Privacy Policy

Effective Date: [1/1/2025]

Welcome to Parenting School. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled securely and in compliance with Australian privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) guidelines.

This Privacy Policy describes how Parenting School collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use our website (www.parentingschool.com.au) and online counselling services.

For inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy, contact us at:
📧 Email: info@parentingschool.com.au

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information necessary to provide you with counselling and psychotherapy services. This includes:

✔ Personal Identification Information: Full name, email address, phone number, and date of birth.
✔ Health & Therapy Information: Information you provide during sessions, intake forms, and therapist notes.
✔ Payment Details: Payment transaction details (we do not store full credit card information).
✔ Technical Data: IP addresses, device information, and usage data when accessing our website.

All information collected is voluntarily provided by you and is used only for therapeutic and administrative purposes.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Provide and manage your counselling and therapy sessions.
Process payments and invoices for services.
Communicate with you regarding appointments, reminders, and service updates.
Improve our services through feedback and analytics.
Comply with legal and ethical obligations.

Your information will not be used for advertising, sold, or shared with third parties without consent.

3. Confidentiality and Data Protection

We take privacy seriously and implement strict measures to protect your data, including:

Encryption of stored and transmitted data.
Secure servers to prevent unauthorized access.
Compliance with PACFA ethical guidelines for confidentiality.

Exceptions to confidentiality include cases where:

There is a risk of harm to yourself or others.
Disclosure is required by law or court order.
There is suspected child abuse, neglect, or criminal activity.

4. Payment and Financial Data

All online payments are processed through secure third-party payment providers. We do not store full credit card details. Your financial information is used only for processing transactions related to your therapy sessions.

5. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies to:

Improve website functionality and user experience.
Analyze trends and usage patterns.
Store session data for seamless interactions.

You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but some website features may not function properly.

6. Accessing and Updating Your Information

You have the right to:

Access your personal data upon request.
Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information.
Withdraw consent for data processing (except where required for legal or ethical reasons).

To make such requests, contact us at info@parentingschool.com.au.

7. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties. However, we may share limited data with:

Therapists working under Parenting School, for therapeutic purposes.
Payment processors for billing and invoicing.
Legal authorities, if required by law.

All third parties handling your data are required to comply with strict confidentiality agreements.

8. Data Retention Policy

Your personal and therapy records are retained for 7 years after your last session, as required by Australian law.
For minors, records are retained until they turn 25 years old.
After the retention period, all data is securely deleted.

9. Security Measures

We employ industry-standard security measures, including:

Secure cloud storage with end-to-end encryption.
Regular data security audits.
Restricted access to client records by authorized personnel only.

Despite these measures, no online platform can guarantee 100% security. Clients are advised to use strong passwords and log out after each session.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in laws or services. The latest version will always be available on www.parentingschool.com.au. Continued use of our services indicates your acceptance of any updates.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at:
📧 info@parentingschool.com.au
🌏 www.parentingschool.com.au

By using our services, you confirm that you have read and agree to this Privacy Policy.