Stepping Stones for Life Psychology respects your privacy, and your right to control the dissemination of information about you or your company. This policy outlines how we collect information from you, what we do with this information and why we collect it.

Stepping Stones for Life Psychology are bound by the Privacy Act 1988, and any and all amendments to the Act. Our Privacy Policy is based upon the National Principles for the Fair Handling of Personal Information (Office of the Privacy Commissioner, Australia)

2. Collection of information

2.1. Customers Due to the nature of Stepping Stones for Life Psychology business we require some information about our clients in order to effectively provide a service to them. The information we collect from you in the process of conducting business includes, but is not limited to, forms, questionnaires, credit applications, con notes, other paperwork and verbal information. These can include hard copy and those contained in our web-site. If we need to obtain information from a third party source, we will first gain your consent.

2.2. Staff/Sub-Contractors

Information is required from all those who provide services to Stepping Stones for Life Psychology. This is required to monitor such things as Occupational Health and Safety, payment of invoices or wages, training and qualifications, etc. In the case of staff some information may be gathered from a third party source (e.g. Medical centre). In instances such as these, we will obtain your consent.

The use of company equipment including e-mail, web-browsing and phone usage (mobile and landline) on the Stepping Stones for Life Psychology system is passively monitored and this should be noted by all staff. It is expected that staff will only use these facilities for work purposes.

3. Use and disclosure

Stepping Stones For Life Psychology will only use or disclose information about you in ways that are consistent with your expectations or are required in the public interest. This means that we will use the information in order to provide services that you have requested from us, or as necessary in the course of normal business. Some government and law-enforcement agencies can request information from us, and we are legally obliged to disclose this information.

4. Data quality We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the information we collect about you is accurate when we collect or use it. Similarly we request that if any of your details change you notify us, so we can update our records accordingly.

5. Data security Stepping Stones for Life Psychology acknowledges that security is of paramount concern to you. Stepping Stones for Life Psychology stores your personal information in a secure environment to ensure protection from misuse or loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Stepping Stones for Life Psychology takes reasonable steps to preserve the security of cookie and personal information in accordance with this Privacy Statement.

If your browser is suitably configured, it will advise you whether the information you are sending us will be secure (encrypted) or not secure (unencrypted). If secure transmission is indicated, Stepping Stones for Life Psychology currently uses 128 bit SSL encryption.

Stepping Stones for Life Psychology regularly reviews developments in security and encryption technologies. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed as totally secure. Accordingly, although Stepping Stones for Life Psychology strives to protect such information, Stepping Stones for Life Psychology cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us or from our online products or services and you do so at your own risk.

Once we receive your transmission, we take reasonable steps to preserve the security of the information in our own systems.

6. Access and Correction

Wherever possible we will allow you access to your information, and correct it if it is wrong. If you contact us to inform us the information we have about you is incorrect, we will take reasonable measures to correct it. Similarly, if you request us to disclose information we hold about you, we are required to give you access to this information. Some situations allow us to refuse the release of information to you; for example, if the information affects the privacy of a third party, or if doing so would prejudice negotiations currently in progress with Stepping Stones for Life Psychology. We will always give a reason for denial of access or correction of information.

7. Anonymity

Wherever possible we will allow you to deal with us anonymously. Due to the nature of the services we provide, this will not always be possible.