This notice explains what personal data (information) we hold about you, how we collect, how we use and may share information about you. We are required to give you this information under data protection law.
Foster Birmingham is Birmingham Children’s Trust’s Fostering Service. Birmingham Children’s Trust was set up in 2018 to run Children’s Services for Birmingham City Council. The Trust is owned by, but is independent from, the Council. This means that we are free to act in the best interests of the children that need our services.
The Foster Birmingham website is intended to provide information to those interested in becoming foster carers with us. Any information collected from the general public is to enable us to contact you at your agreement to provide you with this information / discuss your interest in fostering further.
Who we are
Birmingham Children’s Trust is the Data Controller for the information held about you for this purpose/these purposes.
Contact Details
Birmingham Children Trust
Information Assurance Team,
PO Box 17363,
B2 2EL
Telephone 0121 569 2200.
The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at the above address and through email at dpo@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk.
Why we collect information about you?
- To assess your eligibility to become a foster carer
- Process applications to become a foster carer, including background checks
- To provide advice to prospective and approved foster carers
- To provide ongoing Training and support to foster carers
- To make recommendations to the fostering panel
- To develop and improve services as well as updates from time to time on the service
- To monitor the progress and stability of placements / safeguard and support children
What information do we collect?
Information we may collect:
- name, address, date of birth, gender and other contact information
- details relating to members of the household and other significant individuals who must be assessed as part of the application process
- financial information
- employment history
- details of any prior legal proceedings about children and / or family (including where this occurred within the family court)
- details of any criminal convictions, including the completion of a DBS check
We may also process some special category (sensitive) data such as:
- racial or ethnic origin
- religious or other beliefs
- sexual orientation
- physical or mental health details
Information gathered is used for contact and documenting purposes only to assess your suitability to foster.
Full information is stored on the Charms and / or Eclipse database.
During the enquiry stage a call back spreadsheet is kept by the Fostering Recruitment Team for tracking purposes and only has name, charms id and any contact written notes. i.e., called, no answer etc.
All information collected stays on your file which can be accessed at any point.
Who will we share this information with?
We may share your information with:
- Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)
- Chief Probation Officer
- health visitors
- local safeguarding teams
- other local authorities
- other independent fostering agencies
- schools and nurseries
- your doctor
- Disclosure and Barring Service
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
- Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Families Association (SSAFA)
- Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED)
- Certificate of good conduct checks (out of country checks)
How will we collect this information?
We will collect your data:
- provided to us directly by you
- provided by another individual, such as a carer or family member
- provided by another organisation involved in assessment verifications including references from present and former employers and DBS checks
- from published information in the public domain, including social media
Birmingham Children’s Trust is committed to using your information properly, keeping it safe, and retaining it for no longer than necessary. If you would like to know more about how we do that please see our Privacy Statement at https://www.birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk/privacy. You can also contact our Data Protection Officer by email (dpo@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk) or by post (Data Protection Officer, Birmingham Children’s Trust, Postal Address: PO Box 17363, B2 2EL).
Your Rights
You are entitled to know what personal data Birmingham Children’s Trust is processing about you. If you want to obtain the data, or if you want to exercise any of your other rights about the processing of the data, you can contact the Data Protection Officer – contact details above.
You have the right to:
• have your personal data corrected if it is inaccurate or incomplete
• ask for your personal data used for this purpose to be erased (even if you have previously given consent for the data to be processed by the Trust
• ask for your personal data to be supplied in a commonly used format, where the processing is carried out by automated means, so it can be sent to another organisation.
You can also ask for the processing of your personal data to be restricted if:
• it is inaccurate.
• it is unlawful but you do not want it to be deleted.
• it is due to be deleted but you require it kept because of a legal claim.
• you have objected to the processing of the data and you are waiting for a decision about the objection.
You can ask the Trust to stop processing your data at any time by withdrawing your consent. Your right to revoke you consent is only applicable when the processing of your data is based on consent. When the processing is based on it being necessary to perform a contract (e.g. your address for the delivery of goods), or to meet a legal requirement, this right of withdrawal does not apply.
For more information about your rights you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at www.ico.org.uk
Email: casework@ico.org.uk
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Write to: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF
