Edinburgh Young Persons' Service Privacy Notice

The Edinburgh Young Persons Service provides support to young people between 16-25 who have either directly or indirectly been affected by homelessness.

The service has  four elements –    

Visiting Housing Support (VHS ) , Leith Base , Groupwork and Youth Emergency Support Service (YESS) .  

The Visiting Housing Support service works with 16-25-year-olds across Edinburgh to develop the skills necessary for successful independent living . It aims to support young people to access and maintain settled accommodation including LinkLiving temporary supported flats .  

The Leith Based service provides core and cluster temporary accommodation with support to homeless 16-25-year-olds .  It aims to support young people to develop the independent living skills necessary for future tenancy sustainment .  

Groupwork s ervice offers Independent Living Skills courses to young people .  

The Youth Emergency  Support Service provides immediate support to 16- and 17-year-old young people in a crisis housing situation.  

 Info This notice was reviewed 1 May 2024

What data we need

To allow us to provide the service you would expect from us, we process the following information about you: 

  •  Name
  • Address
  • Date of birth
  • Telephone numbers
  • National Insurance Number
  • Email address
  • Next of kin contact details
  • Tenancy information records
  • GP’s name, address and telephone number, and the contact details of other health professionals involved in your care and support
  • Health and disability information which helps us understand your care and support needs
  • Information about the outcomes you want to achieve and the steps you take towards them
  • Risk assessments
  • Support notes

 Most of this information is contained in your Support Plan. In addition, we process: 

  •  Letters we receive or send in relation to your care and support

Why we need it

 We need your information and will use your information:

  • to undertake and perform our obligations and duties to you in accordance with the terms of our contract with you

  • to enable us to supply you with the services and information which you have requested or expect from us

  • to analyse the information we collect so that we can administer, support, and improve our business and the services we offer to you

  • to enable us to apply for appropriate benefits and services on your behalf

  • to contact you in order to send you details of any changes to our services which may affect you

  • for all other purposes consistent with the proper performance of our operations and business

  • to contact you for your views on our services

Where we store your data

We store your data on our secure online information management system, Dynamics.

 Any paper records are stored in locked filing cabinets.

How long we will keep your information

We review our data retention periods regularly and will only hold your personal data for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or as required by law (we may be legally required to hold some types of information), or as set out in any relevant contract we have with you.  

We will generally keep your information for the following minimum periods after which this will be destroyed if it is no longer required for the reasons it was obtained. 

 

Document Type 

Retention Period 

Support plan 

5 years - from service end date 

Service reviews/risk assessments, etc. 

5 years - from service end date 

Letters we receive or send in relation to 

your care and support 

5 years - from service end date 

 

Our full retention schedule is available at www.linkliving.org.uk/privacy. 

What's the legal justification?

We will process your personal data with your consent and special categories of personal data with your explicit consent. The details of your next of kin will be processed in your vital interests. 

By receiving a copy and signing this Privacy Statement, you are providing your consent under the Data Protection Act 2018 for your data to be used for the purposes and retained for the period(s) specified in this document. 

 

Sharing your information

The information you provide to us will be treated by us as confidential. 

We may disclose your information to third parties who act for us for the purposes set out in this notice or for purposes approved by you, including the following:  

  •  Referral agencies
  • Housing Associations
  • Statutory Authorities (HMRC, Local Authority, Utilities, etc.)
  • Other support providers
  • Medical Professionals, raising concerns or in a crisis
  • Social Work, raising concerns or in a crisis
  • Statutory Bodies for Adult Protection
  • Regulatory Bodies, Care Inspectorate

Receiving data about you

We may receive information from third parties about you in relation to the care and support services we provide to you. Any information received will be subject to the same storage and retention principles described in this privacy notice.

Updating your information

If your details change, please contact Edinburgh Young Persons Service on 01316615273 or by email at enquiries@linkliving.org.uk to inform us to ensure that the information we hold about you is up to date.

Data Protection Officer

You can contact our data protection officer at datamanagement@linkhaltd.co.ukor by post to Link House, 2c New Mart Road, Edinburgh EH14 14L. 

Your rights

Your right of access

You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. 

Your right to rectification

You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure

You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances. 

Your right to restriction of processing

You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. 

Your right to object to processing

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. However, if Link can demonstrate that there is a compelling reason to process such personal data then we may refuse to stop processing your personal data.  

Your right to data portability

You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

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You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.  

Please contact us at datamanagement@linkhaltd.co.uk if you wish to make a request.  

How to complain 

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at Link House, 2c New Mart Road, Edinburgh EH14 1RL or by email at   datamanagement@linkhaltd.co.uk  

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.  

The ICO’s address:              

Information Commissioner’s Office 

Wycliffe House 

Water Lane 

WILMSLOW

Cheshire 

SK9 5AF 

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113  

ICO website:  https://www.ico.org.uk