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Privacy Notice

Last updated: September 2026

Flourish Fostering respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This privacy notice explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information, why we use it, how long we keep it and the rights you have in relation to it.

It applies to people who:

  • enquire about fostering with Flourish Fostering;

  • apply to become a Foster Parent;

  • are assessed, approved or work with us as a Foster Parent;

  • transfer or enquire about transferring to Flourish Fostering;

  • are children, young people, parents, family members or household members whose information we process in connection with fostering;

  • apply to work for, work for, or otherwise provide services to Flourish Fostering;

  • contact us in another professional or personal capacity;

  • use our website or online services; or

  • receive communications from us.

1. Who we are

Flourish Fostering Ltd is the controller responsible for the personal information covered by this privacy notice.

In this notice, references to “Flourish Fostering”, “Flourish”, “we”, “us” or “our” mean Flourish Fostering Ltd.

Our contact details are:

General enquiries:
hello@flourishfostering.co.uk

Flourish Fostering South
The Cedars
Holborough Road
Snodland
Kent ME6 5PL
Telephone: 0808 129 5311

Flourish Fostering North
57A Buxton Road
Stockport
SK2 6NB

For questions about this privacy notice, the use of your personal information or your data-protection rights, you can contact our Data Protection Officer at:

mica.douglas@thefosteringteam.co.uk

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection. Further information is available at www.ico.org.uk.

We would welcome the opportunity to address any concern you have directly before you approach the ICO, although you do not have to contact us first.

2. The personal information we collect

The information we collect will depend on your relationship with us.

We may collect and process the following categories of information.

Identity Data

This may include your:

  • name and previous names;

  • title;

  • date of birth;

  • age;

  • sex;

  • photographs;

  • identification documents; and

  • other information needed to establish or confirm your identity.

Contact Data

This may include your:

  • home or correspondence address;

  • email address;

  • telephone or mobile numbers; and

  • other contact details.

Family and Household Data

This may include information about:

  • your partner or spouse;

  • children and other family members;

  • people living in your household;

  • previous relationships;

  • caring responsibilities;

  • family circumstances; and

  • your support network.

Financial Data

Where relevant to our relationship with you, this may include information about:

  • income;

  • expenditure;

  • employment;

  • benefits;

  • financial commitments;

  • bank details; and

  • other financial circumstances.

Fostering Enquiry and Assessment Data

If you enquire about or apply to foster, this may include:

  • information contained in your initial enquiry;

  • your reasons for considering fostering;

  • your availability and circumstances;

  • details about your home and household;

  • information collected during initial visits;

  • application and assessment information;

  • references;

  • employment and educational history;

  • previous fostering or caring experience;

  • interview and assessment records;

  • training records;

  • panel information;

  • decisions concerning your application or approval; and

  • records of communications with you.

Foster Parent and Placement Data

For approved Foster Parents, this may include:

  • approval details;

  • foster care agreements;

  • supervision records;

  • reviews;

  • training and development records;

  • placement information;

  • correspondence;

  • support provided;

  • allegations, complaints or safeguarding information where relevant;

  • records of decisions and professional assessments; and

  • information required for regulatory and inspection purposes.

Information about Children and Young People

Where we are involved in arranging, supporting or managing a fostering placement, we may process information about children and young people, including:

  • identity and contact information;

  • care and placement information;

  • family circumstances;

  • education;

  • health and development;

  • behaviour and wellbeing;

  • safeguarding information;

  • social-care information;

  • assessments and plans;

  • contact arrangements;

  • photographs and records of significant events; and

  • other information necessary to understand and meet the child’s needs.

Special Category Data

Some information receives additional protection under data-protection law.

Depending on your relationship with us, we may need to process information about:

  • racial or ethnic origin;

  • religious or philosophical beliefs;

  • trade union membership;

  • genetic information;

  • biometric information used for identification;

  • physical or mental health;

  • sex life; or

  • sexual orientation.

We will only process special category information where it is necessary and where we have both a lawful basis for using the information and an additional legal condition allowing us to process that type of information.

Criminal Offence and DBS Data

Because of the nature of fostering and our safeguarding responsibilities, we may process information concerning:

  • criminal convictions;

  • cautions;

  • offences;

  • allegations or investigations;

  • relevant police information; and

  • Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

This can include the fact that a DBS check has been completed even where the check does not disclose a conviction.

We only process this information where we have an appropriate lawful basis and the processing is authorised by applicable UK law.

Employment and Recruitment Data

For employees, workers, contractors, volunteers and applicants, we may process information including:

  • employment history;

  • qualifications;

  • references;

  • right-to-work information;

  • payroll and banking information;

  • performance and supervision information;

  • absence information;

  • training;

  • disciplinary or grievance information; and

  • other information necessary to manage our working relationship.

Technical Data

When you use our website or electronic services, we may collect information such as:

  • your IP address;

  • browser type and version;

  • device information;

  • operating system;

  • approximate location derived from your device or IP address;

  • website activity;

  • dates and times of visits; and

  • information collected through cookies and similar technologies.

Usage Data

We may collect information about how you use our website, online services and communications.

Marketing and Communications Data

This includes:

  • your preferences about receiving marketing communications from us;

  • the methods by which you wish to be contacted; and

  • information about communications we send to you.

Aggregated and Anonymous Information

We may create statistical or aggregated information from personal information.

Where information has been genuinely anonymised so that an individual can no longer be identified, it is no longer personal information and may be used for statistical, service-development, reporting or other purposes.

If we combine anonymous or aggregated information with information that identifies you, we will treat the combined information as personal information.

3. How we collect your personal information

We collect personal information in a number of ways.

Information you give us directly

You may provide information when you:

  • complete a fostering enquiry form;

  • telephone, email or otherwise contact us;

  • ask us to provide information about fostering;

  • enquire about transferring to Flourish Fostering;

  • attend an event, information session or initial visit;

  • apply to become a Foster Parent;

  • undergo a fostering assessment;

  • participate in a review, meeting or training session;

  • provide a reference or other information;

  • apply for employment or another role;

  • complete a survey;

  • make a complaint;

  • give us feedback; or

  • otherwise communicate with us.

Information we obtain from other people or organisations

Depending on our relationship with you and where permitted or required by law, we may receive information from organisations and individuals including:

  • local authorities;

  • social workers;

  • previous or current fostering agencies;

  • Ofsted;

  • the Disclosure and Barring Service;

  • police and safeguarding bodies;

  • Local Authority Designated Officers;

  • health professionals;

  • education providers;

  • employers and previous employers;

  • referees;

  • professional advisers;

  • courts and other public authorities;

  • members of your household or family where appropriate; and

  • other organisations involved in a child’s care or safeguarding.

We may also obtain information from publicly available sources where it is lawful and appropriate to do so.

Where we obtain information about you from another source, we will provide privacy information where required by law.

Information collected automatically

When you use our website, certain technical and usage information may be collected automatically through cookies, server logs and similar technologies.

Our Cookie Policy provides further information.

4. How and why we use your personal information

We will only use personal information where we have a lawful basis to do so.

Depending on the purpose, this may include:

  • your request for us to take certain steps;

  • performance of a contract, where applicable;

  • compliance with a legal or regulatory obligation;

  • our legitimate interests or those of another person, where those interests are not overridden by your rights;

  • a recognised legitimate interest where applicable under UK data-protection law;

  • consent, where consent is the appropriate basis; or

  • another basis permitted by law.

The basis we rely on may differ according to the particular information and purpose involved.

Fostering enquiries

If you contact Flourish Fostering because you are interested in fostering, transferring to us, or finding out more about fostering, you are asking us to contact you about that enquiry.

We will therefore use the name, telephone number, email address and other relevant information you provide to:

  • respond to your enquiry;

  • telephone or email you about fostering;

  • answer your questions;

  • provide information you have requested;

  • arrange an initial conversation or visit;

  • discuss whether fostering may be suitable for you;

  • follow up your enquiry where we have not heard back from you; and

  • help you progress to the next stage if you wish to do so.

We do not treat these communications as general marketing communications simply because they involve information about fostering. They are communications directly connected with the enquiry you have made.

Our lawful basis for this processing will generally be our legitimate interests in responding to and managing genuine enquiries about our fostering services and, where applicable, taking steps at your request before entering into an arrangement with you.

We consider it reasonable that someone who contacts us specifically about becoming a Foster Parent or transferring to Flourish Fostering would expect a member of our team to contact them about that enquiry.

We may make reasonable follow-up contact in connection with your fostering enquiry.

If at any stage you tell us that you no longer wish to hear from us about your enquiry, we will stop making further enquiry-related contact unless there is another lawful reason for us to contact you or retain your information.

Fostering applications and assessments

If you decide to progress with an application, we will use information about you to:

  • process your application;

  • assess your suitability to foster;

  • carry out required checks;

  • obtain and consider references;

  • conduct interviews, assessments and home visits;

  • meet safeguarding requirements;

  • prepare reports;

  • obtain fostering-panel recommendations;

  • make decisions concerning approval;

  • meet our duties as a regulated fostering provider; and

  • maintain appropriate records.

Depending on the processing involved, we may rely on legal obligations, legitimate interests, steps taken at your request, regulatory requirements and other lawful bases permitted by data-protection law.

Approved Foster Parents

We may use information about approved Foster Parents to:

  • manage and support the fostering relationship;

  • arrange and support placements;

  • provide supervision and training;

  • undertake reviews;

  • make payments;

  • respond to safeguarding matters;

  • manage allegations or complaints;

  • communicate with local authorities and professionals;

  • maintain statutory records;

  • meet regulatory requirements;

  • demonstrate compliance to Ofsted and other appropriate bodies; and

  • support children and young people placed with our Foster Parents.

Children and young people

We process information about children and young people where this is necessary to:

  • understand their individual needs;

  • assess and support placements;

  • safeguard and promote their welfare;

  • provide appropriate care and support;

  • support education, health and development;

  • work with responsible and placing authorities;

  • maintain fostering and placement records; and

  • comply with legal and regulatory responsibilities.

We recognise that children’s information requires particular protection and will only use it where there is an appropriate legal basis.

Safeguarding

We may use and share personal information where necessary to protect a child, young person or adult from harm.

This may include special category information or information concerning criminal offences where the legal requirements for processing that information are met.

Legal and regulatory compliance

We may use information where necessary to:

  • comply with the Children Act 1989 and associated legislation;

  • comply with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and other applicable fostering regulations;

  • meet Ofsted requirements;

  • comply with safeguarding obligations;

  • respond to lawful requests from authorities;

  • establish, exercise or defend legal claims;

  • prevent or detect unlawful activity;

  • comply with financial, taxation or accounting obligations; and

  • meet other applicable legal requirements.

Running our organisation

We may process information where necessary for legitimate business purposes including:

  • administration;

  • record keeping;

  • financial management;

  • IT and information security;

  • fraud prevention;

  • insurance;

  • audit;

  • legal advice;

  • service improvement;

  • staff training;

  • quality assurance;

  • handling complaints;

  • business continuity; and

  • protecting our organisation, systems and users.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the need for the processing, its impact on individuals and whether people’s rights and interests override our interests.

5. Special category and criminal offence information

Fostering necessarily involves some particularly sensitive information.

For example, the assessment of a prospective Foster Parent may require us to understand matters relating to health, family history, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or other personal circumstances.

We may also need to obtain or process DBS and other criminal-offence information.

Having an ordinary UK GDPR lawful basis is not sufficient on its own for these types of information.

For special category information, we must also identify an appropriate condition under Article 9 of the UK GDPR and, where required, the Data Protection Act 2018.

Depending on the particular purpose, relevant conditions may include:

  • reasons of substantial public interest;

  • safeguarding children and individuals at risk;

  • regulatory requirements;

  • employment, social security or social protection;

  • health or social-care purposes;

  • establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or

  • explicit consent where consent is genuinely appropriate.

For criminal-offence information, we will identify an appropriate lawful basis and the necessary authority or condition under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Where required by law, we maintain an Appropriate Policy Document explaining how we comply with the data-protection principles when processing these types of information.

We do not rely automatically on consent merely because information is sensitive. The appropriate legal basis and condition depend upon why the information is being used.

6. Marketing and communications

Communications about a fostering enquiry that you have made are different from general marketing.

If you contact us asking about fostering, we may contact you and reasonably follow up with you about that enquiry without requiring you to separately opt in to general marketing.

General promotional communications may include, for example:

  • newsletters;

  • promotional campaigns;

  • information about unrelated events;

  • general promotional updates; or

  • other marketing that is not part of responding to or progressing your specific enquiry.

Where consent is required for these communications, we will ask for it separately.

We will not treat submitting a fostering enquiry form as blanket consent to receive unrelated marketing.

Where we rely on consent for marketing, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

You can also object to direct marketing at any time.

You can unsubscribe using the link contained in a marketing email where provided or contact us directly.

Stopping general marketing will not prevent us from contacting you where necessary to:

  • respond to an active fostering enquiry;

  • progress an application or assessment;

  • administer an existing relationship with you;

  • provide information you have specifically requested;

  • meet legal or regulatory obligations; or

  • deal with a safeguarding matter.

7. Cookies and website tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies are strictly necessary for the website to work correctly and may be used without consent where the law permits this.

Other cookies, such as certain:

  • analytics cookies;

  • advertising cookies;

  • social-media cookies; and

  • behavioural or tracking cookies

will only be used where the necessary permission has been obtained.

We will not regard simply continuing to browse our website as consent to non-essential cookies.

You can use our cookie-management tools to choose which optional cookies you allow and can change your preferences later.

Further information about the cookies we use, their purposes and how long they remain on your device is available in our Cookie Policy.

8. Sharing your personal information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information where necessary and lawful with organisations or individuals including:

Local authorities and social-care professionals

This may include:

  • placing authorities;

  • responsible authorities;

  • children’s social workers;

  • supervising social workers;

  • commissioning teams; and

  • other professionals involved in a child’s care.

Regulators and safeguarding bodies

This may include:

  • Ofsted;

  • the Disclosure and Barring Service;

  • police;

  • Local Authority Designated Officers;

  • safeguarding authorities; and

  • other regulatory or public bodies.

Health and education professionals

Where relevant to the needs or welfare of a child or another individual.

Fostering professionals

This may include:

  • fostering-panel members;

  • independent reviewing professionals;

  • assessors;

  • consultants;

  • therapists; and

  • other professionals supporting our fostering work.

Other fostering providers

Information may be shared with another fostering provider where this is required or permitted by law, including where a Foster Parent seeks to transfer between providers.

Service providers

We use trusted organisations to provide services such as:

  • IT systems;

  • data storage;

  • website hosting;

  • case-management or database systems;

  • email and communications;

  • document storage;

  • payment processing;

  • professional services; and

  • other administrative support.

Where a supplier acts as our processor, it may use personal information only for the purposes we instruct it to use the information for and must protect it appropriately.

Professional advisers

We may share information where appropriate with:

  • lawyers;

  • accountants;

  • auditors;

  • insurers;

  • consultants; and

  • other professional advisers.

Public authorities

We may disclose information to HM Revenue & Customs, regulators, law-enforcement bodies, courts or other authorities where required or permitted by law.

Business changes

If Flourish Fostering undergoes a reorganisation, merger, transfer or other change affecting the operation of the organisation, relevant information may be transferred where lawful and subject to appropriate protection.

We require organisations that process information on our behalf to protect it appropriately and to comply with applicable data-protection law.

9. International transfers

Some of the technology providers and other suppliers we use may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this constitutes a restricted international transfer, we will ensure that an appropriate transfer mechanism recognised by UK data-protection law is used.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

  • UK adequacy regulations;

  • the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework where the recipient is eligible;

  • the UK International Data Transfer Agreement;

  • the UK Addendum to approved contractual clauses; or

  • another transfer mechanism permitted by law.

Where required, we will also assess whether the transferred information receives an appropriate level of protection.

You can contact us if you would like further information about safeguards applying to a particular international transfer of your information.

10. Data security

We use appropriate organisational and technical security measures designed to protect personal information against:

  • accidental loss;

  • destruction;

  • unauthorised access;

  • alteration;

  • misuse; and

  • unlawful disclosure.

Access to personal information is restricted to employees, workers, contractors, professionals and service providers who have an appropriate reason to access it.

People who handle information on our behalf are required to respect its confidentiality and security.

We have procedures for identifying, investigating and responding to suspected personal-data breaches.

Where the law requires us to do so, we will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office and affected individuals of a personal-data breach.

11. How long we keep your information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet relevant legal, regulatory, safeguarding, accounting and reporting requirements.

Different records have different retention periods.

Factors we take into account include:

  • the nature of the information;

  • its sensitivity;

  • why it was collected;

  • safeguarding considerations;

  • legal and regulatory requirements;

  • limitation periods;

  • the risks associated with keeping the information;

  • whether it remains necessary; and

  • whether the purpose can be achieved without retaining identifiable information.

Fostering enquiries

Where you make an initial fostering enquiry but do not proceed to an application, we will normally retain the enquiry for the period specified in our retention schedule.

Our current general approach is to retain an enquiry that does not progress for up to six months after the enquiry is closed, unless:

  • you ask us to remain in contact for longer;

  • there is an appropriate reason to retain the information for longer;

  • the enquiry progresses to a fostering application; or

  • another legal or regulatory requirement applies.

During the period in which your enquiry remains open, we may make reasonable follow-up contact about fostering unless you ask us not to.

Fostering applications that are withdrawn or unsuccessful

Case records relating to a person who is not approved as a Foster Parent, or who withdraws before approval, are retained for at least three years from the refusal or withdrawal, where required by the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011.

Approved Foster Parents

Relevant case records concerning approved Foster Parents and information required to be retained from the foster-parent register are retained for at least ten years after the person’s approval is terminated, in accordance with applicable fostering regulations.

Other statutory fostering records

Certain records that fostering services are required to maintain are retained for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry, where required by the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011.

Children and placement information

Information concerning children, young people and placements may need to be retained for lengthy periods because of legal, regulatory, safeguarding and record-keeping requirements.

The precise retention period depends on the nature of the record, which organisation is responsible for it, and the applicable legislation.

Staff and employment information

Employment and personnel information will be retained in accordance with our staff-retention schedule and applicable employment, taxation, safeguarding and legal requirements.

Marketing records

We may retain information necessary to record a marketing preference or objection so that we can respect that preference in the future.

At the end of the applicable retention period, information will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised unless there is a lawful reason to retain it for longer.

12. If you do not provide information

In some circumstances, we need particular information to:

  • deal with an application;

  • conduct a fostering assessment;

  • comply with the law;

  • meet safeguarding obligations; or

  • provide a service.

If you do not provide information that is necessary for one of these purposes, we may not be able to progress your enquiry, application, assessment, placement or other relationship with us.

Where this happens, we will explain the position where appropriate.

13. Accuracy of your information

We want the information we hold about you to be accurate and up to date.

Please tell us if information you have provided changes or if you believe information we hold about you is inaccurate.

14. Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis on which we use your information, you may have the following rights.

Right of access

You may ask us for a copy of personal information we hold about you and information about how we use it.

This is commonly known as a subject access request.

Right to rectification

You may ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or complete information that is incomplete.

Right to erasure

In certain circumstances, you may ask us to delete personal information.

This right is not absolute.

For example, we may need to retain information to comply with fostering, safeguarding, regulatory or other legal requirements.

Right to restrict processing

In certain circumstances, you may ask us to restrict how we use your information.

Right to data portability

In certain circumstances, where information has been processed by automated means on the basis of consent or contract, you may be entitled to receive information you provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or ask us to transfer it to another organisation.

Right to withdraw consent

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before the consent was withdrawn.

Withdrawal of consent also does not prevent us from processing information where another lawful basis applies.

Right to object

You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances.

If you object, we will consider your circumstances and whether we have compelling legitimate grounds to continue processing.

You have an absolute right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.

If you object to direct marketing, we will stop using your information for that purpose.

Rights concerning automated decision-making

Where applicable, data-protection law provides rights in relation to decisions based solely on automated processing which produce legal or similarly significant effects.

If we undertake such processing, we will provide the additional information required by law.

15. Exercising your rights

To exercise a data-protection right, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the contact details in this notice.

You will not usually have to pay a fee.

However, the law may permit us to charge a reasonable fee or refuse a request in certain circumstances, including where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

We may need to request information to confirm your identity before acting on a request.

This is an important security measure designed to ensure personal information is not disclosed to someone who is not entitled to receive it.

We may also ask for information to help us understand the scope of your request.

We will respond within the timescales required by applicable data-protection law.

16. Data-protection complaints

If you are unhappy with the way we have used your personal information or handled a data-protection request, you can make a data-protection complaint to us.

You can do this by contacting our Data Protection Officer using the details in this notice.

We will:

  • provide an appropriate way for you to make a complaint;

  • acknowledge a data-protection complaint within 30 days;

  • take appropriate steps to investigate it without undue delay;

  • keep you informed as appropriate; and

  • tell you the outcome.

You also have the right to raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Further information is available at www.ico.org.uk.

17. Third-party websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, plug-ins or applications.

Those third parties operate independently from Flourish Fostering and may collect information about you according to their own privacy notices.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites.

We recommend reading the privacy notice of any third-party website or service you use.

18. Changes to the purpose for which information was collected

We will normally use personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected.

If we need to use it for another purpose, we will consider whether that purpose is compatible with the original purpose.

Where required, we will explain the new purpose and the lawful basis that permits the processing before using the information in the new way.

In some circumstances, the law may require or permit us to process information without providing advance notice or obtaining consent.

19. Changes to this privacy notice

We keep this privacy notice under review and may update it from time to time to reflect:

  • changes in the law;

  • changes to our fostering services;

  • changes to our technology or suppliers;

  • changes to the way we use personal information; or

  • regulatory guidance.

The latest version will be available on our website.

This privacy notice was last updated in September 2026.

20. Contact us

If you have questions about this privacy notice, how we use personal information or your data-protection rights, please contact:

Data Protection Officer
Flourish Fostering Ltd
Email: mica.douglas@thefosteringteam.co.uk

General enquiries can also be sent to:

hello@flourishfostering.co.uk