors act on our instructions and are required to comply with data protection legislation.

Examples include:

• Case management systems: used to securely store family information, assessments, and progress reports. Access is restricted to authorised staff.
• Council-approved IT and cloud service providers: host and protect data, including scanned documents and internal records.
• Secure communication platforms (e.g., Gov.UK Notify): used to send updates and reminders about your case.
• Contact centre systems (e.g., Qwest Services, Firmstep): log enquiries and maintain accurate records of your interactions with us.

All data processors are contractually required to handle your information securely and only use it for the purposes specified by us.

Data Controller

We are the Data Controller for this processing.

The lawful basis for processing

We do not rely on consent as a lawful basis for processing personal or special category data under UK GDPR.

We process personal data under:

UK GDPR Article 6(1)(e) - Public Task:
Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority. This includes fulfilling our statutory duties provide early help and family support under legislation such as:

• Children Act 2004
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Education Act 2002
• Local Government Act 2000
• Digital Economy Act 2017
• Children and Families Act 2014

We process special category data under:

UK GDPR Article 9(2)(g) - Substantial Public Interest, supported by Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 1, Part 2, including:

• Safeguarding of children and individuals at risk
• Support for individuals with a particular disability or medical condition 
• Preventing or detecting unlawful acts
• Equality of opportunity or treatment

This allows us to process health information, ethnicity data, and other sensitive details where necessary to deliver family support and safeguard vulnerable individuals.

International data transfers

The Supporting Families service primarily stores and processes personal information within the United Kingdom. In exceptional circumstances, personal data may be transferred outside the UK. This could occur when:

• a family has recently arrived from another country and relevant information is required from overseas agencies
• a family is relocating abroad, and information is shared with a new authority or organisation to support continuity of care
• an international organisation is involved in supporting the family and requires relevant details to coordinate services

When personal data is transferred internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information. These safeguards include:

• Adequacy decisions: ensuring the destination country has been recognised by the UK government as providing an adequate level of data protection.
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs): legally binding agreements that ensure your data is protected to UK standards.
• Technical and organisational measures: including encryption, access controls, and secure data handling procedures.

We only transfer personal data internationally where it is necessary, proportionate, and lawful. Where the transfer is based on your request, we will seek your written consent before sharing the information.

Retention period

We will only use your personal information while delivering the Supporting Families service and to deal with any queries or complaints unless the law requires us to keep it for a longer period.

In practice, this means:

• Data relating to adult social care: retained for 6 years plus current year, after last contact.
• Data relating to looked-after children: retained until their 75th birthday, or 15 years from the date of death if the child dies before 18.
• Data relating to special educational needs: retained until the child’s 31st birthday.
• Data relating to other children’s services: retained for 25 years from last involvement.
• Data relating to the protection of vulnerable adults: retained for 10–30 years, depending on case complexity.
• Data relating to mental health support: retained for 20 years.

If we use your information for research or reporting purposes, it will be anonymised. Any notes taken during consultation sessions will be securely destroyed. Anonymised information may be used in research reports or papers and held in public archives indefinitely where it is of historic interest.

Your rights

The UK GDPR provides you with several rights to control what personal information is used by us and how it is used by us. More information can be found on our data protection for you page.

Further guidance about these rights can be accessed from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website

If you are not happy about the way your personal data is being used, or you require further information about how we process your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Team online or by post:

• Contact the DPO
• By post: Data Protection Officer, The Portal, Wellington Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office using the following details:

• Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website
• Instant message: ICO Live Chat
• By post: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
• Phone: 0303 123 1113