Better Start Lambeth privacy notice

This policy explains how the information that we collect about you is used, and your rights in relation to that information.

What is a privacy notice?

A privacy notice is the statement that tells you who is collecting information about you and what it will be used for. This helps organisations to comply with the data protection law that requires personal data to be obtained for specific and lawful purposes.

What are Better Start Lambeth Services?

Better Start Lambeth services are services for children aged 0-4 and their families. Services are offered through Children’s Centres and in the local community. The support and service available varies according to local need, but includes:

  • stay-and-play groups for babies, toddlers and young children to go to with their parents and carers
  • health services, including breastfeeding support groups, baby clinics and support around healthy eating
  • parenting courses and support
  • classes for parents, including English classes
  • debt and benefit advice appointments
  • help finding specialist groups and services.

Lambeth Council is accountable for its Children’s Centres, and works in partnership with other agencies and organisations to deliver a wide range of Better Start services and support.

The Better Start Lambeth Privacy Notice

To ensure that we are able to offer you a range of Better Start services, we need to collect some information about you and your family. This information is collected on the Better Start Lambeth Registration form.

This privacy notice is to inform you about:

  • who collects the information
  • how information is collected
  • what information is collected
  • how information is stored
  • how the information is used
  • who the information is shared with
  • your rights and access to your information.

Who collects the information?

The Local Authority (Lambeth Council) is responsible for collecting information on use of Better Start services in Children’s Centres.

How is information collected?

When a family completes a Better Start registration form, we collect the following information about parents and carers:

  • Full name.
  • Date of birth.
  • Address and postcode.
  • Email.
  • Telephone number.
  • Ethnicity.
  • Gender.
  • Language(s) spoken.
  • Disability.
  • Employment status.
  • Country of birth.
  • Family GP surgery.
  • Whether the carer is a lone parent.

We will ask for information about both parents regardless of whether you live together or apart. For us to record this information, each individual parent must provide signed consent for their own personal data to be provided and collected by Lambeth.

We also collect information about your child or children:

  • Full name.
  • Date of birth.
  • Address and postcode.
  • Ethnicity.
  • Gender.
  • Language(s) spoken.
  • Disability.
  • Country of birth.
  • Family GP surgery.

In addition, you will be asked some further questions to help us to identify any support that you may need, and enable us to offer appropriate services. You do not have to answer these questions to use Better Start services, but if you do, we will record the information.

When you use a Better Start service, we will record information relating to:

  • your attendance
  • outcomes and feedback.

How is information stored?

Information is stored on a management information system called Synergy EIS. This is a secure database which can only be accessed by those provided with training and permission to use it.

How do we use your personal information?

The information that we collect is used to deliver our Better Start offer through our Children’s Centres. It is our statutory duty under the 'Sure Start Children’s Centre Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities, commissioners of Local Health Services and Job Centre Plus (2013)' to collect information on how we are making a difference to the outcomes for children under five in our borough.

We may contact you by post, email, phone or text to tell you about the services that are available, and/or to provide information relating to child development.

Who is the information shared with?

The information provided may be shared with other services within the Local Authority, such as:

  • Children’s Centre providers
  • health partners, including health visitors and midwives
  • charity partners, including the National Children’s Bureau as the lead organisation for the Lambeth Early Action Partnership
  • organisations commissioned by the council to deliver services in Children’s Centres.

Some of the information that you provide might be shared with public bodies responsible for the administration or auditing of public funds, for example, the National Fraud Initiative.

We occasionally have a legal duty to provide personal information regarding safeguarding to organisations such as children’s social care or the police.

Your rights and access to your information

You have a right to withdraw consent and the right to object and restrict further processing of your data, however, this may affect service delivery to you.

You have a right to request to have your data deleted where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing, and provided there are no legitimate grounds for retaining it.

You have a right to request your data be rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.

You can talk to Lambeth about how your data is being used, without it affecting your legal rights or routine care, and can contact us by email at infogov@lambeth.gov.uk.