Childcare Offer for Wales

Welsh Government funds 30 hours of combined Foundation Phase Nursery Education and childcare across Wales for working families of 3 and 4 year olds for 48 weeks per year. Rhondda Cynon Taf administers this scheme on behalf of Bridgend County Borough Council and Merthyr Council.

Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals, we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with.

We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for the Childcare Offer for Wales Process. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s Corporate Privacy Notice.

1. Who we are, what we do

The RCT Childcare Offer Team are responsible for administering the Childcare Offer on behalf of Welsh Government for Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend and Merthyr County Borough Councils.

This means that the team process applications from parents, assess child eligibility, secure childcare providers to participate in the scheme and process childcare provider funding claims. We promote the Offer and report to Welsh Government on progress as required .

2. What and whose personal information we hold?

Parents/Carers taking up the Childcare Offer

The types of information we hold and process in order to process your application and check eligibility will typically include;

• Name and Address
• Ethnicity
• NI Number
• Employers contact details
• Working hours and wage

Child Eligible for the Childcare Offer

The types of information we hold and process in order to check child eligibility will typically include;

• Name and Address
• Date of Birth
• Language Preference
• Additional Learning Needs

Childcare Providers delivering services under the Childcare Offer

The types of information we hold and process to maintain a record of providers delivering services and to process childcare provider funding claims will typically include;

• Name and Address
• Telephone Number and Email Address
• Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) registration number
• Main Language used within Setting
• Bank Details

3. Where does the service get my information from?

The information we hold in relation to Parents/Carers, Children and Childcare providers will be provided to Rhondda Cynon Taf directly from the individual.

There will be instances where we receive information in relation to Parents/Carers, Children and Childcare providers from Bridgend CBC and Merthyr Council – in order to provide the Childcare Offer Service on their behalf.

4. What we will do with your personal information?

Parents/Carer and Children information will be used to;

• Assess your eligibility to receive childcare under the Offer
• To provide a service to you
• To contact you in relation to the Offer
• To send you relevant updates and communications on behalf Welsh Government relating to child care provision

Childcare Provider information will be used to;

• Assess your eligibility as a childcare provider
• To assist you in providing a service on our behalf
• To contact you in relation to the Offer
• To process childcare provider funding

5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?

Data Protection law says that we are allowed to use and share personal information only where we have a proper and lawful reason for doing so.

Under Article 6 (1) (e) of the GDOR we are holding and sharing your personal information relating to the Offer for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?

For Parents/Carers, Children and Childminders registering interest and/or eligibility in the Childcare Offer who are residents of Bridgend County Borough Council or Merthyr Council, there will be instances where we will share your personal information with them. This will mostly include;

• Name and Address of Parent/Carer
• Name and DOB of Child
• Name of Childcare Provider
• Childs Additional learning needs, support and requirements.

The Childcare Offer for Wales is a Welsh Government funded scheme. Therefore the Council will provide details of you either as a parent/carer or child receiving services under the Childcare Offer to Welsh Government. This personal information includes;

Data about your child and you as a parent/carer

• Gender
• Date of Birth
• Postcode
• Ethnicity
• Special Educational Needs (SEN)
• Language Preference
• Parent Income Brackets
• Previous/current access to Foundation Phase Nursery Education
• Previous/current access to flying start services – no information on what services are provided

For further information on what information the Council provide to Welsh Government and how Welsh Government handle your data, view their privacy policy here.

7. How long will my information be kept?

Your personal information will be retained by RCT Council as per our retention guidance of 6 years + Current year.

8. Your information, your rights

 The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.

View further details on your information rights and how to exercise them.

9. Contact us

If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service is using your personal information, please contact us in one of the following ways;