Counselling Data Privacy Notice
Consent to Data Processing/Privacy Notice
At 4 Seasons Therapeutic Services we are committed to ensuring that any personal data held about you (the
person requiring the service) is protected in accordance with data protection laws - General Data Protection
Regulation 2018 and is used in line with your expectations.
This privacy notice explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it and how we protect
it.
What personal data is collected?
We will collect personal data for you to participate with our services. Information will be taken via a phone call,
where you will give verbal permission beforehand.
Personal details that we collect about you or your child includes:
• Name, date of birth, address, phone number(s), email address, GP details, health and medical needs,
medical history, medication, previous diagnosis, client availability, development needs, and any special
educational needs, counselling history, drug & alcohol history, details of local authority involvement for
children in care and support network and their details if required. Where applicable, we may obtain child
protection plans from social care and health care plans from health professionals. Information will be
collected from you directly on the assessment form.
Why we collect this information and the legal basis for handling your data
Personal data about you and/or your child is collected in order for you to engage in the therapeutic services
we offer and fulfil the contractual arrangement you have entered into. This includes using your data to:
• Contact you in case of an emergency
• To support yours and/or your child’s well-being and development
• To keep you updated with information about our service
• To be able to contact you about appointments/details/cancellations
• To be able to pair you with a counsellor/befriender
• To enable you to use our services
Sharing Data
Data will not be shared unless:
• There is evidence of child abuse
• Any criminal involvement
• A court has made a legal order
• You are at risk to yourself or to others, as outlined in the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in
Counselling and Psychotherapy.
• We have a legal obligation to process safeguarding related data about you or your child, should we have
concerns about their welfare.
In these circumstances we may share your personal data with:
• The Police
• Social Services/Children’s Services
• GP
• The Court of Laws
• Community Psychiatric Nurses
• Crisis Team
• A & E
• Psychiatrist
• Mental Health Liaison Team
How data is protected?
Data is protected from unauthorised access preventing it from being lost, accidentally destroyed, misused, or
disclosed by:
All paper documents are securely stored in a locked filing cabinet. We follow the legal requirements for storing
data and destroy it within the storage timescales suggested by law.
All electronic systems are password protected with only myself having access to them. Any breach will be
reported to ICO within 72 hours.
I am registered with ICO – Information Commissioner’s Office.
The Data Protection Officer (DPO) – Gail Hyman (Director)
Supervision - Supervision is a legal and ethical requirement of the BACP and counsellors attend monthly
sessions to maintain standards. Clients will be referred to by a reference code to maintain security and will
not be identifiable during the supervision.
How long do we retain your data?
Your personal data will be securely destroyed and ‘not kept for longer than needed’ we will destroy it 3 months
after the date of your last appointment. This will be removed from any mobile memory device and/or paper
form destroyed.
There will be a regular review to check and update data that we hold, this will be completed by G. Hyman.
Your rights with respect to your data
You have the right to:
request access, amend or correct your own or your child’s personal data
request that we delete or stop processing your own or your child’s personal data, for example where the data
is no longer necessary for the purposes of processing
If you wish to exercise any of these rights at any time or if you have any questions, comments or concerns
about this privacy notice, or how we handle your data please contact us. I will respond within 28 days –
4sts20@gmail.com or 07540 866029.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by notify G. Hyman above.
*Please note that if you withdraw consent you will no-longer be able to access these services and all your
personal data including any notes will be destroyed.
Updated February 2021New Paragraph
