Believe In Beyond CIC

Privacy Policy

Believe in Beyond CIC (B.I.B CIC)
Company Number: 16260080
Data Protection Lead: Leann Huntley
Email: believeinbeyondcic@gmail.com
Website: www.bibcic.co.uk

Version: 2.0  |  Effective date: 30 June 2026  |  Review date: June 2027

1. Introduction

Believe in Beyond CIC provides face-to-face and online counselling, mentoring, wellbeing and mental health services for women in Gloucestershire. We are committed to protecting the privacy, dignity, confidentiality and rights of every client, service user, volunteer and partner.

This policy explains how we collect, use, store, share and protect your personal information in accordance with the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to all personal data we process, including information relating to clients, service users, volunteers, staff, directors, contractors and anyone who contacts us or uses our website.

3. What Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

  • Personal identifiers — name, age, date of birth
  • Contact details — address, postcode, email address, telephone number
  • Referral information — GP, school, social care or agency details
  • Emergency contact details
  • Information about why you are seeking support
  • Counselling assessments and therapy notes
  • Safeguarding information
  • Financial information — for fee assessment or donations
  • Feedback and survey responses
  • Recruitment information — if you apply for a role with us

As a counselling and wellbeing provider, we may also process special category data relating to mental health, wellbeing, disabilities and safeguarding concerns. This is only processed where necessary and where a lawful basis under Article 9 UK GDPR applies.

4. How We Collect Information

Information may be collected:

  • Directly from you — via referral forms, enquiries, applications or our website contact form
  • From GPs, schools, social care services or partner organisations making a referral
  • From parents or guardians making enquiries on behalf of a young person
  • Through event registrations, donations or feedback forms

5. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • Deliver counselling, mentoring and wellbeing services tailored to your needs
  • Keep in contact with you about your sessions or enquiries
  • Meet our legal, safeguarding and professional obligations
  • Report anonymised outcomes to our funders — you will never be personally identified in any report

We process personal data under one or more of the following lawful bases: consent, contract, legal obligation, vital interests, public task and legitimate interests. The applicable lawful basis for each type of processing is recorded in our Data Processing Register.

6. Confidentiality and Counselling Records

Everything you discuss with your counsellor is treated as strictly confidential. Confidentiality may only be breached in the following circumstances:

  • There is a significant risk of harm to you or someone else
  • A safeguarding concern arises
  • A legal obligation or court order requires disclosure

In almost all cases, we will speak to you first before sharing anything. Please also refer to our Confidentiality Policy.

7. Supervision

Counsellors and mentors may discuss client work within professional supervision arrangements as required by their membership body. Supervisors are accredited professionals who are bound by professional confidentiality and data protection obligations.

8. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent or share your personal information with any third party for marketing or commercial purposes.

We only share personal information where:

  • You have given explicit consent
  • Safeguarding responsibilities require it
  • A legal obligation applies
  • Professional or regulatory requirements necessitate it

Any third-party service providers we use are required to maintain appropriate data protection standards.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including:

  • Password-protected, secure systems for electronic records
  • Restricted access to authorised personnel only
  • Secure storage of handwritten notes by individual therapists
  • Use of unique identification codes in place of full names where appropriate

10. How Long We Keep Your Information

We do not keep your information any longer than necessary. Our retention periods are as follows:

  • Counselling records and session notes: 7 years following closure of services
  • Staff information: 7 years following end of employment
  • Recruitment information: up to 12 months following the recruitment process
  • Volunteer information: 12 months following end of active involvement
  • Survey and feedback data: 1 year if identifiable; anonymised data may be archived for future analysis
  • Event and workshop information: 12 months following the event
  • Contact form submissions: deleted once your enquiry has been resolved
  • Mailing list data: only whilst active consent is given, renewed every 12 months
  • Financial and funding information: retained indefinitely for audit and accountability purposes

All data is securely destroyed at the end of its retention period.

11. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

  • Right of access — to receive a copy of the information we hold about you
  • Right to rectification — to have inaccurate information corrected
  • Right to erasure — to request deletion where there is no compelling reason for us to keep it
  • Right to restriction — to ask us to limit how we use your information
  • Right to object — to object to us processing your information
  • Right to data portability — to receive your data in a portable format
  • Right to withdraw consent — at any time, where consent is our lawful basis

To exercise any of these rights, please email believeinbeyondcic@gmail.com. All requests are logged on receipt. We will respond within one calendar month.

12. Children and Young People

Children and young people have the same rights over their personal data as adults. Requests involving children’s data will always be considered in light of the best interests of the child and our safeguarding responsibilities. Please refer to our Safeguarding Policy for more information.

13. Our Website and Cookies

Our website is located at www.bibcic.co.uk.

Contact form: When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address and, optionally, your phone number. Please keep your initial message brief — our team will follow up once we receive your enquiry. This information is used solely to respond to you and is deleted once your enquiry has been resolved.

Cookies: Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device when you visit. We use the following:

Cookie Provider Purpose Category Duration
wpEmojiSettingsSupports bibcic.co.uk Determines whether your browser can display emojis correctly Necessary Session
cookieyes-* CookieYes Stores your cookie consent preferences Necessary 1 year
_ga Google Analytics Registers a unique ID to generate statistical data on how you use the site Analytics 1 year 1 month 4 days
_ga_* Google Analytics Used to store and count page views Analytics 1 year 1 month 4 days

Analytics cookies (Google Analytics via Google Site Kit) are only placed on your device after you have given consent via our cookie banner. You can change your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie settings link in our website footer. Declining cookies will not affect your ability to use the site.

For more information about managing cookies, visit www.aboutcookies.org.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. This policy applies only to www.bibcic.co.uk. We recommend reading the privacy policy of any external site you visit.

14. Data Breaches

Any personal data breach will be assessed promptly by our Data Protection Lead. Where required, the Information Commissioner’s Office and affected individuals will be notified in accordance with our legal obligations.

15. How to Raise a Concern or Complaint

If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us in the first instance:

We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 calendar days, investigate fully, and provide a written response. If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

16. Changes to This Policy

This policy is reviewed annually or sooner where required by legislative changes or operational need. The current version will always be published on this page.

Believe in Beyond CIC  |  Company Number: 16260080  |  Data Protection Lead: Leann Huntley  |  believeinbeyondcic@gmail.com