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Privacy Notice

1. About this privacy notice

This notice explains how Warwickshire Young Carers collects, uses, shares, stores and protects personal information. It also explains the rights people have over their information and how to raise a concern or complaint.

It applies to young carers, young adult carers, parents and family members, referrers, professional contacts, donors, supporters, event participants, suppliers and people who contact us or use our website. Separate privacy information may be provided for employees, workers, volunteers, trustees and job applicants.

2. Who we are

Warwickshire Young Carers is the data controller. This means we decide how and why personal information is used.

Warwickshire Young Carers
Holly Grange, Holly Lane, Balsall Common, CV7 7EB
Telephone: 01926 963940
Email: info@warwickshireyoungcarers.org.uk
Registered charity: 1098357
Company number: 04610367

Questions about this notice should be marked for the attention of the Data Protection Lead.

3. What information we collect
  • Young carers, young adult carers and families
  • Names, addresses and contact details.
  • Dates of birth, ages and emergency contacts.
  • Parent, guardian and household information.
  • Information about caring responsibilities and the person being cared for.
  • School, college, training or employment information.
  • Health, disability, allergy, dietary and accessibility information.
  • Emotional wellbeing, support needs, assessments, plans and case notes.
  • Attendance at appointments, groups, trips and activities.
  • Feedback, questionnaires and outcome information.
  • Photographs, videos or stories where appropriate permission has been obtained.
  • Safeguarding concerns, risks, actions and information needed to keep people safe.
Referrers and professional contacts
  • Name, role, organisation and work contact details.
  • Referral information and records of professional involvement.
  • Correspondence and information relevant to supporting a young person or family.
Donors, supporters and website users
  • Names and contact details.
  • Donation, fundraising and Gift Aid records.
  • Communication preferences and event participation.
  • Information submitted through forms, email or telephone.
  • Technical website and cookie information, depending on the services used.
4. Special-category and sensitive information

We may use information about health, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or other sensitive circumstances. We may also handle criminal-offence information where lawful and necessary. We only use this information where an Article 6 lawful basis and an additional legal condition apply. These may include explicit consent, vital interests, health or social care, substantial public interest, safeguarding, equality monitoring, preventing unlawful acts, legal claims and employment or social-protection obligations.

5. Why we use personal information
  • To assess referrals and understand a young person's caring role, strengths and needs.
  • To provide family support, transitions support, befriending, groups, activities, respite, information, advice and guidance.
  • To communicate with young people, families, referrers and professionals.
  • To arrange safe activities, transport and emergency support.
  • To safeguard children, young people and adults at risk.
  • To work with schools, colleges, health services, councils and other agencies.
  • To monitor outcomes, improve services and report to trustees, funders and commissioners.
  • To process donations, Gift Aid and fundraising activity.
  • To handle complaints, rights requests, incidents and legal or regulatory duties.
  • To manage suppliers, contracts, insurance, finance and organisational governance.

Where possible, funder and impact reports use anonymous or aggregated information.

6. Our lawful bases
Legitimate interests

We may use information where it is necessary for our legitimate charitable interests and those interests are not overridden by the rights and interests of the person concerned. This can include providing and improving services, managing referrals, maintaining appropriate records, safeguarding, evaluating impact, managing the organisation and communicating with professional contacts and supporters. The best interests of children and young people are central to our decisions.

Consent

We may rely on consent for optional activities such as some photographs, videos, stories and marketing communications. Consent can be withdrawn at any time. We do not rely on consent for every aspect of core service delivery or safeguarding.

Contract, legal obligation and vital interests

We may use information to enter into or fulfil a contract, comply with legal and regulatory duties, or protect somebody's life or physical safety in an emergency.

7. Safeguarding and information sharing

We will usually explain how information may be used and shared. However, consent is not always required. We may share relevant information without consent where somebody may be at risk of abuse, neglect or serious harm, there is an immediate risk to life or safety, sharing is needed to prevent or detect crime, or the law otherwise requires or permits it. We will only share information that is relevant, necessary and proportionate.

8. Where information comes from
  • The person concerned, their parent, guardian or family member.
  • A referrer or professional supporting the family.
  • Schools, colleges, local authorities, health and social care services.
  • Voluntary and community organisations, safeguarding partners and police.
  • Fundraising platforms, payment providers and publicly available sources where appropriate.
9. Who we may share information with
  • Authorised WYC staff, sessional workers, trustees and volunteers.
  • Parents, guardians and family members where appropriate.
  • Schools, colleges, local authorities, health and social care services.
  • Safeguarding partners, police and emergency services.
  • Partner organisations, activity providers, venues and transport providers.
  • Funders, commissioners, auditors and evaluators.
  • Accountants, payroll, insurers, HR and professional advisers.
  • IT, email, database, website, cloud, fundraising and payment providers.
  • Courts, regulators and public authorities where required.

We do not sell personal information. Organisations processing information on our behalf must act on our instructions, keep it secure and comply with data-protection law.

10. International transfers

Some technology and service providers may store information, provide support access or use subcontractors outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, we will ensure an appropriate legal safeguard is in place, such as UK adequacy regulations, an international data transfer agreement, the UK Addendum to approved contractual clauses, or another lawful safeguard.

11. Security
  • Role-based access controls and password protection.
  • Secure systems, databases and storage.
  • Multi-factor authentication where available.
  • Encryption where appropriate.
  • Confidentiality, safeguarding and data-protection training.
  • Secure disposal of paper and electronic records.
  • Contracts and checks for service providers.
  • Procedures for incidents and personal data breaches.
12. How long we keep information

We keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet legal, safeguarding, contractual, insurance and regulatory requirements. Retention depends on the type and sensitivity of the record, the age of the person, the service provided, safeguarding needs, funding conditions and possible legal claims. Detailed periods are set out in our internal retention schedule. At the end of the applicable period, information will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised.

13. Fundraising and communications

We may contact supporters about our work, events, fundraising and ways to help where the law permits. For email, text and similar communications, we will use consent or the charitable-purpose soft opt-in where every legal condition is met. Every marketing message will include a simple way to opt out. People can also contact us at any time to change their preferences. Stopping marketing will not prevent necessary service, donation, event or safeguarding communications.

14. Photographs, videos and case studies

Where consent is the appropriate basis, we will explain what will be captured, how it may be used, whether identifying details will appear and how consent may be withdrawn. Refusing permission will not prevent a person from receiving support. We take particular care with children, health information, caring roles and sensitive family circumstances.

15. Automated decision-making

We do not make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects solely by automated means. Decisions about support, eligibility and safeguarding involve staff judgement.

16. Your rights
  • The right to be informed.
  • The right to access personal information.
  • The right to have inaccurate information corrected.
  • The right to request deletion in certain circumstances.
  • The right to restrict processing in certain circumstances.
  • The right to object, including an absolute right to object to direct marketing.
  • The right to data portability in certain circumstances.
  • The right to withdraw consent where consent is relied upon.
  • Rights relating to solely automated significant decisions.

Rights are subject to legal conditions and exemptions. Children and young people may exercise their own rights where they have sufficient understanding. A parent or guardian does not automatically have the right to receive all information held about a child or young person.

17. How to exercise your rights

Contact the Data Protection Lead at info@warwickshireyoungcarers.org.uk, telephone 01926 963940, or write to Warwickshire Young Carers, Holly Grange, Holly Lane, Balsall Common, CV7 7EB. You do not need to use a particular form or legal wording. We may ask for information to confirm identity. We will respond without undue delay and normally within one month, subject to any lawful extension.

18. How to make a data-protection complaint

If you are concerned about how we have collected, used, shared, stored or protected personal information, please contact our Data Protection Lead by email, telephone or post using the details above. You do not have to use a particular form.

We will acknowledge a data-protection complaint within 30 days, take appropriate steps to investigate it, keep the complainant informed where appropriate and communicate the outcome without undue delay.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 0303 123 1113.

19. Changes to this notice

We will review this notice at least annually and sooner where our services, systems, suppliers, legal obligations or working practices change. The current version will be published on our website with the date it was last updated.

Last updated: August 2026 | Next review: August 2027