Who is responsible
Branches of Safety is a project in development for families across England and Wales. A foundation CIO is the preferred legal direction, subject to specialist advice, but no legal structure has yet been formed or registered. During this stage, the project founder is responsible for deciding how development enquiries are handled. Contact hello@branchesofsafety.org.uk for privacy questions.
Information we currently receive
If you email, we receive the information you choose to include, such as your name, address, organisation, accessibility needs and message. The current website has no contact form, account, mailing list, advertising or case-referral system. The hosting provider may process limited technical and security information required to deliver the site.
Please do not send: court papers, children’s names or addresses, medical records, intimate information, criminal records, detailed allegations or evidence. This project is not yet equipped to manage sensitive case material.
Why we use information
We use ordinary enquiry information to read and reply, arrange development conversations, manage training and partnership contacts, maintain security and keep a minimal record of agreed follow-up. The intended lawful basis for routine development enquiries is legitimate interests: responding to people who contact the project and developing it safely. That assessment must be documented and revisited if the service changes.
If information must be used or shared for a safeguarding emergency, legal obligation or another purpose, the appropriate lawful basis and any additional condition for sensitive information will be recorded. Consent will not be treated as the only possible safeguarding basis.
Who information may be shared with
Routine messages are not sold or used for marketing. Limited information may be processed by providers supporting email and website hosting. It may be shared with an appropriate statutory service, regulator, insurer or adviser where necessary and lawful, especially to protect someone from harm or comply with law.
How long we keep it
During development, routine completed enquiries will normally be deleted within 12 months of the last meaningful contact unless an ongoing partnership, complaint, safeguarding reason or legal requirement justifies longer. Training and partnership correspondence may be retained for up to three years after the relationship ends. These periods will be reviewed through the full retention schedule.
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to ask for access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection or transfer of your personal information. You can also challenge a decision based solely on automated processing; Branches of Safety does not currently make such decisions.
Email us to make a request. We may need to check identity proportionately and may withhold information where a lawful exemption or another person’s rights apply.
Complaints
Please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.
Security and changes
Access will be limited and accounts protected with appropriate security. No method is risk-free, so suspected loss or unauthorised access will be assessed and acted on. This notice will be updated when the legal structure, systems or services change. Material changes will receive a new date and version.
Guidance informing this notice
ICO guidance on privacy notices and the UK data-protection principles.