Privacy Notice

1. Introduction

Alternative Vision Group Ltd (AVG) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly.

This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information received through our website, email correspondence, social media and enquiries from parents, carers, schools and professionals.

We take the protection of children’s personal information particularly seriously.

2. Who We Are

Alternative Vision Group Ltd is responsible for determining how and why personal information is processed where it acts as the data controller.

For privacy enquiries, please contact: info@alternativevision.org

3. Information We Collect

Depending on the nature of your enquiry, we may collect:

• Names and contact details.
• Information provided through email or social media.
• Details about a young person’s educational needs and circumstances.
• Information provided by parents, carers, schools and professionals.
• Relevant information required to consider potential referrals.
• Information about how our website is used, as described in section 8.

Where necessary for formal referrals, we may also process sensitive information such as EHCPs, health information and safeguarding records.

We only aim to collect information that is necessary for a legitimate and clearly identified purpose.

4. How We Use Your Information

We may use personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries.
• Communicate with parents, carers and professionals.
• Discuss potential educational support.
• Consider whether AVG may be suitable for a young person.
• Assess referrals and plan appropriate support.
• Meet safeguarding and applicable legal responsibilities.
• Understand how our website is used so that we can improve it.

We will identify and document the appropriate lawful basis for each processing activity. Where special category information is processed, we will also identify an applicable additional legal condition.

5. Sharing Personal Information

Where necessary and lawful, information may be shared with relevant organisations including:

• Schools and educational establishments.
• Local authorities.
• Safeguarding professionals and statutory agencies.
• Appropriate service providers supporting our operations.

We do not sell personal information.

We will ensure appropriate safeguards and agreements are in place when external organisations process personal information on our behalf.

6. Protecting Children’s Information

AVG recognises the importance of protecting information relating to children and young people.

We will restrict access to sensitive information and implement appropriate security measures.

Please do not send EHCPs, medical records or safeguarding documents through Facebook Messenger or an initial website enquiry.

Where detailed information is required, we will advise on appropriate secure arrangements.

7. How Long We Keep Information

We will only retain personal information for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

Retention periods will depend on the type of information, the reason it was collected and any applicable legal or safeguarding requirements.

Information will be securely deleted when it is no longer required, subject to any applicable retention obligations.

8. Website Cookies and Technology

Our website may process technical information required to operate securely and effectively.

This website does not use cookies or advertising technologies. It stores one item in your browser, which records that you have closed the Open Evening reminder. This item contains no personal information, is not sent to us and is removed when you close the browser tab.

We use PostHog, an analytics service, to count visits to this website so that we can understand how it is used and improve it. It runs without cookies and stores nothing on your device.

For each visit, PostHog records:

• The pages viewed, with the date and time.
• The buttons and links selected, and whether the enquiry form was used to prepare an email. Nothing typed into the form is recorded.
• The type of device and browser, the screen size and the language setting.
• The website or search engine that led the visitor to us.
• The approximate town or city of the visitor, where this can be worked out.

To count visitors without cookies, PostHog briefly combines the visitor’s IP address with details of their browser to create an anonymous code that changes every day. The IP address itself is not kept, and the code cannot be used to identify a person or to recognise them on a later day.

We use this information only as totals and do not use it to identify individual visitors. PostHog keeps it for up to 12 months.

The enquiry form does not store or send the details you enter. It prepares an email in your own email application, and nothing reaches us until you choose to send that email.

The company that hosts this website, Vercel Inc., processes technical information such as your IP address in order to deliver the pages and keep the service secure.

Any change to the cookies, analytics, tracking technologies or third-party services used on this website will be reflected in this notice. Where legally required, we will obtain consent before using non-essential cookies or similar technologies.

9. International Data Transfers

Some technology providers may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Our website is hosted by Vercel Inc., which is based in the United States and may process the technical information described in section 8 outside the United Kingdom.

The visitor statistics described in section 8 are processed and stored by PostHog on servers in the European Union.

Where international transfers take place, AVG will ensure that appropriate legal safeguards are in place where required.

10. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection legislation, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal information.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion in certain circumstances.
• Restrict or object to certain processing.
• Request data portability where applicable.
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
• Exercise rights relating to certain automated decisions.

These rights depend on the circumstances and applicable law.

To make a request, please contact info@alternativevision.org.

11. Complaints

If you have concerns about how AVG handles personal information, please contact us.

You can also raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Website: ico.org.uk

12. Updates to This Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice as our services develop or our legal responsibilities change.