Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council, Cumberland Council, Lancashire County Council and Westmorland and Furness Council have gained funding through the Department for Education (DfE) to implement a Regional Fostering Recruitment and Retention Hub.
Blackburn with Darwen Council are the Lead Authority to implement the regional hub, which is fully funded by the DfE until the end of the 24/25 financial year. The programme is comprised of three key strands. These include:
- the creation of a regional hub/front door for prospective foster carers
- the design and delivery of a regional fostering communications/marketing campaign
- expansion of the existing Mockingbird foster carer model across the region
What information we collect
To carry out a web enquiry and expression of interest, the regional hub will collect your:
- full name
- contact number
- email address
- how can we help you preference
- date and time of contact preference
- how did you hear about us preference expression of interest
- types of fostering preference
- single or joint application preference
- date of birth
- gender
- primary language
- religion
- sexuality
- current relationship status
- reason for interest in fostering
- experiences of parenting
- previous applications to foster or adopt
- leave to remain citizenship and status
- number of spare bedrooms
- number of children and adults in household and details
- awareness of household of the interest to foster
- pets in the household
- previously known to local authority
- criminal convictions
- health concerns
- smoking and vaping
- employment
- driving license and vehicle ownership
- willingness to be contacted if application does not progress
- where do you see your community base
- who do you pay your council tax to
- local authority preference for fostering
Why we collect your data
We collect and use your personal data in relation to your position as a person applying to foster carer. Before you can be approved as a foster carer, you must be assessed to consider whether you are suitable to foster children and young people. This involves the collection and recording of personal information about you, your family, and persons in your household.
If you are approved as a foster carer, the Partner Organisation for your defined locality will continue to process further personal information in order to progress your appointment.
Who we share your personal data with
The regional hub will share personal information about you with the following partner organisations:
- Blackburn with Darwen Council
- Blackpool Council Cumberland Council
- Lancashire County Council
- Cumberland Council
- Westmorland and Furness Council
For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, all participating local authorities are Joint Data Controllers with regard to the processing of personal data (enquiries, prospective foster carers etc) within the Regional Fostering Hub. This is in recognition of the legal obligations for ensuring that personal information necessary for the Hub function, is processed and shared in accordance with data protection laws and related legislation.
Each local authority will remain data controller for the data they go on to process within their own Local Authority fostering assessment and approval processes and systems.
Legal basis
The lawful bases for processing personal data specified within this agreement as required by UKGDPR are:
- Article 6(1)(c) Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.
- Article 9(2)(g) Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest and is authorised by domestic law (See section 10(1)(c) of the DPA2018)
Relevant legislation
The principal legislation concerning the protection and use of personal information includes:
- Data Protection Act 2018
- UK General Data Protection Regulation
- Children Act 1989 (as amended)
- Children Act 2004
- The Fostering Regulations 2011
- The Fostering Services National Minimum Standards 2011
Data retention and criteria
Data generated by the regional hub will be held for the duration of the programme and then transferred to the locality in which the prospective foster carer resides / preference. The law requires us to keep information of approved foster carers for up to 10 years following the date of termination. Foster carer information for those who do not end up being approved to foster will be held for 3 years.