Privacy notice

Cardiff Council has to collect personal information from individuals to enable us to provide tailor made social care services.  Some of this information may be sensitive and could include data on health, disability or racial and ethnic background.  We may also need to collect information on your carers, friends and relatives.

Individuals who are receiving social care would have already been told that this information was collected.  This notice explains more about how we process this information, what it is used for and how we keep this information secure.

What is the information used for?

Personal information is used to evaluate whether people are eligible for social care services and which services they should receive.  We also use information to help us plan, organise and improve those services, report on the work we have done and show we have used public funds properly.  Where possible information used for these purposes is made anonymous.

Keeping your information secure

We make sure all personal information is held securely and only made available to those who need to use it.  We do not keep personal information longer than we need to.

Sharing your information

We may share some information with other organisations including:

• Those that provide care services on behalf of the Cardiff Council.
• Those that inspect and monitor our work.
• Organisations such as the NHS who work with us to provide services.
  
  

We will ask your permission before sharing your information, usually at the time we collect it.

• We will only share this information with an organisation if they need it to do their job.
• We will not pass on more information than we need to.
• We will share your information without your permission, only if the law says we should.  This could be to protect your vital interests, to prevent someone else being put at risk or to detect or prevent fraud.

Each year the Welsh Government (WG) collects information about children for the Looked After Children returns and the Wales Children Receiving Care and Support Census (CASP) Census​, from Local Authorities across Wales.  The WG has access to the data of children in need receiving services from local authorities.  You, as either the parent or carer of such a child, or as such a child yourself over the age of 12, have the right to be informed about the processing and uses of this data by WG.  

Further information about how the Welsh Government uses this information is available online​​​​​​​​​​​​External link opens in a new window​ or by contacting the Council.

The information sent varies each year, but will include personal characteristics and details of social care services provided.  If a child has a Unique Pupil Number (UPN) that will be included in the CASP Census.  This UPN lets the Welsh Government match each child’s care and education information.  The Welsh Government does not use the child’s name in this exercise, nor take any action in relation to individual children nor identify them in reports.
You can ask the Welsh Government for a list of data items in the Wales CASP Census.

Can I see the information kept about me?

Yes.  In fact most of the information that we keep about you is information that you give us.  We may make a small charge for this service but you may also ask us to correct or remove information you think is inaccurate.

Can I see all of the information about me?

Usually you can.  On very rare occasions, for example, if sharing the information is likely to result in serious harm to you or someone else, we may have to keep some of it back.

• You do not have a right to see information about someone else, even if it is in your file.
• You do not have a right to see information provided by someone else, if disclosing it would tell you who they are.  If so, we would talk to them first.
• If there is information we cannot give you, we will explain why and you will have a right of appeal.

How can I see the information held about me?

Ask the staff working with you first.  They will tell you what we hold and what they can share with you straight away.

Find out more about how we process and protect your information and who we may share it with.

This information can be made available in other languages and other formats on request. 
Contact: 029 2087 3686.

Privacy notice for children in need receiving services from local authorities, including those looked after, to cover Welsh Government responsibilities

The Welsh Government (WG) has access to the data of children in need receiving services from local authorities.  You, as either the parent or carer of such a child, or as such a child yourself over the age of 12, have the right to be informed about the processing and uses of this data by WG.  This information is summarised below, with much more detailed information to be found online​​​​​​​​​​​​External link opens in a new window​:

Which data does WG have access to?

By law, local authorities (LAs) must provide details of children in need receiving services from them to WG, and this will include:

• personal and sensitive personal information about you (or your child), such as date of birth, gender, ethnic group, disability status and other health information;
• basic details of the service provided to you (or your child) and why these are provided; and
• information allowing WG to compare the education performance of children in need with all other children.

However, the data sent to WG will not include your name (or that of your child).

How will the data be used by WG?

The data sent to WG will be used by them:

• to measure how well WG and LAs are delivering their services to you (or your child);
• to support improvements to these services;
• to allocate of money to LAs and others; or
• to support wider research into the provision of services to you (or your child), or others.

The data sent to WG will not be used by them:

• to take any action in relation to you (or your child); nor
• to identify you (or your child) in any reports.

The data sent to WG will be held securely by them and it will only be shared with others under strict controls.  It will never be shared in such a way that would allow you (or your child) to be identified.

Further information

Further information explaining this notice in more detail can be found online​​​​​​​​​​​​External link opens in a new window​:

However, if you have any further questions about how data about you (or your child) will be used by WG, then please contact the WG Data Collection team in writing, using the details below.

Welsh Government Data Collection Team
Room 2-002, CP2, Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
email: stats.pss@wales.gsi.gov.uk.