Privacy Policy

SENFOCUS is a dedicated support organisation delivering programmes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and our work is guided by that commitment.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, SENFOCUS acts as the Data Controller — meaning we determine how and why your personal data is processed.

We collect only the personal data that is necessary to deliver safe, effective, and well-supported programmes. This may include:

• Parent & guardian names
• Child participant details
• Contact information
• Medical & emergency information
• Attendance records
• Payment records
• Website usage data
• Photographs & video recordings
• Communication records

We collect personal data through the following channels:

• Registration forms — completed when joining a programme
• Consent forms — signed prior to participation
• Website submissions — via contact or enquiry forms on senfocus.co.uk
• Programme participation — through attendance, activities, and progress records
• Email communication — correspondence with parents, guardians, or referrers
• Cookies & website analytics — automatically when you visit our website

We process personal data only for clear, legitimate purposes. These include:

• Delivering safe and effective support programmes
• Maintaining safeguarding records in compliance with legal requirements
• Communicating with parents, guardians, and carers
• Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations
• Reporting to donors and funding organisations on programme impact
• Demonstrating outcomes and improving service delivery
• Managing funding requirements and grant conditions

Legal bases under UK GDPR — all processing is underpinned by at least one of the following lawful bases:

SENFOCUS may capture photographs and video recordings during programme activities. Under UK GDPR, images and recordings of identifiable individuals are treated as personal data and are handled accordingly.

Recordings may be used for the following purposes:

• Programme documentation and internal records
• Reporting to donors and funding partners
• Public awareness and community engagement
• Staff training and safeguarding review
• Promotional materials and social media

We are committed to keeping your personal data secure. Our safeguards include:

• Secure systems with restricted access controls
• Password protection and multi-factor authentication where applicable
• Regular data backups to prevent loss
• Access limited to authorised staff and volunteers only

While no digital system can guarantee absolute security, we continuously review and strengthen our practices to protect against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure.

We retain personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. Retention periods are determined by:

• Legal obligations — such as safeguarding and employment law requirements
• Safeguarding requirements — which may require records to be held for extended periods
• Funding and reporting needs — as required by grant agreements

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely and permanently deleted in line with our data retention schedule.

We do not sell personal data. We may share data with trusted third parties only where necessary and lawful, including:

• Safeguarding authorities — where we have a legal duty to disclose
• Funding organisations — to fulfil grant reporting obligations
• Professional service providers — such as auditors or legal advisors, under strict confidentiality
• IT and cloud storage providers — who process data on our behalf under Data Processing Agreements

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to info@senfocus.co.uk. We will respond within one calendar month in line with UK GDPR requirements.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your experience and understand how visitors use our site. We use cookies for:

• Essential functionality — to keep the site working correctly
• Analytics — to understand which pages are visited and how users navigate the site
• Session management — to maintain continuity during your visit

You can control or disable cookies at any time through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. For more information, see your browser's help documentation.

Despite our security measures, data breaches can occur. If a breach poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will:

• Investigate immediately and take steps to contain the breach
• Notify affected individuals directly where required
• Report the breach to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) within 72 hours, where legally required

We maintain an internal record of all data breaches, regardless of whether ICO notification is required, in line with our accountability obligations under UK GDPR.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. The most current version will always be available on our website at senfocus.co.uk.

Where changes are significant, we will make reasonable efforts to notify affected individuals directly. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.