PRIVACY POLICY

To promote the participation of people with learning disabilities and Down Syndrome in their community. To support parents and professionals in the development and education of children and young people with learning disabilities and Down Syndrome to ensure that they reach their full potential.

• NZ Privacy Act Legislation
  https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/0031/latest/LMS23223.html#LMS23225
   

• Operational issues: STPDS does collect limited personal information about membership and or related services, through any registration process OR through contact with the organisation such as phone, email, digital e.g., text.
   

• Third party information where the individual, school, whānau or participant/s have authorised this or the information is publicly available.
   

• The information relates to a vulnerable population group – children and young people with a disability and their families and is not shared. 
   

• The information is used to contact the individual, school, whānau or participant directly, to provide services, information, and products.
   

• To respond to inquiries and communication
   

• For any other purpose authorise under the Act.

• The STPDS take all reasonable steps to keep your personal information safe from loss, unauthorised activity, or other misuse. Mission and statement of intent is our commitment to safeguard children and young people with learning disabilities and Down syndrome from harm.
   

• Subject to certain grounds for refusal set out in the Act, you have the right to access your readily retrievable personal information that we hold and to request a correction to your personal information. Before you exercise this right, we will need evidence to confirm that you are the individual to whom the personal information relates.
   

• In respect of a request for correction, if we think the correction is reasonable and we are reasonably able to change the personal information, we will make the correction.
   

If you want to exercise either of the above rights, email us at info@stpds.co.nz

Your email should provide evidence of who you are and set out the details of your request (e.g. the personal information, or the correction, that you are requesting).

We may charge you our reasonable costs of providing to you copies of your personal information or correcting that information.

• The STPDS service provision relates to children and young people in childhood settings. STPDS works with BOPDSA Inc. which is a charitable, voluntary organisation. This policy is to be considered similar to a “contracted organisation” so as to ensure the duty of care to children and young people is fully considered.
   

Internet use 

• While we take reasonable steps to maintain secure internet connections, if you provide personal information over the internet, the provision of that information is at your own risk.
   

• If you post your personal information on the website’s [message board/ chat room], you acknowledge and agree that the information you post is publicly available. 
   

• If you follow a link on our website to another site, the owner of that site will have its own privacy policy relating to your personal information. We suggest you review that site’s privacy policy before you provide personal information. 
   

We take this duty and responsibility of care seriously in all actions and interactions with children and young people, especially those with learning disability and Down syndrome. 

We promote a safe and positive environment for children and young people, especially those with learning disability and Down syndrome recognising this specific child population as a group is at higher risk. We reserve the right to remove any posts with any personal information or photos relating your child on our public website.

All services provided by STPDS for the safety and wellbeing of children adhere to the principles of partnership, protection, and participation; and the rights and responsibilities accorded by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

STPDS is committed to the prevention of abuse and to the wellbeing of children, young people, especially those with learning disability and Down syndrome, vulnerable adults and their families and our members.

STPDS is committed to acting at all times in the best interest of the children, young people and vulnerable adults to whom it provides a service.