AVCF Privacy Statement
Privacy Policy
AYCF, Brisbane
Your privacy is important
This Privacy Policy applies to the operations of the Anglican Schools Commission, Brisbane.
This statement outlines the Commission’s policy on how it uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it.
The Anglican Schools Commission [ASC; the Commission; the ASC Secretariat] is bound by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act.
The Anglican Schools Commission may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to its operations and practices, and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing legal and educational environment.
What kind of personal information does the ASC collect and how does it collect it?
The type of information the ASC collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about:
§ job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors, including applicants for senior positions in Anglican Schools in Queensland; and
§ employees in Anglican Schools in Queensland, in connection with such entitlements as Long Service Leave Eligibility ; and
§ persons, including pupils, parents and/or guardians [“Parents”] who before, during and after the course of a pupil’s enrolment at an Anglican School in Queensland communicate with the ASC, and
§ members of the general public and others who communicate with the Secretariat.
Personal Information you provide: A school will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of forms filled out by Parents or pupils, face to face meetings and interviews, and telephone calls. On occasions people other than Parents and pupils provide personal information. In certain circumstances and in accordance with that school’s privacy policy, some of this information may need to be provided to the ASC.
Personal Information provided by other people: In some circumstances a school may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example a report provided by a medical professional or a reference from another school. In certain circumstances and in accordance with that school’s privacy policy some of this information may need to be provided to the ASC.
Exception in relation to employee records: Under the Privacy Act the National Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the Commission’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the Commission and an employee. As far as the employees of Anglican Schools in Queensland are concerned, in certain circumstances and in accordance with each school’s privacy policy some parts of employee records may need to be provided to the ASC and accorded the same protection.
How will the ASC use the personal information provided to it?
The principal purpose of the ASC is to provide support services to Anglican Schools in Queensland and to assist the Diocese of Brisbane to administer its schools efficiently and appropriately. The ASC will use any personal information provided to it for this primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which those supplying the information consent.
The purposes for which the ASC uses personal information include:
– To provide support services to Anglican Schools in Queensland and to assist the efficient and appropriate administration of these schools;
– Day to day administration;
– Looking after constituent persons’ educational, social, spiritual and medical wellbeing;
– Seeking donations for and marketing schools;
– To satisfy its legal obligations and to allow it to discharge its duty of care.
In some cases where the ASC requests personal information about a pupil or Parent, if the information requested is not obtained, the ASC may not be able to assist that pupil or Parent with their enquiry or request.
Job applicants, staff members and contractors: In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, the Commission’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage or to recommend the engagement of the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be.
The purposes for which the Secretariat uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:
– Administering the individual’s employment or contract, as the case may be, including the meeting of statutory responsibilities;
– For insurance purposes;
– Seeking funds for, and marketing schools;
– To satisfy the Commission’s and its associated schools’ legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation.
Volunteers: The ASC may also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist it or its associated schools the school in its functions or who conduct associated activities, such as members of its Committees and other ad hoc groups, to enable the Commission and volunteers to work together.
Marketing and fundraising: The ASC treats marketing and seeking donations for the future growth and development of its associated schools as an important part of ensuring that it and they continue to provide a quality learning environment in which both pupils and staff thrive. Personal information held by the ASC may be disclosed to an organisation that assists towards these ends.
Parents, staff, contractors and other members of the wider school community may from time to time receive invitations to participate in conferences and seminars, and other publications which may include personal information, in connection with marketing purposes.
Exception in relation to related schools: The Privacy Act allows each school, being legally related to each of the other schools associated with the ASC to share personal (but not sensitive) information with other schools associated with the ASC. Other ASC schools may then only use this personal information for the purpose for which it was originally collected. This allows the ASC and its associated schools to transfer information between them, for example, when a pupil transfers from a school associated with the ASC to another school associated with the ASC.
Who might the ASC disclose personal information to?
The ASC may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:
§ another school;
§ government departments;
§ associated Church organisations, including members of the clergy;
§ medical practitioners;
§ people providing services to it or one or more associated schools, including specialist support personnel and consultants;
§ recipients of school and other related publications, like newsletters and magazines;
§ anyone you authorise the school to disclose information to.
Sending information overseas: The ASC will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:
§ obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or
§ otherwise complying with the National Privacy Principles.
How does The ASC treat sensitive information?
‘Sensitive information’ means: information relating to a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences or criminal record, that is also personal information; and health information about an individual.
Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.
Management and security of personal information
The ASC and its associated schools’ staff are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals.
The ASC has in place steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and passworded access rights to computerised records.
Updating personal information
The ASC endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up to-date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by the ASC by contacting the Executive Director at any time.
The National Privacy Principles require the ASC not to store personal information longer than necessary.
You have the right to cheek what personal information the ASC holds about you.
Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which the ASC or a school holds about them and to advise the Executive Director of the ASC or the Principal of the school of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the Act. Pupils will generally have access to their personal information through their Parents, but older pupils may seek access themselves.
To make a request to access any information or a school holds about you or your child, please make contact as above in writing.
You may be required to verify your identity and specify what information you require. The ASC or the school may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying your application and locating, retrieving, reviewing and copying any material requested. If the information sought is extensive, the likely cost will be advised in advance.
Consent and rights of access to the personal information of pupils
The ASC respects every Parent’s right to make decisions concerning their child’s education.
Generally, any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a pupil will be referred to the pupil’s Parents. The ASC will treat consent given by Parents as consent given on behalf of the pupil, and notice to Parents will act as notice given to the pupil.
Parents may seek access to personal information held by the ASC about them or their child by contacting the Executive Director. However, there will be occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where release of the information would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, or where the release may result in a breach of the duty of care or other fiduciary or legal obligation.
Enquiries
If you would like further information about the way the ASC manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Executive Director.
September 2002