Privacy notice: Connexions South Tyneside

Introduction

Our core data protection obligations and commitments are set out in South Tyneside Council's privacy notices at:

This notice provides additional privacy notice information for young people between the ages of 14 and 18, or up to 25 for those with an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP).

We will keep our privacy notice under regular review and will advise you of any updates on our website.

This notice was last reviewed in April 2024.

Who we are

For the purposes of Data Protection legislation, South Tyneside Council is the Data Controller.

Connexions South Tyneside is able to receive and use information about you because it is authorised by the 2008 Education and Skills Act under sections 10, 12, 68 and 72 and this is detailed in the statutory guidance for local authorities called 'Participation of young people in education, employment or training (April 2024) and for schools 'Careers guidance and access for education and training providers (January 2023).

What type of personal information do we collect?

In order to deliver Connexions services, as detailed above, we collect and obtain:

Contact details (name, address, telephone/mobile number/e-mail)
Date of birth
Gender
Ethnicity (Black, White, Asian, etc.)*
School / College attended
Qualification type / level (eg GCSEs, A levels, BTEC National etc)
Target /predicted / actual grades achieved
Current and intended education, employment or training destination (what are you doing, for example in school, college, employed, unemployed etc. or what you intend to do the following year)
Relevant background information (we only collect and access information, which we need to be able to provide you with an effective service)
Level of support provided by Connexions (as above)
Notes of all relevant contacts you have had with a Personal Adviser (as above)

The types of data with an asterisk (*) next to them are classed as special category data under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) because it is sensitive information and therefore will be protected at a higher level to safeguard your confidentiality and privacy.

Why do we collect your personal information?

Connexions South Tyneside collects and obtains personal information so that we can provide effective targeted information, advice, guidance and support services for young people.

These services are designed to support young people to overcome any barriers to participation in post 16 education, training or employment opportunities, reduce the risk of young people not being in education, employment and training (NEET), and ensuring that young people make a successful transition in to adult life and maximize their potential.

Who might we share your personal information with?

Schools - We share statutory career destination information of ex-pupils immediately after leaving school
Relevant departments within South Tyneside Council and other Local Authorities only as required to do so. This includes statutory data returns to the Department for Education (DfE).
Further Education and Training Providers ('Learning providers') -with your knowledge and on your behalf, we may share some of your personal information as part of our support work, eg application process for college places
Potential employers - with your knowledge and on your behalf, we may share some of your personal information as part of our support work, eg job application and CVs
Support services for young people - we may share some of your personal information as part of our support work with you. This personal information is shared with your knowledge and on your behalf unless we have a statutory requirement to do so, or if there is a safeguarding concern

When we share data with other organisations:

We provide only the information that they need for their specific services
We work closely with them to ensure that your privacy is respected and protected at all times

Any such disclosures will be made in accordance with the obligations imposed on the Council by the Data Protection laws and other relevant legislation, and with due consideration of your rights.

What are the consequences if information about me is not provided?

If you fail to provide certain information when requested we may be prevented from providing our full range of services for you.

you do not provide us with up to date information on your current situation, we may not be able to offer you adequate support in accessing education, employment or training if required.

In these situations, where you do not wish to provide relevant information, this will be detailed on your record, including the reasons, where disclosed, so that we are aware of it, if we need to contact you again.

What do we do when sharing information about you?

Connexions South Tyneside will share relevant personal information to named organisations to offer you an effective service. We are able to do this under their 'public task' duties authorised by the Education Skills Act 2008.

Consent from you is not required to share these types of information unless it is classed under GDPR as 'special category' sensitive type of information. This is a further check to safeguard your privacy and confidentiality and therefore this type of information will only be shared with the named and categories of organisations where you agree it would be helpful.

We will ask for your consent to do this. The only reason Connexions South Tyneside will pass on any types of 'special category' data, detailed above, to anyone outside Connexions South Tyneside without asking, is where there is a legal requirement to do so or there is a risk of serious harm or threat to life.

What types of organisations provide information about me?

As well as information collected directly from you, we also obtain or receive information from:

Schools, Further Education and Training Providers (Learning providers)
Relevant Departments in South Tyneside Council and other Councils
Support services / agencies for young people eg Job Centre Plus, Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the Department for Education (DfE)
Organisations dealing with safeguarding or child protection concerns e.g. Local Authority Children services. Organisations dealing with criminal activities eg Police Public/family/relations who raises concerns

What if my parents / carers wish to access information about me?

Normally, because of the age you are permitted to use the service, you have the legal right, to have information about you kept confidential from your parents/carers.

We will only share information with them with your explicit consent unless you are deemed not to have the mental capacity to make this decision.

How long will we keep your personal information?

We will retain personal information for 1 year from your 18^th birthday or up to 1 year from your 25^th birthday for those with an EHCP.

This information will be destroyed securely when we no longer need it.

How do we keep your personal information secure?

Electronic, computerised, information is stored securely on servers managed by South Tyneside Council.

Only individuals with approved permissions will be able access this information.

Is your personal information used overseas?

We will not process your personal information outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).

What are your rights?

Your individual rights are set out in law. Subject to some legal exemptions, you have the following rights:

Right to be informed
Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to erasure
Right to restrict processing
Right to data portability
Right to object
Rights in relating to automated decision making and profiling

You may request a copy of the personal data held about them by South Tyneside Council. If you wish to make such a request, the contact is set out at the bottom of this document.

Contact us

If you would like to exercise your rights in relation to your personal information, or you feel that something has gone wrong with your personal information, you can contact us in either of the following ways:

By email: data.protection@southtyneside.gov.uk
By telephone: 0191 424 6539
In writing: South Tyneside Council, Information Governance, Town Hall and Civic Offices, South Shields, NE33 2RL

If you feel that the Council has not handled your information correctly you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO is the Government's Independent Body responsible for overseeing data protection. In most cases the ICO will only review cases that have exhausted the Council's internal procedures.

The ICO's contact details are as follows: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF. More information can be found on the ICO's website at www.ico.org.uk.