Children's Safeguarding and Family Support Privacy Notice

Who we are

Telford & Wrekin Council Children’s Services collect and use personal information to enable the best possible advice, care and support to be provided to children, young people and families, and to meet our statutory duties. 
 
This privacy notice explains how we use personal data across Children’s Safeguarding and Family Support services, including improved information sharing, case management recording and viewing arrangements introduced through the Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP), and using data as part of the Council’s Data Transformation Project, sometimes referred to as Smarter Data, Safer Futures.

Why we collect and use your information 

We process personal data so that we can: 

  • Safeguard children and young people
  • Provide early help and family support
  • Assess need and plan services
  • Record, manage and review cases effectively
  • Improve coordination and information sharing between services and partners
  • Respond effectively to emergencies
  • Meet legal and statutory obligations
  • Plan, improve and evaluate services 

As part of FFPP and the Data Transformation Project, we are developing how information we already lawfully hold is recorded, shared, brought together and viewed. This supports: 

  • A more joined-up approach to family support and safeguarding
  • Timely and proportionate sharing of information between practitioners
  • Clearer case recording and oversight across Children’s Services and partner teams
  • Reduced duplication and better continuity for families
  • Improved consistency, accuracy and visibility of information across services 

We do not replace existing statutory case management systems. Improvements focus on how information is recorded, accessed and viewed, and on the creation of curated digital views that support professional judgement and collaborative decision-making. 

Lawful basis for processing 
We process personal data under the following lawful bases: 

  • Article 6(1)(c) – legal obligation
  • Article 6(1)(e) – performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority 

Where special category data is processed, this is done under: 

  • Article 9(2)(c) – vital interests
  • Article 9(2)(g) – substantial public interest
  • Article 9(2)(h) – health or social care purposes 

Key legislation and frameworks include (but are not limited to):

  • Children Act 1989 and 2004
  • UK Data Protection Act 2018
  • UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
  • Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP)
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 

Information we collect

We collect and use information that may include: 

  • Name, address and contact details
  • Date of birth 
  • Family and relationship information
  • Health and wellbeing information
  • Education information
  • Safeguarding, early help and assessment information
  • Case notes, plans and reviews
  • Legal and case status information
  • Demographic data (such as ethnicity and nationality)
  • Relevant risk, vulnerability and support indicators 

 
To support FFPP and improved case management, information may be recorded once and securely viewed appropriately by different services to provide support and care for you. This reduces repetition for families and improving continuity of support. 

As part of the Data Transformation Project, data may also be matched and brought together from different Council systems to create a more complete picture to improve our support and care for you. This is done securely, carefully, proportionately and with appropriate safeguards in place. 

Improved information sharing and case management under FFPP 

The Families First Partnership Programme requires services to work more closely together around children and families. To support this, we have developed how information is:

  • Recorded within case management systems
  • Shared between relevant services and practitioners
  • Viewed by authorised staff who need to understand a child or family’s wider context 

This means that information held within Children’s Services, early help, education and related services may be accessible to support coordinated decision-making, where this is lawful, necessary and proportionate. 
These arrangements: 

  •  Are designed to support multi-agency working and reduce fragmentation
  • Do not remove professional accountability or judgement
  • Do not enable unrestricted access
  • Are underpinned by clear information governance, role-based access and audit controls 

How your information is used in new insight and digital tools

The Council is developing digital insight tools, including a Single Digital View of a Child, which support FFPP by bringing together relevant information from systems such as:

  • Children’s social care and early help systems
  • Education systems
  • Housing systems
  • Approved contextual datasets 

These tools: 

  • Support practitioners to see relevant information in one place
  • Improve understanding of a child or family’s wider circumstances
  • Do not introduce new data collection
  • Do not make automated decisions 
  • Are used alongside existing case records and professional judgement
  • Are accessed only by authorised staff
  • Are governed through formal oversight, DPIAs and risk management 

Who we share information with

We may share personal data where necessary and lawful with: 

  • Health services
  • Education services and the Department for Education
  • Other Council services
  • Police, courts and the Ministry of Justice
  • Safeguarding partnerships and statutory boards
  • Housing providers
  • Other local authorities
  • Regulators such as Ofsted 

Information sharing is undertaken in line with statutory guidance, information sharing agreements and FFPP requirements. 

We do not sell personal data. 

Information governance, security and access 

All improvements to case management, information sharing and digital tools are underpinned by strong governance, including:

Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) 

  • Clearly defined purposes for use and sharing
  • Role-based and needs-based access controls
  • Secure systems and environments
  • Audit and monitoring of access 
  • Oversight through Governance and Operational Boards 

Only staff with a legitimate role, appropriate training and authorisation can securely access sensitive information. 

How long we keep your information 

We keep personal data in line with statutory retention schedules. Information used for insight or viewing purposes remains subject to the same retention rules as the original source records. 

Your rights 

Under data protection law, you have rights including: 

  • The right to be informed
  • The right of access 
  • The right to rectification
  • The right to erasure (in certain circumstances)
  • The right to restrict processing
  • The right to object 

Some rights may be limited where processing is necessary for safeguarding, statutory duties or the protection of others. 

Complaints and further information 

If you have concerns about how your information is used, you can contact: 

Data Protection Officer 

Telford & Wrekin Council 

Email: IG@telford.gov.uk 

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).