1.1. Information I Collect:‍ ‍

The personal information I collect from you relates to the following:

-Identity data: First name, surname, date of birth, home address, relevant medical history.

-Contact data: Telephone, email, emergency contact, GP surgery.

-Financial data: Information about your bank if and when making a payment by bank transfer.

-Internet usage data: Includes internet protocol (IP) address, browser type & version, time zone setting & location, operating system & platform, and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.

-Third Parties: Please be aware that other websites I use to advertise my service can collect and store relevant contact details about you in order to pass them onto me when making contact about my services.

1.2. Failure to provide personal data:‍ ‍

Where I need to collect personal data by law, or under the terms of a contract I have with you and you fail to provide that data when requested, then we may not be able to enter into or perform the contract we have. In this case, we may have to cancel the service you have with me but I will notify you if this is the case at the time.

1.3. Confidentiality:‍ ‍

1.3.1. Your personal information is used to provide you with my services and to give you information relating to these services.

1.3.2. I will not share your personal details with any other person or organisation without your knowledge and permission, unless there is a legal requirement to do so by law as according to our confidentiality agreement:

-There are circumstances when I might have no choice but to share information about you, even if you do not give consent. The exceptions are as follows:
-If there is serious concern regarding your safety or the safety of someone else, especially if a child is at risk of significant harm;
-If there exists a legal duty concerning your participation in or awareness of a grave criminal offence;
-Upon receipt of a court order seeking information pertaining to you;
-If it is essential to prevent a serious and imminent threat to either public health or national security.

1.3.3. Where appropriate, such as during online and telephone sessions, is the users’ responsibility to maintain their privacy and to be aware of their surroundings when sharing personal and/or confidential information.

1.4. In-Person Sessions:

1.4.1. In order to maintain privacy and to hold a respectful therapeutic boundary I use the right to withhold location details and restrict access to said location where appropriate.
In-person sessions are to be held within one room only for privacy and insurance purposes.
Access to any other areas within the location is strictly prohibited.

1.4.2. CCTV is in operation of the outside of the premises. Any movement that is captured is subsequently deleted and it not kept for any purpose related to client records, unless it was to be kept in relation to criminal activity.

1.4.3. I endeavour to maintain a safe and confidential environment for the client to the best of my ability. Where things may happen outside of my control, such as noise disturbances, I take responsibility of informing the client and to make fair rearrangements where necessary.

1.5. Referrals:‍ ‍

I will not share your personal contact details in cases of referrals without your permission and consent.
If you wish for me to do so, contact details can be shared with you of other relevant organisations and people.

1.6. Supervision:

As required to do so by the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) I talk to another experienced counsellor monthly about my work. This is a form of confidential consultative support and is used to maintain ethical standards and procedures. My counselling supervisor is provided with no identifiable information and is used for my own ethical guidance and continued professional support.

1.7. Changes:‍ ‍

It is important that the personal data Embers Of Hope holds about you is relevant, accurate, and current. Please keep me informed if your personal data changes during our time together.

2.1. Record Security:

Appropriate security measures are in place to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed in accordance with the ICO and GDPR regulations.

There are procedures in place to deal with any suspected personal data breach and I will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where it is legally required to do so.

2.2. Internet Security:

Internet communications such as emails are not a fully secure means of communication.
Whilst all means of security are used to keep our systems and communications protected against viruses and other harmful effects, I cannot bear responsibility for all communications being virus-free.

2.3. Updating:‍ ‍

You have the right to access your data.
If you wish to see the information I hold about you and you would like me to correct or update these records then you can contact me via the contact form on this website or via email at embersofhope@yahoo.com.

2.4. Data Retention:‍ ‍

In accordance with my insurance provider I am required to keep my records containing your information for a minimum of five years, after which your records will be destroyed and discarded safely.

2.5. Children & Young People

My counselling service is aimed towards adults over the age of 18.
I do not knowingly collect or use personal data from children aged 16 years or under.
If a child aged 16 or under provides data then it will be not be kept and will be subsequently destroyed.

3.1. Cookies:

A cookie is a small file, stored on a user's hard drive by a website. Its purpose is to collect data relating to the user's browsing habits.
You can set your Internet browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies.
If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this website may become inaccessible or not function properly.

3.2. Links to third-party websites:

This website contains links to third party websites or services that I am not affiliated with, and that I do not own or control.
I am not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of any third party website or service linked to on this website.
It is your responsibility to read the terms & conditions and privacy policies of these third party websites before using them.

3.3. Intellectual Property:

All content published and made available on this website is the property of site owner Ariana Luisa Chiarelli (Dip. Couns.). This includes but is not limited to; the Embers Of Hope logo, written texts, photographs, documents, and anything else that contributes to the composition of this website.

Any stock photographs published on this website belong to their respective owners and are used with permission via Squarespace.

Quotes are attributed to their respective sources.

3.4 Squarespace:

The website host (Squarespace) uses various processes to monitor when and how the site is visited, which is also done via Google Analytics.
These processes provide anonymous, but not private, data of the browsing history and usage of this website.

3.5. Website Conduct:

Misuse of the communication methods through, or directly on, this website is strictly prohibited, and Internet analytics data will be passed on to the relevant authorities.

4.1.1. The ICO is the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues.

4.1.2. I am classed as a business that processes personal data subject to the Data Protection Act 2018.

I am a member and pay an annual subscription to the Information Commissioners’ Office. My details are as follows:

Data Controllers’ name: Ariana Luisa

Reference: ZB654075

4.1.3. If you have any concerns regarding the use of your personal information, you can make a request to me at embersofhope@yahoo.com and by using the contact form on this website.

You can also contact the ICO if you are unhappy with how your data is used, or have further questions.

ICO address:

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website:https://www.ico.org.uk