Family Drug and Alcohol Courts Evaluation: Privacy notice for the implementation evaluation

Privacy notice: Implementation evaluation

What Works for Children’s Social Care has commissioned the National Centre for Social Research to carry out an evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC), a court approach that supports parents in overcoming substance misuse and aims to keep more families together.

This privacy notice sets out how we will process information from everyone taking part in the implementation and process element of the research. In line with GDPR (the EU General Data Protection Regulation), it explains the legal basis for data processing; who will have access to participants’ personal data; how data will be used, stored and deleted; and who you can contact with a query or a complaint.

For information about how data will be processed for the Impact evaluation element of this research, please refer to the separate impact evaluation privacy notice.

What is the legal basis for processing my data?

This research is being carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). It is funded by What Works for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC). You can find out more about NatCen at https://natcen.ac.uk/ and about the WWCSC at https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/.

NatCen is the data processor for this research, and is responsible for the collection, processing and storage of the data. The legal reason for processing the data under GDPR Article 6 1e is ‘legitimate interest’. This means that we believe there is a good reason for us to collect and manage this data, and that this data is needed to evaluate and learn about the FDAC. Using this data won’t interfere with individuals’ interests, rights or freedoms.

Who will have access to my personal data?

Where permission is given for these to be shared, NatCen’s research team will have access to participants’ names, contact details and (for staff participants) job roles. With participants’ permission, research interviews will be audio recorded to provide an accurate record of the discussion, and written notes may also be made. NatCen will hold and process the recordings and any notes taken during the interviews or groups.

McGowan Transcriptions (www.mcgowantranscriptions.co.uk) is the service we use to transcribe interview and focus group data. They will have access to recordings and transcriptions from research interviews; no other data will be shared with them. The interview data will be shared through our secure online FTP system, and held in accordance with NatCen’s security policy requirements.

Only a small number of staff at NatCen will have access to the data for this project.

How will the data be used, stored and deleted?

Information obtained from the interviews will be analysed and brought together into a thematic report and presentation for the client. No data in which it is possible to identify you as an individual will be passed on to the WWCSC. The research outputs may include some quotes from participants, but no identifying information (including, for example, names of individuals or places) will be included.

Data will only be used for research purposes. NatCen will store and manage all data securely and confidentially in line with GDPR.

The data held by NatCen will be stored securely in the UK, in line with international best practice and NatCen’s ISO 27001, ISO 20252 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications. Data will not be stored in overseas servers.

All personal data will be securely deleted one year after completion of the project. 

Disclosure notice

Information provided by you for this research will be kept confidential. The only exception to this is if you tell the research team details of a crime, or about an imminent threat to life or serious harm to yourself or involving somebody else you identify. In this case, the research team will need to pass the information on to NatCen’s disclosure board, who will determine whether the information needs to be shared outside NatCen, for example with the local police or local authority.

Requesting access to your personal data 

If you take part, you can withdraw your contribution at any point up to two weeks after your interview.

You can also request access to your personal data, ask for it to be deleted or updated by NatCen, and/or for an explanation of how it has been used, at any time before it is destroyed. Rights requests will be responded to without delay and within 30 days.

Individual rights requests apply to personal data only, and there may be some occasions where you will receive an explanation of why the request you've made cannot be complied with. Please note that once our findings have been shared outside of the research team, we would not be able to change the results by removing individual information. You can request that your personal data held by us be deleted or updated and we will let you know immediately if this is possible or not.

If you would like to make a request about your data, please get in touch using the contact details provided below.

Who can I contact with a query or a complaint?

NatCen’s team are happy to answer any questions you have about this research or how the data will be used. You can contact us on 020 7250 1866 or at fdac@natcen.ac.uk.

If you believe NatCen has not complied with your data protection rights, you can contact NatCen’s Data Protection Officer, Simon Holroyd, at dpo@natcen.ac.uk.

Under GDPR, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if your query is not satisfactorily addressed by us. You have the right to raise any concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at:

Address: Information Commissioner's Office. Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Website: https://ico.org.uk/concerns