Privacy and data protection for service users

My CWA collects information about you and your family when we first speak to you, when someone refers you to us, and during our work with you. Find out what we collect, how we use it and how it’s stored. Visit our privacy statement for website users page to find out more about what happens when you use our website.

The information we collect about you

My CWA collects information about you and your family when we first speak to you, when someone refers you to us, and during our work with you. This includes:

  • Personal details about you. For example: your age, your health and safe ways to contact you

  • Personal details about your children and the alleged perpetrator

  • Details about what’s happening or has happened

  • Any risks that you or your family are experiencing

  • Information about anyone else supporting you

  • We also collect information when you voluntarily complete surveys or give us feedback on our services

Why we collect this information and how we use it

We collect information about you so we can support you and your family to stay safe. Recording this information means we can work to manage risks to you and it helps us deliver a service which best meets your needs.

We use an electronic database that is shared with the DA Hub (Domestic Abuse Hub), DAFSU (Domestic Abuse Family Safety Unit) and the domestic abuse worker at Leighton Hospital. We share a database that stores key information about support so that if you speak to different workers, you don’t have to keep telling your story over and over again.

We also share relevant information about you and your circumstances with other services in My CWA.

When and why we might share this information with others

We’d only share information with other agencies when we think you or others aren’t safe or where the law requires. This includes:

  • If we have concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child or vulnerable person, we may have to share information with relevant agencies such as children’s services or adult social care. We’ll always try to discuss this with you, if it is safe to do so. However, legally we have to share this information with or without your consent.

  • If you disclose to us any information about any illegal or offensive weapons that are accessible or about terrorism, we’re legally obliged to let the police know. We aim to ensure that any risk to you or anyone else will be taken into consideration in this process.

  • When a My CWA staff member considers you or your family to be at high risk of serious harm, they may share your information to try and keep you safe. The agencies that we usually share information with in these cases are the police, social services, or a multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC). Again, we’ll always try to discuss this with you, if it’s safe to do so.

  • If you disclose to us that you may harm yourself or others are at risk of suicide, we may share your information with the emergency services.

  • We’ll also record information about other people. Under the Data Protection Act, they have the right to request to see information about themselves, but not about you. When responding to these requests, we’d always seek to ensure the safety and security of you and your family.

We may also share your anonymised data with commissioners and funders for the purposes of reporting, monitoring and evaluation. If you do not wish for your data to be shared, please let us know.

Withdrawing consent for information to be recorded or shared with others

If you don’t want us to record or share your data, please discuss this with your My CWA worker so we can still help you reach the services and support that you require.

What we ask of you

We ask that you respect the safety and confidentiality of our staff and other clients that you come into contact with. This means not sharing this information with others outside the organisation, including names, telephone numbers and locations of My CWA services.

How your information is stored

Most information will be stored in a secure web-based database. Any paperwork will be held in a case file held in secure filing cabinets in the organisation. We’ll keep your information for seven years after you stop working with us. After this time, anonymous data will be held for a further four years.

Accessing the information we keep

You have a right to request to view or receive a copy of information that we hold about you. If you’d like make a request, please write to My CWA, Lily Jones Support Centre Mill House, Brook St, Crewe CW2 7DE. We want to make sure the information we hold is accurate and up to date. You may ask us to correct or remove information that you think is inaccurate.