Wallsend Community Preschool Privacy Policy – Protecting Your Child’s Information

At Wallsend Community Preschool, we understand how important your child’s privacy is. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information relating to children attending our preschool, as well as their parents/guardians. We are committed to complying with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and other relevant legislation.

1. Who We Are

Wallsend Community Preschool is a registered early learning service. Our website address is: https://wallsendpreschool.com.au/. We are dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing and educational environment for all children in our care.

2. What Information We Collect

We collect different types of information, including:

• Personal Information About Your Child: This includes their name, date of birth, gender, medical information (allergies, medications), emergency contact details, cultural background (if relevant to their learning journey), and any other information necessary for their care and wellbeing.
• Contact Information About Parents/Guardians: This includes your name, address, phone number(s), email address, and preferred method of communication.
• Enrolment Forms & Related Documents: We collect enrolment forms, consent forms (e.g., permission for photos, excursions), and other documents required to manage your child’s enrolment.
• Information Collected Through Our Website: (See section 6 – Cookies)
• Photos and Videos: We may take photos and videos of children participating in preschool activities. These are used internally for program evaluation, communication with parents (e.g., on noticeboards or social media – with consent), and promotional materials (with consent).

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your child’s and your information for the following purposes:

• Providing Care & Education: To ensure your child’s safety, wellbeing, and educational needs are met.
• Communication: To communicate with you about your child’s progress, important announcements, upcoming events, and any concerns regarding their care or development.
• Enrolment Management: To manage enrolments, waiting lists, and attendance records.
• Program Improvement: To evaluate our programs and services and make improvements based on feedback and observations.
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance: To comply with relevant laws and regulations relating to early childhood education and care.
• Marketing (with consent): We may occasionally use photos or videos of children (with explicit, documented parental consent) in our promotional materials (e.g., brochures, website, social media).

4. Sharing Your Information – Who Do We Disclose It To?

We only share your information with those who need it to provide care and education for your child:

• Preschool Staff: All staff members involved in your child’s care and education.
• Relief Educators: Temporary educators covering staff absences.
• Visiting Professionals: (e.g., speech therapists, occupational therapists) with your consent.
• Emergency Services: In the event of an emergency, we may share information with police, ambulance, or fire services.
• Regulatory Bodies: We may be required to disclose information to government agencies (e.g., Department of Education).

We will not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.

5. Your Rights Regarding Your Information

You have the following rights regarding your child’s and your personal information:

• Access: You can request access to the personal information we hold about your child or yourself.
• Correction: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion (Erasure): In certain circumstances, you can request that we delete your child’s or your personal information. However, we may be required to retain some records for legal or regulatory purposes.
• Objection: You can object to the processing of your personal information in certain situations.

To exercise these rights, please contact us.

6. Cookies & Website Usage

Our website uses cookies to improve your experience and collect anonymous usage data. Cookies are small text files stored on your computer. We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly (e.g., remembering login details).
• Analytics Cookies: These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website so we can improve it. We use Google Analytics, which collects anonymous data about your browsing activity. Google Analytics Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, and as required by law. Once a child leaves our preschool, we will securely store their records as per regulatory requirements, before permanently deleting them.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policy, please contact us:

Contact Wallsend Community Preschool