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Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 2026
 

Start Strong is committed to protecting your privacy and looking after your personal information responsibly. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have over your personal information.

It applies when you visit our website, contact us, sign up to hear from us, take part in our research or engagement activities, or otherwise share information with Start Strong.
 

1. Who we are

Start Strong is a UK-wide organisation working to ensure every baby and young child has a fair start in life.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Start Strong is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we use your personal information, please contact:

2. What information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.

It may include:

  • your name;

  • your email address and telephone number;

  • your job title and organisation;

  • information you provide about your interest in Start Strong;

  • your views, experiences, ideas and responses to surveys, consultations or other engagement activities;

  • information you provide when attending an event or taking part in Start Strong activities;

  • communications you send to us;

  • information about how you use our website, such as your IP address, browser and device information and cookie data; and

  • photographs, drawings, documents, audio, video or other material that you choose to submit to us.
     

We will only ask for information that we need for a specific purpose.
 

3. Have Your Say and other research and engagement

As part of our work, we invite people across the UK to share their experiences, views and ideas about early childhood. This includes our Have Your Say public call for input.
 

Depending on how you take part, we may collect information including:

  • your age or age group;

  • your views and experiences;

  • information about your relationship to early childhood, for example whether you are a parent, carer, practitioner or researcher;

  • demographic information where relevant to helping us understand whose voices we are hearing;

  • written responses to questions;

  • drawings, photographs or other files that you choose to upload; and

  • your contact details if you choose to receive further information from us.
     

We use this information to understand people's experiences and priorities, identify themes, inform Start Strong's work and contribute to our Citizens' Assembly and recommendations about what should change for babies, young children and families.
 

Where we publish or share findings from this work, we will normally do so in an aggregated or anonymised form so that individual participants cannot be identified. We will make it clear if we would like to use a contribution, photograph, quotation or story in a way that could identify you and seek separate permission for this information.
 

Please do not provide information about another identifiable person unless you have an appropriate reason or permission to do so.
 

4. Information about children and young people

Listening to children and young people, including young children, is an important part of Start Strong's work. We recognise that children's personal information deserves particular protection. We may invite children and young people to contribute their views directly or ask a parent, carer or practitioner to help a younger child share their views through activities such as drawing, play or conversation.
 

Depending on the activity, we may collect information such as:

  • a child's age or age group;

  • their views, words, drawings or other creative contributions; and

  • information provided by a parent, carer or practitioner about what the child has communicated.
     

We aim to collect as little identifying information about children as possible. We ask parents, carers and practitioners not to include a child's full name, address, school or nursery, or other unnecessary identifying information when submitting a child's contribution unless we specifically ask for it.
 

We will provide appropriate information about how children's information will be used to parents and carers and, wherever possible, in language that children and young people themselves can understand. We will not use children's personal information for marketing. If information submitted to us raises a safeguarding concern, we may need to take appropriate action to protect a child or another person. This may include sharing relevant information with an appropriate safeguarding authority where necessary.
 

5. How we use your information

We may use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries and requests;

  • keep in touch with people who have asked to hear from Start Strong;

  • involve people in our work;

  • run surveys, consultations, research and engagement activities;

  • deliver events, meetings and our Citizens' Assembly;

  • analyse responses and understand people's views and experiences;

  • develop our strategy, campaigns, communications and policy recommendations;

  • produce reports and other publications;

  • improve our website and communications;

  • manage relationships with partners, supporters and stakeholders;

  • maintain the security and effective operation of our website and systems; and

  • comply with our legal and regulatory responsibilities.
     

We will not sell your personal information.
 

6. Our legal basis for using your information

Under UK data protection law, we need a lawful basis for processing personal information. Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on:

  • Consent – where you have actively agreed to a particular use of your information; for example, signing up to receive certain communications or agreeing to a particular use of a contribution.

  • Legitimate interests – where using your information is reasonably necessary for Start Strong's work and does not override your rights and interests. This may include responding to enquiries, engaging with relevant stakeholders, carrying out research and improving our work.

  • Contract – where processing your information is necessary to fulfil an agreement with you or take steps at your request before entering into an agreement.

  • Legal obligation – where we need to process information to comply with the law.
    ​

In some circumstances, information people voluntarily share with us may include special category personal data, such as information about health, ethnicity, religion or other particularly sensitive matters. Where we process this information, we will ensure that we have an appropriate legal basis and additional conditions for doing so under data protection law.
 

Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw your consent at any time.
 

7. Email updates and communications

If you ask to receive news or updates from Start Strong, we will use the contact details you provide to send them to you. You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us. We may also contact people in a professional capacity where we have a legitimate reason to do so and where this is permitted by law.
 

8. Who we share information with

We may use trusted organisations and service providers to help us deliver our work. These may include organisations providing:

  • website hosting and management;

  • survey and form technology;

  • email and communications services;

  • event management;

  • research and analysis;

  • IT and data storage; and

  • professional advice and support.
     

These organisations may process personal information on our behalf and are required to handle it securely and appropriately. We may also share information with research, delivery or project partners where this is necessary for a particular activity. We will explain this when appropriate.
 

We may disclose information if required by law or where this is necessary to protect the safety, rights or interests of an individual or organisation.
 

9. International transfers

Some of the technology and service providers we use may store or process personal information outside the UK. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take appropriate steps to ensure it receives a level of protection consistent with UK data protection law. This may include relying on UK adequacy regulations or appropriate contractual safeguards.
 

10. How long we keep your information

We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purpose for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting or reporting requirements. Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods. For research, consultation and engagement activities, we will aim to anonymise or delete identifiable information when it is no longer needed.
 

If you unsubscribe from our communications, we may retain limited information to ensure that we respect your request not to be contacted.
 

11. How we protect your information

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.


Access to personal information is limited to people who need it for their work.

No online service can be completely secure, but we regularly consider the measures needed to protect the information entrusted to us.
 

12. Cookies and our website

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to make the site work, understand how it is being used and improve visitors' experience.

Some cookies are essential for the website to function. Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.
 

You can manage your cookie choices through the cookie controls on our website and through your browser settings.
 

13. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organisations.

Start Strong is not responsible for how those organisations collect or use your personal information. We recommend reading their privacy policies when visiting their websites.
 

14. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

  • ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;

  • ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;

  • ask us to delete your personal information;

  • ask us to restrict how we use your information;

  • object to certain uses of your information;

  • receive certain information in a portable format;

  • withdraw consent where we rely on consent; and

  • challenge automated decisions and ask for a human review. These rights also apply to children. Depending on their age and understanding, a child may be able to exercise their rights themselves, or a parent or carer may be able to act on their behalf.
     

Some rights only apply in particular circumstances. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at sally@startstrong.org.uk
 

15. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first so that we can try to resolve them.
 

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent regulator for data protection. You can find more information at ico.org.uk.
 

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time, for example if our activities change or data protection requirements are updated.

We will publish the latest version on this page and update the date at the top of the policy.

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