The policy: This privacy policy is for this website; p4lcharity.co.uk] and governs the privacy of its users who choose to use it. It explains how we comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), the DPA (Data Protection Act) and the PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations).

This policy will explain areas of this website that may affect your privacy and personal details, how we process, collect, manage and store those details and how your rights under the GDPR, DPA & PECR are adhered to. Additionally, it will explain the use of cookies or software, advertising or commercial sponsorship from third parties and the download of any documents, files or software made available to you (if any) on this website. Further explanations may be provided for specific pages or features of this website in order to help you understand how we, this website and its third parties (if any) interact with you and your computer/device in order to serve it to you. Our contact information is provided if you have any questions.

The DPA & GDPR May 2018

We and this website complies with the DPA (Data Protection Act 1998) and already complies with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which comes into effect from May 2018. We will update this policy accordingly after the completion of the UK\’s exit from the European Union.

Use of Cookies

This website uses cookies to better the users experience while visiting the website. As required by legislation, where applicable this website uses a cookie control system, allowing the user to give explicit permission or to deny the use of/saving of cookies on their computer/device.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small files saved to the user\’s computers hard drive that track, save and store information about the user\’s interactions and usage of the website. This allows the website, through its server to provide the users with a tailored experience within this website.

Users are advised that if they wish to deny the use and saving of cookies from this website on to their computers hard drive they should take necessary steps within their web browsers security settings to block all cookies from this website and its external serving vendors or use the cookie control system if available upon their first visit.

Website Visitor Tracking

This website uses tracking software to monitor its visitors to better understand how they use it. The software will save a cookie to your computers hard drive in order to track and monitor your engagement and usage of the website, but will not store, save or collect personal information.

Downloads & Media Files

Any downloadable documents, files or media made available on this website are provided to users at their own risk. While all precautions have been undertaken to ensure only genuine downloads are available users are advised to verify their authenticity using third party anti virus software or similar applications.

We accept no responsibility for third party downloads and downloads provided by external third party websites and advise users to verify their authenticity using third party anti-virus software or similar applications.

Contact & Communication With us

Users contacting this us through this website do so at their own discretion and provide any such personal details requested at their own risk. Your personal information is kept private and stored securely until a time it is no longer required or has no use.

Where we have clearly stated and made you aware of the fact, and where you have given your express permission, we may use your details to send you products/services information through a mailing list system. This is done in accordance with the regulations named in \’The policy\’ above.

External Website Links & Third Parties

Although we only look to include quality, safe and relevant external links, users are advised to adopt a policy of caution before clicking any external web links mentioned throughout this website. (External links are clickable text/banner/image links to other websites)

We cannot guarantee or verify the contents of any externally linked website despite our best efforts. Users should therefore note they click on external links at their own risk and we cannot be held liable for any damages or implications caused by visiting any external links mentioned.

Social Media Policy & Usage

We adopt a Social Media Policy to ensure our business and our staff conduct themselves accordingly online. While we may have official profiles on social media platforms users are advised to verify the authenticity of such profiles before engaging with, or sharing information with such profiles. We will never ask for user passwords or personal details on social media platforms. Users are advised to conduct themselves appropriately when engaging with us on social media.

aThere may be instances where our website features social sharing buttons, which help share web content directly from web pages to the respective social media platforms. You use social sharing buttons at your own discretion and accept that doing so may publish content to your social media profile feed or page. You can find further information about some social media privacy and usage policies in the resources section below.

Privacy Policy Changes

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. You are advised to review this privacy policy periodically for any changes. This Privacy Policy was last modified on March 13, 2020.

GDPR Policy

This policy applies to:

  • Partnership for Learning Charity;
  • All regional staff or home workers operating on behalf of Partnership for Learning Charity.

This policy is operational from 25 May 2018.

The purpose of this policy is to enable Partnership for Learning Charity to:

  • Comply with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations and good practice
  • Gather information as part of investigations by regulatory bodies or in connection with legal proceedings or requests
  • Ensure business policies are adhered to (such as policies covering email and internet use)
  • Fulfill operational reasons, such as recording transactions, training and quality control, ensuring the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information, security vetting, credit scoring and checking
  • Investigate complaints
  • Check references, ensuring safe working practices, monitoring and managing staff access to systems and facilities and staff absences, administration and assessments
  • Monitor staff conduct, disciplinary matters
  • Market our business
  • Improve services

This policy applies to information relating to identifiable individuals e.g. staff, applicants, former staff, clients, suppliers and other third party contacts.

Partnership for Learning Charity will:

  • Comply with both the law and good practice
  • Respect individuals’ rights
  • Be open and honest with individuals whose data is held
  • Provide training and support for staff  who handle personal data, so that they can act confidently and consistently

Partnership for Learning Charity recognises that its first priority under the GDPR is to avoid causing harm to individuals.  In the main this means:

  • Complying with your rights,
  • Keeping you informed about the data we hold, why we hold it and what we are doing with it,
  • Keeping information securely in the right hands, and
  • Holding good quality information.

Secondly, GDPR aims to ensure that the legitimate concerns of individuals about the ways in which their data may be used are taken into account.  In addition to being open and transparent, Partnership for Learning Charity will seek to give individuals as much choice as is possible and reasonable over what   data is held and how it is used.  This includes the right to erasure where data is no longer necessary and the right to rectification where the data is incorrect.  Full details are available in the Privacy Notice issued at the point of gathering the data.

Partnership for Learning Charity has identified the following potential key risks, which this policy is designed to address:

  • Breach of confidentiality (information being given out inappropriately).
  • Insufficient clarity about the range of uses to which data will be put — leading to Data Subjects being insufficiently informed
  • Failure to offer choice about data use when appropriate
  • Breach of security by allowing unauthorised access.
  • Failure to establish efficient systems of managing changes, leading to personal data being not up to date.
  • Harm to individuals if personal data is not up to date
  • Insufficient clarity about the way personal data is being used e.g. given out to general public.
  • Failure to offer choices about use of contact details for staff, clients workers or employees.

In order to address these concerns, to accompany this policy, we have an accompanying Information Security policy and we will issue Privacy Notices to explain what data we have, why we have it and what we will do with it.  The Privacy Notice will also explain the data subjects rights.  We will offer training to staff where this is necessary and appropriate in the circumstances to ensure compliance with GDPR.  Such training will vary according to the role, responsibilities and seniority of those being trained.

We aim to keep data only for so long as is necessary which will vary from according to the circumstances.   

We have no intention to transfer data internationally.

The person responsible for Data Protection is currently Maureen Leatherbarrow with the following responsibilities:

  • Briefing the board on Data Protection responsibilities
  • Reviewing Data Protection and related policies
  • Advising other staff on Data Protection issues
  • Ensuring that Data Protection induction and training takes place
  • Notification
  • Handling subject access requests
  • Approving unusual or controversial disclosures of personal data
  • Approving contracts with Data Processors
  • Ensuring Data is stored securely
  • Maintain a Data Audit and keep this up to date
  • Reporting breaches to the Information Commissioners Office and the relevant Data Subject(s)

Significant breaches of this policy will be handled under Partnership for Learning Charity’s disciplinary procedures which may amount to gross misconduct.

Subject Access Request

Any subject access requests will be handled by Maureen Leatherbarrow.

Subject access requests must be in writing.  All staff are required to pass on anything, which might be a subject access request to Maureen Leatherbarrow without delay.  The applicant will be given their data within 1 month unless there are complexities in the case which justify extending this to 2 months.  You will be notified of any extensions to the deadline for response and the reasons as soon as possible.

We have the right to refuse a subject access request where data is requested at unreasonable intervals, manifestly unfounded or excessive.  You will be notified of the reasons as soon as possible.

Where the individual making a subject access request is not personally known to Maureen Leatherbarrow their identity will be verified before handing over any information.

The required information will be provided in a permanent and portable form unless the applicant makes a specific request to be given supervised access in person.

You have the right to request the information we hold is rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.  You should contact Maureen Leatherbarrow and provide with the details of any inaccurate or incomplete data.  We will then ensure that this is amended within one month.  We may, in complex cases, extend this period to two months.

You have the right to erasure in the form of deletion or removal of personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.  We have the right to refuse to erase data where this is necessary in the right of freedom of expression and information, to comply with a legal obligation for the performance of a public interest task, exercise of an official authority, for public health purposes in the public interest, for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific research, historical research, statistical purposes or the exercise or defence of legal claims.  You will be advised of the grounds of our refusal should any such request be refused.