I am Susan Poarch and I am a psychotherapist and counsellor. In the course of my professional work I will collect personal data about you and it is important that you are aware of how this will be processed. I may gather this personal data from a number of different sources, including you, sometimes prior to my meeting you and also during our work together.

I may be provided with your personal information by any of the following:  the local authority, a health authority, a foster care agency and/or adoption agency that has commissioned me to work with you and I will also gather additional information disclosed during our discussions. (See note below.)

During our discussions I am likely to collect the following:-

• Personal details about you and other family members as shared by you during the course of our conversations
• Health information and other sensitive information where this is disclosed by you during the course of our conversations.

There may be requirements from the organisations connected with our work (if applicable) that require me to write reports about you. This will inform our work together. I will only process your personal data insofar as it is necessary to provide this service to you.

During the course our work I may need to share or seek information pertaining to our work together but this will always be with your knowledge. I will retain all of your personal data securely, and I will only retain it for as long as necessary. I retain contact details for the duration of our work together.  I retain working notes at times, to aid our work together during the course of that work.  At the end of this work these notes will be destroyed. 

I receive professional supervision as an essential requirement of my practice.  Details of our discussions may be shared with my supervisors to aid my work with you and ensure safe practice. I will also share your personal information with the local authority or adoption agency (if applicable) that commissioned me to work with you in the form of a written report at the end of our work and throughout the period of my working with you if required. You have certain rights under data protection regulations to ensure your personal data is handled transparently. For instance, you have the right to receive all personal data I process about you, as well as the right to request that your personal data is amended where it is inaccurate. If you would like to exercise any of your rights please contact me to discuss.

Note: References to local authorities, health authorities, fostering/adoption agencies only apply if you have been referred to me by one of them.

Susan Poarch May 2018