Visually Impaired Service: Privacy notice

Introduction

This notice provides additional privacy information regarding the types of personal information that the Visually Impaired Service may collect from you during our interactions with you and your child. It is important you read this privacy notice so you can be fully aware of how and why we are using the personal data that we collect or process.

We will keep our privacy notice under regular review and will advise you of any updates on our website.

This Notice was last reviewed in November 2023.

Who we are

The Visually Impaired Service provides support for children and young people with a diagnosed or suspected vision loss; their families; and education settings.

For the purposes of Data Protection legislation, South Tyneside Council is the Data Controller.

What type of personal information do we collect?

To allow us to work effectively with your child/young person, we may collect the following types of personal information about your child/ young person:

Their Name
Their Address
Their Date of Birth
Their Sex/ gender
Medical information related to vision status and other relevant conditions.
Details of your child's educational, health and social care needs

To allow us to work effectively with your child/young person and your family, we may collect the following types of personal information about you:

Your name
Address
Telephone number
Email address

How do we collect personal information?

We may collect your personal information in a number of ways, for example:

Referrals from parents, NHS departments, nurseries or schools
In writing - for example letter or email
During telephone calls
Enquiries received from the following organisations:
- NHS
- Nurseries, schools or colleges
- Social care services
- SEND services
- Other Council services that work with your family

Why do we collect your personal information?

We collect your child's and your personal information in relation to the support work that we carry out with your child/ young person. The information allows us to provide effective services for your child/young person.

We also need to record contact details in order to respond to request for service. We need to know relevant personal information in order to help us locate any records we hold on you.

The medical information informs the support that we carry out with your child and the advice that we offer to SEND Services (Education, Health and Care Plan assessments); nurseries, schools, colleges; and other Services.

We also receive enquiries from organisations listed in section 4 above who will provide personal details of the individuals they are making enquiries about.

Who might we share your personal information with?

Education settings that your child attends - for example their school or nursery
NHS professionals who support your child such as Ophthalmologist; Paediatricians; Physiotherapist; Occupational Therapist: Health Visitors; School Nurses; Children and Adolescents' Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Other Council education services that work directly with your child such as SEND Service; Portage and Preschool Service; Hearing Impaired Service; Attendance Service.
Habilitation Specialists.
Social Care Services who are working with your child or your family.
Agencies with whom we have a duty to cooperate with

We will not share your personal information with any other third parties unless you have specifically asked us to, or if we have a legal obligation to do so.

How long will we keep your personal information?

We will hold your child's personal information relating to performing our public tasks and enquiries, for 30 years following your child's date of birth. At the end of this period, all information stored about you, will be deleted unless there is a special reason for keeping it.

What is our legal basis for using your personal information?

To use your personal information there must be a lawful basis to do this, such as, through a contract, performing a public task or where there is a legal obligation.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

(e) Public task: the processing is necessary to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.

Special category data is personal data which the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) say is more sensitive, and so needs more protection. Data regarding health and/or data relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is Special Category information. In order to process special category data, we must identify both a lawful basis under GDPR and a separate condition for processing special category data.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing Special category information are:

(g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)

How do we keep your personal information secure?

Information provided to the Visually Impaired Service is held securely on our council network. Your information is protected using up to date technical security measures.

Is your personal information used overseas?

We will not process your personal information outside of Great Britain.

What are your rights?

Your individual rights are set out in law. Subject to some legal exemptions, you have the following rights:

Right to be informed
Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to erasure
Right to restrict processing
Right to data portability
Right to object
Rights in relating to automated decision making and profiling

Contact us

If you would like to exercise your rights in relation to your personal information, or you feel that something has gone wrong with your personal information, you can contact us in either of the following ways:

By email: data.protection@southtyneside.gov.uk

By telephone: 0191 424 6539

In writing: South Tyneside Council

Information Governance

Town Hall and Civic Offices

South Shields

NE33 2RL

If you feel that the Council has not handled your information correctly you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO is the Government's Independent Body responsible for overseeing data protection. In most cases the ICO will only review cases that have exhausted the Council's internal procedures.

The ICO's contact details are as follows: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF. More information can be found on the ICO's website at www.ico.org.uk.