Privacy Policy
At Surrey Child Psychology, I take the privacy of our clients very seriously and maintain high standards of confidentiality and compliance when handling your data. I want you to feel confident that this is a safe space to discuss your feelings and concerns, as I operate in a highly confidential environment. This privacy notice explains how I collect and process your personal and sensitive data when you use the service.
Dr Holly Thompson of Surrey Child Psychology is the data controller responsible for your personal data (referred to as “we,” “us,” or “our” in this privacy policy).
I collect information (data) about you when you contact me or use the services. My goal is to be transparent about how and why I use your information so you can trust that your privacy is protected. This notice details why and how I collect your data, where it is stored, how I keep it secure, and what your rights are.
1. How We Collect and Use Your Personal Data
I may collect data from clients, consultants, and other professionals. I only gather information that is relevant to the services I provide. If I am working with you directly (e.g., providing therapy services), I may collect data through email, phone calls, video conferencing, or face-to-face sessions.
2. What Data I Collect
I may collect “personal data,” which is any information that identifies you, such as your name, address, contact information, employment details, financial data, bank account, and payment information.
I may also collect “special category” data, including information about your physical and mental health, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, criminal convictions, sexual orientation, political opinions, and trade union membership. I require your explicit consent to process this sensitive data.
I may also collect technical data when you use our website, such as your IP address, login details, browser type, and other technology-related information.
3. Why I Collect Your Data and How I Use It
I use your sensitive personal data, with your explicit consent, to provide services or meet legal obligations. My legal basis for processing this data is your consent, which you can withdraw at any time by notifying Dr Holly Thompson.
Your non-sensitive personal data may be used to (i) register you as a client, (ii) provide our services (e.g., therapy, assessment), (iii) manage payments, (iv) manage our relationship, and (v) collect any payments due.
I also collect technical data from website interactions through cookies. For more information, see the section on cookies below.
I do not share your details with third parties for marketing purposes.
4. Disclosure of Your Personal Data
Your information is confidential and will not be shared without your consent, except under specific circumstances:
- If there is a risk of harm to you, another adult, or a child. In urgent situations, we may not be able to discuss this with you beforehand but will always endeavour to do so.
- When required by law (e.g., Court Order) or to prevent a miscarriage of justice.
- When another healthcare provider, such as your GP or emergency services, needs information.
5. Data Security
I implement security measures to protect your personal and sensitive data from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. All data is handled in compliance with GDPR requirements.
- Paper notes: Anonymised session notes are stored in a locked cabinet at Dr Holly Thompson’s home.
- Electronic notes: Stored securely in a cloud drive (Google Drive) and may be briefly stored on a password-protected computer.
- Emails: Protected by passwords, encryption, and two-factor authentication (2FA).
In case of a data breach, I have procedures in place to minimise its impact and will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and, if necessary, you.
I may anonymise your data for research or statistical purposes, allowing me to use it indefinitely without further notice. For example, if I am exploring how many people I have provided a service to over a course of time.
6. Data Retention
I will only retain your personal and sensitive data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal requirements. After our work concludes, I am required to securely store children’s records until their 25th birthday (or 26th if they are 17 when our work ends). You have the right to request the deletion of your data under certain circumstances.
7. Cookies
You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies. However, some parts of my website may not function properly without cookies.
A “cookie” is a small piece of data stored on your computer that tracks your movements on a website. Cookies help me improve the website and understand your usage patterns.
Cookies are categorized as:
- Session cookies: Temporary and deleted when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies: Remain on your device and are used when you revisit the site.
I use cookies to monitor website performance, track your preferences, and improve functionality.
8. Your Rights
You have rights related to your personal data, including requesting access to the data I hold, asking for corrections, and requesting deletion in certain circumstances. You can find more information about your rights here.
For subject access requests, please contact Dr Holly Thompson at
9. Keeping Your Data Up-to-Date
Please notify me of any changes to your personal data, such as a change of address, by contacting Dr. Holly Thompson.
10. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party sites. We are not responsible for their privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.
11. Complaints
Please in the first instance submmit your complaint
If you have concerns about how we handle your data, you have the right to complain to the ICO (www.ico.org.uk). We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns first, so please contact Dr Holly Thompson with any issues.
