Your confidence in the way we look after your data is really important to us. We have prepared this Privacy Policy to explain the types of personal data we may collect about you when you talk to us and how we store, handle and keep that data safe. It also sets out your rights, how to contact us and (if you need to) how to complain in the event you have a problem or complaint.

Who we are

The Shropshire Dyslexia Association (SDA) is a Local Dyslexia association affiliated to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA). The SDA, using self-employed specialist teachers/tutors, provides personalised one to one and small group tuition for pupils experiencing dyslexia (a specific learning difficulty SpLD) or those with literacy difficulties. We provide direct tuition on Thursday twilights and Saturday mornings at the Belle Vue Methodist Church in Shrewsbury during term time. Our self-employed postgraduate qualified teachers provide individual private tuition and, in some cases, assessment. These individuals will hold their own privacy statement.

Protecting your data

When we collect or process your personal data we are regulated by the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (GDPR 2018) which applies across the European Union (including the United Kingdom) and we are responsible as ‘controller’ or ‘processor’ of that personal information for the purposes of those laws.

The personal information we collect and use

It won’t be a surprise to know that most of the information we collect about you is needed to deliver the products and services you have asked for (such as support, training, membership, etc) or to keep you informed about things you might reasonably expect, given our relationship. That tends to include things like:

• Who you are – so we know what to call you

• Where you live - so we can send you things

• Telephone number and email – so we can keep in touch

• If you obtain tuition from us, financial information

• If you want to work with us, proof of identity, DBS checks

• If you contact us as a parent or carer, information about your children

As you would expect, we must keep records to comply with the law regarding (for example) criminal activity or fraud.

Supporting children and young people with dyslexia

As a charity we need to make sure that we spend our limited funding appropriately and focus on the right things. We may, therefore, use information about members or customers to identify trends and ensure we can spot needs and develop the right training, new products or services.

Information collected from other sources

Sometimes, we obtain personal information from:

• Local dyslexia associations (Local Associations/LDAs)

• Publicly accessible websites like Ofsted and the electoral roll

• Schools and class teachers

How we use your personal information

Normally, we use your personal information to:

• Deliver the products and services we have agreed to provide you with and inform you of similar or related products or services

• Provide you with support, assistance and services in relation to dyslexia and related neurodiverse conditions in education or the workplace (‘services’)  To better understand the needs of dyslexic and non-dyslexic people (as a campaigning organisation) and to generate information and statistics to support our lobbying and campaigning activities locally and/or inform our policy making

• Occasionally, to verify your identity and your circumstances with third parties such as DBS checking.

• Send you information about our services. You may opt out of receiving these at any time

• Introduce you to third parties to help us to provide you with our services

• Invite you to events which we, our clients or third parties organise, which we believe you may be interested in. You may opt out of receiving these at any time

Who we share your personal information with

We do not routinely share your personal data with anyone unless there is a good reason to do so. This might include:

• Local Associations – We will share your information with a Local Association if you have given us permission to do so

• Other Third Parties (‘third parties’) – We will share your information with third Parties only where it is necessary for provision of our services.

As you would expect, we will share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities, if required by applicable law. We will not share your personal information with any other third party.

Information we need vs information that would be helpful to the cause

We often need your personal data to provide you with the services you have requested. However, occasionally we may ask you for permission to capture additional data that would help us expand our understanding of your needs or market other products and services to you. We will inform you at the point of collecting information from you whether you are required to provide the information to receive the service or whether this is optional.

How long your personal information will be kept

Under the GDPR 2018, the SDA will process your information lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner. Information will be kept securely and for a period of 6 years where a diagnostic assessment has been carried out and for one year where a pupil has been tutored at the SDA workshops.

Reasons we can collect and use your personal information

Rather than bombard you with requests for permissions, we try to limit the data we keep to that required to fulfil our contractual obligations to you and/or the pursuit of our legitimate interest as the lawful basis on which we collect and use your personal data. Our legitimate interest is providing you products and services in relation to dyslexia, researching and campaigning on behalf of the 10% of society affected by dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties. In limited circumstances, we may also rely on the need to protect your interests (or those of a third party) and/or where processing is in the public interest or for official purposes. Where we process special category personal information, for example children’s and criminal information, we will only do so with your explicit consent.

Your rights

Under the GDPR 2018 you have several important rights including:

• The fair processing of information and transparency over how we use your use personal information

• Access to your personal information and to certain other supplementary information that this Privacy Policy is already designed to address

• Requiring us to correct any mistakes in your information which we hold

• Requiring the erasure of personal information concerning you in certain situations

• Receiving the personal information concerning you which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit that data to a third party in certain situations 4

• Objecting at any time to processing of personal information concerning you for direct marketing

• Objecting in certain other situations to our continued processing of your personal information

• Restricting our processing of your personal information in certain circumstances

• Exercising these rights free of charge

For further information on each of those rights, including the circumstances in which they apply, see the Guidance from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on individuals’ rights under the General Data Protection Regulations.

Exercising your rights

If you would like to exercise any of these wider rights, please:

• email, call or write to us (details of how below)

Keeping your personal information secure

We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

How to complain

We hope that we can resolve any query or concern you raise about our use of your information. If you have a complaint or query, please contact the Chairperson, Karen Mitchell:

Email: info@thesda.org.uk, or via the BDA website: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Contact us

Please contact us if you have any questions about this privacy policy or the information we hold about you on the above email address.

Review of Policy

This privacy notice was published on 18th April 2021. The Committee shall review this policy annually and the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) shall ensure that the views of staff, paid and voluntary are sought and reflected in the review process.