Skip to main contentAccessibility Statement

Early education and childcare privacy notice

1. Council contact details

1.1 West Northamptonshire Council
Registered Office:
One Angel Square
Angel Street
Northampton
NN1 1ED

Tel: 0300 126 7000

This notice explains what personal data (information) we hold about you, how we collect it, how we use it and how we may share information that we hold about you in order to deliver our services. We are required to give you this information under data protection law. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to protecting your privacy when you use our services. The Privacy Notice below explains how we use information about you and how we protect your privacy.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) complies with data protection legislation (the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and is registered as a 'Data Controller' (Reg. No. ZA896620).

1.2 Who we are

The Early Education and Childcare Service supports the Early Education and Childcare sector to deliver and fund Early Education and Childcare places to children in West Northamptonshire. The service administers and supports the delivery, and payments of Government funded childcare places, the sufficiency of childcare places in West Northamptonshire, the Families Information Service for parents/carers and prospective parents/carers in the county and offer a full advisory service for the practitioners working in the childcare sector in West Northamptonshire.

We work closely with other Family services within West Northamptonshire, Public Health, other external services/ stakeholders and partner organisations to ensure we support the best possible outcomes for children, young people and families in the county.

[email protected]

2. Information that we hold

2.1 What personal information do we collect to deliver this service?

The information collected by providers at child level and shared with WNC is covered in the privacy notice issued directly to parents/carers by the Early Education and Childcare Providers in West Northamptonshire.

The information we hold will vary dependent upon the service we are delivering but we may hold the following (this list is not exhaustive):

  • personal information such as your name, address, contact details, date of birth, benefits and any disabilities
  • training schedule ie attendance and training attended
  • any assigned professionals or practitioner details
  • current and previous school history
  • Early Years Foundation Stage profile
  • provider type ie childminder, pre-school
  • business address
  • parent/carer National Insurance number
  • HMRC 30-hour 11-digit reference number
  • 2 year funding eligibility reference number
  • SEND details
  • child attendance information
  • payment information including bank details and payee information

3. How the information is obtained

3.1 How do we collect this personal information?

We collect personal information in the following ways:

  • face to face
  • assessment or report
  • telephone
  • email
  • Ofsted download report
  • Online Form
  • training registers

We may seek personal information from other sources including:

  • other West Northamptonshire Council services
  • North Northamptonshire Council services
  • Childcare Providers
  • Ofsted
  • Department for Education

3.2 There are a number of reasons why we need to collect and use your personal information. Generally, we collect and use personal information where it is necessary to meet our legal obligations.

The legislation that govern and direct the delivery of services is as follows:

  • Childcare Act 2006 and 2016

4. What we do with the information

4.1 For what purpose is this personal information collected?

  • to meet Statutory Duties in the Childcare Act 2006 and 2016;
    Make statutory payments to the childcare sector
  • deliver a service or services to you, and your Business
  • secure high-quality childcare places in West Northamptonshire
  • to provide accurate and robust reporting to the Department of Education (DfE) and OFSTED
  • to complete Statutory Data returns – Annual Census Returns
  • to reclaim funds from Government Departments in order to pay the childcare sector; and
  • management, monitoring and oversight of all public funding for 2, 3, and 4 year olds in West Northamptonshire

The information will only be used for the purposes stated when it was collected. Information will not be sold, rented or provided to anyone else, or used for any other purpose than that for which it was originally collected unless required to by law.

4.2 Who we may share your information with

If required, we will share your information with other West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) departments such as:

  • Children's Trust
  • Education and Universal Services
  • Health service providers, including NHS agencies (examples include GPs, hospitals, ambulance, health visitor, mental health services)

We may also share your information outside of WNC with the following organisations (this list is not exhaustive):

  • North Northamptonshire Council
  • Other West Northamptonshire internal services ie SEND
  • Department for Education (DfE)
  • OFSTED
  • Childcare providers

Why we share this information

In order for the service to fully carry out its legal duties and to deliver its service it is a necessary requirement to share this information. If you have approached the service in a voluntary capacity, consent to share will be sought as appropriate.

We will share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities if required by applicable law. Any information sharing is undertaken in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We have mechanisms in place to share information lawfully and securely.

5. How long we keep your information for and how we securely dispose of it after use

5.1 How long your personal information will be held?

We keep your personal information for all aspects of processing by the Early Education and Childcare Service in line with the council’s records retention schedule.

Category of InformationRetention Period
All records relating to information and support for those interested in becoming a registered child minder and those already registered where there is financial involvementRetain from year records created for 6 years
All records relating to information and support for those interested in becoming a registered child minder and those already registered where there is no financial involvementRetain from year records created for 3 years
All records relating to training provided for those interested in becoming a registered childminder and those who are already registeredRetain from date award expires for 3 years
All records relating to the provision of information about registered childminders and day care facilities in the area for parents and carers of pre-school age childrenRetain from year records created for 1 year
All information relating to provider fundingRetain from year records created for 7 years

5.2 We will securely dispose of your information in line with the Council's Retention Schedules.

6. How we store your information

6.1 Your information is securely stored on the council’s systems.

7. Your data protection rights

7.1 The law gives you a number of rights to control what personal information is used by us and how we can use it. Please see section 15 of the council’s Privacy Policy for further information.

7.2 Please be aware that your rights may differ depending on the lawful basis for processing your personal data.

7.3 The right to withdraw consent - You can ask that we no longer use your details for this group of processing. If you wish to exercise this right, please contact the Data Protection Officer detailed in section 8.1 below.

8. Who to contact

8.1 If you would like further information about how we use your personal information, or you wish to exercise one of your data rights or you wish to complain about the use of your personal information please contact the Data Protection Officer:

Tel: 0300 126 7000

Email to [email protected]

Or you can write to:
Data Protection Officer
One Angel Square
Angel Street
Northampton
NN1 1ED

8.2 If you are still dissatisfied once you have contacted the Data Protection Officer, you have the right to complain to the ICO.

The ICO’s address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

9 Changes to this privacy notice

9.1 Privacy notices are live documents, which will be updated or revised in line with legislation.

Last updated 06 July 2023