How we handle your information

What we collect

Names, contact details and dates of birth of children, parents, carers and other people involved; referral details, court orders and case plans; information about safety and risk; session records, observations and reports; incident reports; invoices and payment records; and, for staff, employment, check and pay details.

We collect it from you, and also from other people: the person or agency who referred your family (for example the Department of Communities, a lawyer, an Independent Children's Lawyer or the Court), the other parent or carer, and our staff's observations during sessions. Some of it is collected because a court order, a Department referral or the law requires it.

Why we collect it

To decide whether we can safely accept a referral, to plan and deliver supervised contact, changeover and transport services, to keep children and everyone involved safe, to write the reports we are asked for, to bill for our services, and to meet our legal obligations (including mandatory reporting). If we don't receive the information we need, we may not be able to provide a service.

Who sees it

• Safe Steps staff see what they need for their role. Family Support Officers see the details for the sessions they work.
• The other parent or carer only sees what has been agreed in the family's sharing settings. We never give one parent the other parent's home address, phone number or email. Where a family violence restraining order is in place, contact details are never shared.
• The Department of Communities case manager (for Department referrals), a lawyer, Independent Children's Lawyer or the Court, where authorised by the referral, by written consent, or by law (for example a subpoena or court order).
• Authorities where the law requires it, or to protect a child's safety.
• Our service providers, under confidentiality: our database (Supabase, Sydney, Australia), our app host (Vercel, Sydney, Australia), email (Hostinger) and accounting (Xero).

Overseas: some of these providers may store or process information outside Australia, including in the United States and Europe (for example email and accounting systems, and technical support). We choose providers with strong security and privacy commitments, and we only share what they need to provide their service.

How we keep it safe

Information is stored securely, access is limited by role, office logins can be protected by two-step login, and files are only shown to people who are allowed to see them. Records are kept for as long as the law requires: at least 7 years after a service ends, and longer for records about children and their safety where the law or our contract with the Department of Communities requires it. After that they are securely destroyed.

Data breaches: if a data breach is likely to cause serious harm, we will tell the people affected and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme requires.

Your choices

You can ask to see or correct the information we hold about you, or make a complaint, by contacting us below. We may refuse or limit access where giving it could put someone's safety at risk or where the law allows (for example, to protect another person's privacy), and we will tell you why. If we don't agree to change a record, you can ask us to keep a statement with it saying you believe it is incorrect. Complaints are acknowledged within 2 business days and answered within 10 business days. If you're not satisfied, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au, 1300 363 992).

Contact us

Safe Steps Children's Contact Services · PO Box 300, Inglewood WA 6932 · +61 475 201 348 · info@safestepsccs.com.au