03 5226 8900Privacy Statement
Barwon Child, Youth & Family (BCYF) is committed to protecting your privacy.
Personal information is collected and managed in accordance with the Privacy Act (1988) and the Australian Privacy Principles. These principles govern how we can collect, use, hold and disclose your personal information.
What is personal information?
Personal information is any information which identifies an individual and information from which an individual’s identity can be reasonably determined. For example, your name, date-of-birth, nationality or heritage, home address and telephone number are personal information.
Personal information includes information or an opinion about your racial origin, religious beliefs, sexual preferences or criminal record (sensitive information) and information or an opinion about your health or wishes about how services are provided.
What kinds of personal information do we collect and hold?
BCYF collects, holds and maintains personal information from clients, staff and potential staff, volunteers and supporters (including donors, sponsors and referring agencies).
BCYF collects personal information directly from individuals, in writing, by telephone, email or via our website. We may also receive personal information from a variety of other sources, including:
- Information about individuals which is given to us by government or non-government agencies acting on behalf of those individuals
- Publicly available sources of information, such as public registers
- Other organisations, who jointly with us, provide services
- If required to do so in accordance with legislation.
- Personal information collected will be stored confidentially unless disclosure is required by law.
For what purpose do we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information?
All personal information collected by BCYF will be used only for the primary purpose intended, e.g. for the employment of staff, volunteers and carers, recording and processing of donations and to facilitate the provision of services to our clients.
With the exception of what is contained in this Privacy Statement, we do not sell or otherwise disclose your personal information to other organisations.
BCYF may not be able to provide some or all services to an individual, unless the organisation is provided with the personal information requested.
BCYF may collect and use personal information to comply with legislative or regulatory requirements.
BCYF may find it necessary to share some of your personal information with our volunteers or agencies, who jointly with us, provide services to clients, to contractors or third party providers where tasks are outsourced.
BCYF may use the personal information collected to communicate with you about BCYF services and events.
How do we hold personal information?
Much of the personal information BCYF holds will be stored electronically in secure data-bases. Some personal information may also be stored in paper files.
BCYF takes measures to ensure your personal information is accurate, up-to-date, complete and relevant, and is protected from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure or alteration. BCYF uses a variety of measures to protect the security of personal information held.
We also take reasonable measures to remove, destroy or de-identify your personal information in a timely manner when it is no longer required for the purpose for which it was collected.
Who do we disclose your personal information to, and why?
BCYF at times may need to share some of your personal information. Generally, BCYF will disclose personal information with to other organisations that help with our work or to facilitate the provision of services to our clients. This information is disclosed with the understanding that all parties comply with the Privacy Act and obligations are made to use the personal information disclosed for the specific purpose we ask them to perform.
BCYF may also disclose your personal information if:
- Required or authorised by law or where there is a public duty to do so, in the case of suspected or actual child abuse or other matters of a serious or criminal nature as outlined in related legislation (e.g. Family Law Act 1975, Failure to Disclose Crimes Amendment Act (2014), Failure to Report Crimes Amendment Act (2014)
- An individual has expressly consented to the disclosure or the consent may be reasonably inferred from the circumstances
- An individual has applied for a position with the organisation and we are required to exchange some or all of your personal information with your referees, police, Centrelink and recruitment consultants for purposes relating to considering your application
- Where the organisation is otherwise permitted to disclose the information under the Privacy Act
- There is reasonable belief a child or young person is at risk of harm.
Do we disclose information overseas?
BCYF provides services to children, young people and families in Victoria. The organisation does not transfer information outside Victoria unless satisfied that the recipient organisation is subject to a binding legal obligation to protect privacy that is equivalent to the obligations that apply to us.
Reasons for disclosing information may include:
- Recruitment of an employee, volunteer or carer from another Australian state or overseas
- A request is made from a government agency or law enforcement body from another jurisdiction
- A request is made from a former client now living in another jurisdiction or overseas.
Do we collect personal information electronically?
BCYF will collect de-identified information from individuals electronically, for instance through internet browsing, mobile or tablet applications.
BCYF does not collect personal information through our website, unless provided by an individual.
Our website may record non-identifiable information about an individual for statistical reporting, administration and maintenance purposes. Information collected may include:
- date and time of visit(s)
- pages viewed
- users navigation through the site and interaction with pages (including fields completed in forms, information downloaded and applications completed)
- location information about users
- information about the device used to visit our website
- IP address.
BCYF takes care to ensure that information provided on our website is protected.
BCYF cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information sent to us or received online or via email. BCYF takes all reasonable steps to protect personal information once it has been received.
Access to and correction of personal information
BCYF takes all reasonable steps to ensure that personal information held is accurate and as up-to-date as is possible.
Individuals can request access to the personal information we hold about them and can ask for corrections to be made. BCYF will always provide access to any personal information we hold about an individual. Individuals are able to contact BCYF at any time and ask for corrections if it is felt the information held is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date.
There are some circumstances in which BCYF is not required to give access to an individual’s personal information, e.g. where giving access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals, or access would pose a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to public health or safety. If BCYF refuse to provide access individuals will be provided with reasons as to why access is refused, unless it is unreasonable to do so. If BCYF refuse a request an individual has the right to request that a statement be associated with their personal information noting that they disagree with its accuracy.
Before BCYF provides access to personal information proof of identity is required. This is to protect the confidentiality of personal information.
Resolving your privacy concerns and complaints – your rights
If you have any questions or are concerned about how personal information is being handled or have a complaint about a breach by us of the Australian Privacy Principles, please contact the BCYF Privacy Officer.
Further information
If you wish to gain access to your personal information, or any other query about our collection, use or handling of personal information, you can contact:
Privacy Officer
Barwon Child, Youth & Family
229 Ryrie Street,
Geelong VIC 3220
Phone: 03) 5221 4466
Email: recordsmanagement@bcyf.org.au
If you need to seek external advice regarding Privacy contact:
Commissioner for Privacy & Data Protection
Phone: 1300 666 444
Email: privacy@cpdp.vic.gov.au
Web: www.cpdp.vic.gov.au