Privacy Statement

Kin Disability Advocacy works hard to ensure that ALL information is kept confidential and secure in line with the Privacy Act 1988, the Australian Privacy Principles and Record Keeping guidelines set out by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.

Kin Disability Advocacy is bound by legislation under the Privacy Act 1988 and must adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles in relation to collecting, storing, using, sharing, reporting and destroying your personal information.
The Australian Privacy Principles can be found here:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles/australian-privacy-principles-quick-reference

Kin has a Privacy Policy which includes how we manage personal information that we collect, store, use and report on which is available on our accessible website and can be accessed in most languages.

What is personal information?

Personal information is information that identifies an individual. Examples of information we collect can include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers.
This information can be collected in different ways including interviews with staff, via our website (referral form), via a third-party referral.

When we collect your personal information, we ask for your consent to do this. We may ask for your consent in several ways: on our website you may be asked to check a box for your consent, we may ask for your consent verbally and if eligible, we may ask for your signed consent in digital format.

Kin may use your personal information for the following reasons:

• To confirm who you are when you contact us.
• To be able to provide effective advocacy services to you if eligible.
• Contact other agencies on your behalf, with your consent to assist you with your advocacy issue.
• Provide de-identified data to commonwealth and state funding bodies regarding advocacy issue outcomes.
• Contact you for survey questionnaires with your prior consent.
• Send you information regarding services that may be of benefit to you with your consent.
• Report on your de-identified data for our annual report
• Use your de-identified data for training examples for staff.

What is de-identified data?

De-identified data is information about you with some of the most identifying information removed. Your name, pseudonym and street level address information are removed from reports to funding bodies, unless you consent otherwise.

Consent

Kin Disability Advocacy requires an approved referral to be completed for clients wishing to access issues-based advocacy services. When the referral is first filled in either by an individual, their legal representative or a third party, they will be asked to confirm that they have the consent of the individual being referred to complete the referral.

When a referral is received by Kin Disability Advocacy, our staff will ask that you sign a digital consent form, consenting to an advocate acting on your behalf in relation to your advocacy issue. You will also be asked to sign consent relating to third party arrangements with Kin Disability Advocacy, Guardianship Power of Attorney and/or Administration order status, sharing of information, storing of information (including digital storing) and releasing of information.

You will also be informed of how to withdraw your consent and how you are able to access or transfer any of your information at any time. You will be informed of how you can contact us and who to contact if you want to do this.

Kin Disability Advocacy will not share your information without your consent.

Storage of your Personal Information

Kin Disability Advocacy will ensure all staff are properly trained in policies, procedures and legislation relating to our clients’ rights and privacy, and we ensure that all client information is stored and maintained in the correct way to protect your personal information from theft, misuse, interference, loss, modification, and unauthorized access.

Kin Disability Advocacy regularly reviews its policies and guidelines regarding information storage and privacy to ensure that client information is kept safe.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Third Parties: Kin Disability Advocacy shares de-identified or aggregated client data* to report on personal information such as diagnosed disability, housing, family statues and advocacy issues and outcomes to both state and commonwealth funding bodies as a requisite of the funding that Kin receives.

Reports are collated every six months in a controlled environment by Data management staff at Kin and sent through a Data Exchange (Dex) website to the Department of Social Services for reporting purposes. Kin will ask for your consent to share further personal information with the Department of Social Services (DSS) and if you would like to participate in future client research. This is your choice.

Kin Disability Advocacy also has Third Party agreements in place with Salesforce, Form Assembly and DevApps to ensure that client data is kept as secure as possible. These agreements are so that staff can utilize a client database to keep client information secure and any information regarding this can be obtained by contacting [email protected]

Kin staff may disclose your personal information if you have signed a ‘consent to release form’ and you require advocacy assistance with a Third-Party Agency. When you sign the consent form, Kin staff will ask you to list the agency relevant to your issue and the trained Kin staff member will inform you that they have shared your relevant information with that agency to try and assist you.

Kin will share or release your information in accordance with the Privacy Act1982 and in line with the Australian Privacy Principles where we have your consent to do so and for the reason that it was collected or related purposes. This may include where disclosure is required by law or where you would reasonably expect Kin to disclose or share your information.

Access to your Personal Information

You may access your personal information we hold about you and to update or correct it at any time. If you wish to access your personal information that we hold, you will be required to put the request in email or writing to our delegated Privacy Officer. Once we receive this request, we will aim to respond to you in writing within 30 days. You also have the right to request the erasure of your personal information that Kin Disability Advocacy holds about you. If you wish to request an Erasure of your records, you are requested to follow the same process by emailing our delegated Privacy Officer with your request and they will respond to you in writing within 30 days.

Maintaining your Information and Privacy Policy

It is important to us that your information is kept up to date and we may contact you to ensure that your information is relevant. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that your information is kept accurate within our system. Please advise us or let staff know if your information changes so that we can change it within our system.
Kin is dedicated to having staff regularly review our policies and procedures to ensure that they are kept in line with legislation to ensure that we provide the best possible service to our clients.

*If you require assistance to read or interpret this Privacy statement, please contact Kin Disability Advocacy on 1800 659 921
*De-identified client data is when we use information about you that is encoded so we don’t use/release your personal data such as name, address, phone number etc.