Privacy Policy

At Survivors Support, your privacy, dignity, and trust are central to everything we do.

We understand that accessing counselling, emotional support, or trauma-informed services can be deeply personal. We are committed to protecting your confidentiality and handling your personal information with care, sensitivity, and respect.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you engage with our services, whether online, by telephone, email, or in person.

We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and other relevant legislation relating to privacy and confidentiality.

Survivors Support provides counselling, emotional support, and trauma-informed services for individuals affected by trauma, sexual violence,  and adverse related experiences.

Survivors Support is the Data Controller for the personal information collected and processed through its services unless otherwise stated.

We work alongside associated organisations, including Bee-lieve Survivors CIC, to increase access to support, placements, community projects, funded programmes, and educational opportunities.

Support may be delivered by:

• Qualified counsellors
• Trainee counsellors working under supervision
• Placement counsellors
• Volunteers
• Company directors who are also practising professionals

All individuals delivering services operate under appropriate contracts, agreements, or placement arrangements and are bound by confidentiality, safeguarding, professional ethical standards, and data protection requirements.

Where services are jointly delivered between organisations, those organisations may act as Joint Data Controllers where required by law.

We only collect information that is necessary to provide safe, effective, and ethical support.

This may include:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Emergency contact details (where appropriate)
• Basic demographic information (optional)

Due to the nature of counselling and support services, we may collect sensitive information including:

• Information relating to physical or mental wellbeing
• Trauma history and relevant personal experiences
• Safeguarding concerns
• Equality and diversity information where voluntarily provided
• Information shared during counselling or support sessions
• Counselling notes and session records

We may collect:

• Information submitted through forms, email, secure messaging, or referrals
• Information processed during online sessions
• Website usage information including cookies and IP addresses
• Communication records relating to service delivery

Online sessions are never recorded without your explicit written consent.

Under UK GDPR, we process personal information using one or more of the following lawful bases:

• Consent
• Performance of a contract
• Legal obligation
• Vital interests
• Legitimate interests

Where we process Special Category Data, we do so under additional lawful conditions permitted by UK data protection legislation.

Where consent is relied upon, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

We use your information to:

• Arrange and provide counselling and support services
• Maintain accurate and confidential records
• Communicate regarding appointments and service provision
• Assess suitability for support services
• Meet safeguarding responsibilities
• Fulfil legal, regulatory, and professional obligations
• Manage placements, volunteers, and supervised practice
• Improve the quality and effectiveness of our services
• Administer funding, reporting, and service evaluation requirements where applicable

We will never sell your information.

We will not use your personal information for marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

Everything you share with us is treated as confidential.

To ensure safe and effective practice, information may be discussed within professional supervision and organisational safeguarding structures.

Where appropriate, authorised individuals may access relevant information, including:

• Clinical supervisors
• Senior practitioners
• Safeguarding leads
• Directors with operational responsibility

Any access is limited to what is necessary and is managed in accordance with professional, ethical, and legal requirements.

There are occasions where confidentiality may need to be breached.

This may include:

• Serious risk of harm to yourself
• Serious risk of harm to another person
• Risk to a child, young person, or vulnerable adult
• Safeguarding investigations
• Court orders
• Criminal activity where disclosure is required by law
• Reporting obligations under relevant safeguarding, terrorism, or proceeds of crime legislation

Where possible, we will discuss any disclosure with you before information is shared unless doing so would increase risk or prevent us from meeting legal obligations.

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information.

These measures include:

• Secure encrypted digital storage
• Password-protected systems
• Restricted access controls
• Secure cloud-based services
• Locked storage for paper records
• Confidential disposal procedures

Only authorised personnel can access personal information where necessary to perform their role.

Online services are delivered using secure communication platforms.

To support service delivery and administration, we may use secure digital platforms, cloud-based storage systems, online forms, communication platforms, and practice management software.

We may also use artificial intelligence (AI) assisted technologies to support administrative tasks, document drafting, training development, service improvement, and organisational efficiency.

AI technologies are not used to make automated decisions about individuals that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

Appropriate safeguards are applied to protect confidentiality and personal information whenever such systems are used.

We do not sell personal information or share it for marketing purposes.

Information may only be shared where:

• You have given explicit consent
• It is necessary for safeguarding purposes
• It is required by law
• It is necessary for supervision
• It is required for insurance, auditing, funding, or regulatory purposes
• It is necessary to protect someone from serious harm

Where possible, identifying information will be minimised.

Survivors Support and Bee-lieve Survivors CIC may work collaboratively to provide support pathways, placements, community services, funded projects, or educational opportunities.

Both organisations remain separate entities with separate governance arrangements and will only share information where there is a lawful basis to do so.

Payments may be processed through secure banking systems or approved third-party payment providers.

We do not store full payment card details on our systems.

Relevant financial information may be shared with accountants, auditors, banks, payment processors, or regulatory bodies where required for legal, financial, or administrative purposes.

Some of the digital services we use may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal information and comply with UK data protection requirements.

We retain information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected and to meet legal, professional, safeguarding, insurance, and regulatory requirements.

Typical retention periods include:

• Counselling records: up to 7 years following the end of support
• Adult safeguarding records: in accordance with safeguarding requirements
• Financial records: as required by law
• Administrative records: as required for operational purposes

Data is securely destroyed when no longer required.

Survivors Support has procedures in place to identify, investigate, manage, and respond to personal data breaches.

Where required by law, data breaches will be reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and affected individuals will be informed where there is a significant risk to their rights and freedoms.

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Be informed about how your information is used
• Access your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of information where appropriate
• Restrict processing
• Object to processing
• Request data portability where applicable
• Withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis

Complaints

If you have concerns regarding how your personal information has been handled, please contacting us the first instance by emailing Enquires@survivors-support.co.uk or Admin@Bee-lieve-survivors.co.uk

Complaints will be acknowledged  within 30 days and investigated without undue delay. We will also keep you abreast of the progress of this. If you remain dissatisfied you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners office.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

When attending online sessions, we ask that you:

• Attend from a private and confidential space where possible
• Use a secure internet connection
• Inform your counsellor if privacy may be compromised

Your counsellor will also take reasonable steps to maintain confidentiality and privacy.

Whilst we use secure systems, no online communication can be guaranteed to be completely risk-free.

Our website may use cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies to improve functionality and user experience.

These technologies do not usually identify individuals directly and can be managed through your browser settings.

Survivors Support recognises that privacy, confidentiality, trust, choice, safety, and empowerment are fundamental principles of trauma-informed practice.

We are committed to handling personal information in ways that promote dignity, transparency, collaboration, and emotional safety.

We seek to collect only information that is necessary, explain clearly how it will be used, and support individuals to make informed choices wherever possible.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect legal, regulatory, technological, or operational changes.

The most recent version will always be available on our website.

Survivors Support

Bee-lieve Survivors 

Email: enquiries@survivors-support.co.uk

Email: admin@bee-lievesurvivors.co.uk

Website: www.survivors-support.co.uk

If you have concerns about how your information is being handled, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue. We will acknowledge receipt of your concern within 30 days and keep you abreast of the process. 

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) using the details below. 

Website: www.ico.org.uk

• Telephone: 0303 123 1113