Privacy Policy

Hollyhill Knocknaheeny Family Centre is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of children, parents, guardians, staff, students, volunteers, service users, and visitors to our website.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with, and what rights you have under data protection law.

NICHE Health Project (Cork) CLG
Hollyhill Knocknaheeny Family Centre
Harbour View Road, Hollyhill
Cork T23 T861
Ireland

Phone: +353 (0) 21 439 2300
Privacy email: thefamilycentreoffice@gmail.com

For general service enquiries, please use the contact details displayed on our website.

1. Who We Are

For the purpose of this Privacy Policy, Hollyhill Knocknaheeny Family Centre is responsible for the personal data it collects and uses in connection with its services and website.

The Centre provides crèche, preschool, family, community, and related early years services. We process personal data only where necessary to provide our services, communicate with families, meet our legal and regulatory duties, protect children, and operate our website safely and effectively.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and use different types of personal data depending on how you interact with us.

Children’s Data

When a child is registered, enrolled, or attends our service, we may collect information such as:

• child’s name
• date of birth
• address
• parent/guardian details
• emergency contact details
• authorised collection details
• attendance information
• immunisation records
• health, allergy, dietary, developmental, or support-related information
• information needed for care plans or additional support plans
• accident, incident, illness, medication, or safeguarding records
• learning records, observations, activity logs, or developmental notes
• photos or videos, where consent has been given or where required for internal service records

Parent/Guardian Data

We may collect information about parents or guardians, including:

• name
• address
• email address
• phone number
• relationship to the child
• emergency contact information
• enrolment and waiting list information
• payment or fee-related information
• communication preferences
• consent records
• correspondence with the Centre

Staff, Students, Volunteers, and Applicants

Where relevant, we may collect personal data about staff, students, volunteers, work-experience students, and job applicants. This may include:

• contact details
• employment or placement records
• Garda vetting information
• references
• training records
• qualification records
• attendance and supervision records
• safeguarding and mandated-person records

Website Visitor Data

When you visit our website, we may collect limited technical data, such as:

• IP address
• browser type
• device type
• pages visited
• approximate location derived from analytics tools
• cookie preferences
• website usage information

This information may be collected through tools such as Google Analytics, Google Site Kit, CookieYes, and other website plugins or security tools.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data in the following ways:

• when you contact us by phone or email
• when you visit the Centre in person
• when you download, complete, or return an application or registration form
• when your child is added to a waiting list
• when your child is enrolled or attends the service
• when you provide immunisation, health, allergy, dietary, developmental, or support information
• through Child Path or other approved childcare communication systems
• through WhatsApp Community/groups where you have agreed to participate
• through signed photo/video consent forms
• through CCTV, where cameras are in operation
• through website cookies, analytics, embedded content, and security tools

At present, application and enrolment forms may be downloaded from the website and returned by email or in person. The website does not currently collect application forms through an online submission form.

4. Why We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to respond to enquiries
• to manage applications, waiting lists, and enrolment
• to provide crèche, preschool, and early years services
• to support children’s health, wellbeing, learning, and development
• to communicate with parents and guardians
• to manage attendance, fees, subsidies, and service administration
• to meet Tusla, Pobal, HSE, childcare, funding, and regulatory requirements
• to manage allergies, dietary needs, medical needs, additional needs, or care plans
• to record and manage accidents, incidents, medication, illness, and safeguarding concerns
• to maintain safety and security, including through CCTV where used
• to use Child Path or similar systems for communication, learning records, and daily updates
• to operate WhatsApp Community/groups for parent communication where parents choose to participate
• to publish photos or videos on the website, Facebook, or internal records only where appropriate consent has been obtained
• to operate, secure, analyse, and improve our website
• to manage cookie preferences and comply with legal obligations

5. Legal Basis for Using Personal Data

We only use personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under data protection law.

Depending on the situation, we may rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

• Consent: for example, photo/video publication, optional WhatsApp participation, or non-essential website cookies.
• Contract or steps before a contract: for example, enrolment, service administration, fees, and communication with families.
• Legal obligation: for example, childcare regulations, safeguarding duties, health and safety, employment law, tax/accounting obligations, and record-keeping requirements.
• Vital interests: for example, where information must be used in an emergency to protect a child or another person.
• Public task or statutory function: where relevant to regulated childcare, safeguarding, or funded service obligations.
• Legitimate interests: for example, operating the website, managing enquiries, keeping basic records, maintaining security, and improving services, where this does not override the rights and interests of the individual.

6. Special Category Data

Some information we collect may be considered special category data under GDPR. This may include health information, allergy information, dietary information, medical information, disability or additional support information, ethnic or religious information where relevant to care needs, and safeguarding-related information.

We process this information only where necessary and where permitted by law, for example to provide childcare safely, meet legal or regulatory obligations, protect a child’s vital interests, support inclusion, manage health and safety, or provide appropriate care and support.

7. Children’s Privacy and Safeguarding

Children’s privacy is especially important. We aim to collect only the information needed to care for and support each child safely and appropriately.

We use children’s information to:

• provide safe and appropriate childcare
• support learning and development
• communicate with parents and guardians
• manage health, allergy, medication, and dietary needs
• support additional needs where relevant
• comply with safeguarding and childcare regulations
• maintain required records

Where safeguarding concerns arise, we may need to record and share relevant information with appropriate authorities in line with child protection law, Children First guidance, and our Child Safeguarding Statement.

8. Child Path App

The Centre uses Child Path to support communication with parents and guardians and to share relevant information about children’s daily care, learning, and development.

Information shared through Child Path may include:

• daily updates
• messages
• activity information
• meals, sleep, nappy changes, or other care information
• learning observations
• photos or videos, where appropriate and where consent has been obtained

Parents and guardians should use Child Path respectfully and only for appropriate communication connected to their child and the Centre’s service.

9. WhatsApp Community and Groups

The Centre may use WhatsApp Community/groups to share updates with parents and guardians.

Participation in WhatsApp groups is optional. If you choose to join a WhatsApp group, your phone number and profile information may be visible to other group members. WhatsApp is operated by Meta and is subject to WhatsApp’s own privacy terms.

WhatsApp groups should be used for appropriate centre-related communication only. They should not be used for emergencies, complaints, confidential child information, safeguarding concerns, or sharing information about other children or families.

Parents and guardians may leave a WhatsApp group at any time.

10. Photos, Videos, Website, and Social Media

The Centre may take photos or videos for internal records, learning journals, Child Path updates, graduation albums, displays, Facebook, website content, or other service-related purposes.

Photos or videos of children will only be published on the website, Facebook, or other public platforms where appropriate consent has been obtained from a parent or guardian.

Parents and guardians may withdraw consent for future use of photos or videos at any time by contacting the Centre. Withdrawal of consent will not affect lawful processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

Where reasonably possible, the Centre will remove published photos or videos if consent is withdrawn or if a parent/guardian requests removal.

11. CCTV

CCTV is used at the Centre for safety, security, and safeguarding purposes.

CCTV footage may record children, parents, guardians, staff, students, volunteers, visitors, and contractors while on or near the premises.

CCTV footage is accessed only by authorised persons and is used only where necessary for safety, security, incident management, safeguarding, legal, insurance, or regulatory purposes.

CCTV footage is not kept for longer than necessary, unless it is required for an investigation, legal matter, safeguarding concern, insurance matter, or regulatory requirement.

12. Who We May Share Personal Data With

We do not sell personal data.

We may share personal data only where necessary and lawful. This may include sharing information with public bodies, regulators, funders, childcare support bodies, health professionals, safeguarding bodies, IT providers, website providers, communication platforms, or professional advisers where required for the operation of our service, legal compliance, safeguarding, funding, support, or safety.

13. Website Analytics, Pixels, Cookies, and Embedded Content

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to operate correctly, improve performance, understand website use, manage consent, and support embedded content.

The website may use tools including:

• CookieYes
• Google Analytics
• Google Site Kit
• Meta Pixel
• Google Maps
• Facebook feed or Facebook Page plugin
• Google reviews/testimonials
• website security and performance plugins
• accessibility tools

Non-essential cookies and tracking technologies should only be used where consent has been given through the cookie banner.

For more information, please read our Cookie Policy.

14. How Long We Keep Personal Data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected and in line with legal, regulatory, childcare, safeguarding, insurance, employment, accounting, and operational requirements.

Different types of records may be kept for different periods. For example, child records, accident and incident records, safeguarding records, staff records, enrolment records, CCTV footage, consent records, and website analytics data may each have different retention periods.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed, archived, or anonymised as appropriate.

15. How We Keep Personal Data Safe

We take reasonable steps to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

These steps may include:

• secure storage of paper records
• restricted access to records
• password-protected systems
• staff awareness and training
• secure email and IT systems where possible
• controlled access to Child Path and other systems
• access limits for CCTV footage
• website security tools and activity logging
• regular review of privacy and data protection practices

16. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the right to:

• access your personal data
• request correction of inaccurate data
• request deletion of data in certain circumstances
• object to certain processing
• restrict certain processing
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• request a copy of certain data in a portable format
• make a complaint to the Data Protection Commission

Some rights may be limited where the Centre must keep or use information for legal, safeguarding, regulatory, insurance, childcare, or public-interest reasons.

17. How to Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is used, please contact:

Hollyhill Knocknaheeny Family Centre
Harbour View Road, Hollyhill
Cork T23 T861
Ireland

Phone: +353 (0) 21 439 2300
Privacy email: thefamilycentreoffice@gmail.com

18. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal data, we encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Data Protection Commission, Ireland’s supervisory authority for data protection matters.

19. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, website, systems, legal obligations, or data protection practices.

The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will be changed when the policy is updated.