Privacy Policy - Pearsons Services

Privacy Statement

Introduction

Pearson Services is committed to protecting and upholding the privacy of personal information collected about our clients, their families, and visitors to this website. Pearson Services works on the principle that individuals have the right to be informed about, and know, what personal information is collected about them, how it is collected, why it is collected, how it is stored, who has access to it, and who it may be disclosed to.

This policy conforms to the following legislation and frameworks:

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) it contains.
Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017.
Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (Cth).
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth).
NDIS Code of Conduct.
NDIS Practice Standards — Rights and Responsibilities Module.
Relevant South Australian and other State/Territory privacy legislation as applicable.

In accordance with the NDIS Code of Conduct, Pearson Services and all workers engaged to deliver NDIS supports and services are required to respect the privacy of people with disability. A breach of privacy obligations may constitute a breach of the NDIS Code of Conduct.

The Type Of Personal Information Pearson Services Collects And Holds

Personal information is defined as information — in any format, gathered from any source — which identifies or could be used to identify an individual. This includes, but is not limited to:

Contact details.
Sensitive information on the health, sex or abilities of the individual.
Details about an individual’s accessed services.

The personal information that may be gathered includes, but is not limited to:

Name, address, telephone number, email address and any other necessary or required contact information.
Gender, marital status, guardian details, or any relevant custody details.
Emergency contact information.
Details of the individual’s school, care facility, family doctor, or any other relevant health professional.
Details regarding the current and previous medical history of the individual.

How Pearson Services Collects And Holds Personal Information

Pearson Services will only collect information about an individual that is required to provide services, meet our duty of care obligations, meet contractual obligations, or meet relevant regulatory or legislative requirements. Pearson Services will generally only collect personal information about an individual from other sources with the individual’s consent, or if required by law.

Pearson Services will only collect information in a fair, non-intrusive and lawful way, and only by consent from the individual. Where possible, information will be collected directly from the individual rather than from others.

Online Booking And Website Data Collection

Pearson Services collects personal information through this website, including through the online booking system for Farm Group activities. The following provisions apply to the collection and handling of information gathered through the Pearson Services website.

Information collected through the online booking form:

When a client, participant or family member makes a booking through the Pearson Services website, we collect the following personal information: name, email address, and phone number.
This information is collected for the sole purpose of managing bookings, confirming attendance, and communicating relevant session information for Farm Group activities.
Booking information will not be used for direct marketing purposes without the explicit consent of the individual.
Booking information will not be shared with third parties except where required by law or where necessary to deliver the booked service.

Privacy Collection Notice:

In accordance with Australian Privacy Principle 5 (APP 5), a Privacy Collection Notice is displayed on the booking form at the point of data collection. This notice clearly states:

What personal information is being collected and why.
How the information will be used and stored.
Who may have access to the information.
How individuals can access, correct, or make a complaint about their information.
A link to this full Privacy Policy.

The booking form includes an active consent checkbox (not pre-ticked) requiring the individual to confirm they have read and agree to the Privacy Collection Notice before submitting their booking.

Authorised Representatives:

Where a family member, support coordinator, or other authorised representative makes a booking on behalf of an NDIS participant, Pearson Services will treat this as consent given on behalf of the participant, consistent with the participant’s NDIS plan and any authority to act arrangements in place.

The purposes for which Pearson Services collects, holds, uses and discloses personal information

Pearson Services uses or discloses personal information for the purpose for which it was collected, or a purpose related to it. Personal information is collected primarily for the following purposes:

Provision of therapy, support and support coordination services.
Managing website bookings and communicating session information.
Assessment and reporting purposes.
State, federal and regulatory audits.
Training and induction of employees and students.

The exception to this is where personal information is required to be disclosed to external organisations or bodies by law, or as part of Pearson Services’ obligations under the State Government’s Information Sharing Guidelines (see below).

Disclosure Of Personal Information Without Consent

There are circumstances where Pearson Services may be required or permitted to disclose personal information without an individual’s consent. These include:

Where disclosure is required or authorised by law, including under the NDIS Act or other applicable legislation.
Mandatory reporting obligations relating to child protection, and incidents of violence, exploitation, neglect, abuse, or sexual misconduct.
Where disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of an individual or to public health or safety.
Where sharing information directly relates to the primary purpose for which it was collected, or a closely related purpose the individual would reasonably expect.

Data Security

Pearson Services takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. Security measures include:

Online/electronic data is protected by password-protected IT systems with access granted on a need-to-know basis.
Information stored in physical form (paper copies) is protected from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, disclosure or modification.
This website uses HTTPS (secure, encrypted connections) to protect information submitted through online forms, including booking submissions, during transmission.
Personal information is only accessible to workers who require it for the performance of their role.
Storage and data systems and their protections are reviewed and updated regularly.

Data Breach Response

Pearson Services has a Data Breach Response Plan that sets out our process for identifying, assessing and responding to data breaches. In summary:

Any actual or suspected data breach must be reported immediately to the Managing Director.
A breach assessment will be conducted to determine whether the incident constitutes an eligible data breach under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Where an eligible data breach is identified, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) will be notified as soon as practicable, and within the timeframes required by law.
Steps will be taken to contain the breach and prevent recurrence.

Retention Of Personal Information

Client personal information is retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last service, or longer where required by law, prior to secure destruction or de-identification. Online booking records are retained on the same basis.

Access To, And Correction Of, Personal Information

Individuals have the right to access and seek correction of personal information held by Pearson Services by contacting one of our offices within a reasonable timeframe. Personal information will only be withheld in situations where a court order requires the information be held.

Overseas Disclosure

Some of our third-party service providers (such as website hosting, booking software, or analytics platforms) may store or process data on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, Pearson Services takes reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is handled in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. By using our website and booking system, individuals acknowledge that their information may be processed in countries outside Australia.

Anonymity And Pseudonymity

Wherever it is lawful and practical, and doing so does not compromise the provision of services, Pearson Services provides individuals with the option of not identifying themselves, or of using a pseudonym, when personal information is collected.

Accuracy Of Information

Pearson Services will take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy and completeness of personal information collected, used or disclosed. Wherever possible and reasonable, steps will be taken to ensure information is current and to correct incomplete, inaccurate or outdated personal information.

Information Sharing Guidelines

Pearson Services follows the South Australian Government Information Sharing Guidelines for Promoting Safety and Wellbeing. Pearson Services works closely with other agencies to coordinate supports and provide the best quality, multidisciplinary service to individuals and their families. Under the Information Sharing Guidelines, informed consent will be sought and respected from the individual and their family before personal information is shared between organisations, unless:

It is unsafe or impossible for Pearson Services staff to gain consent, and/or consent has been refused; and
Without information being shared, the individual, a member of their family, or a member of the public will be at risk of serious harm, abuse or neglect, or they pose a risk to their own or the public’s safety.

Use Of Images, Photographs And Video

Pearson Services will not use or publish images, photographs or video footage of participants without their prior written consent.

Transfer Of Personal Information To Third Parties

Written consent from the individual is needed prior to the release of information to any third parties. Requests can be made via email to support@pahs.com.au.

Exceptions to this may apply when applying the Information Sharing Guidelines, where the transfer of information is to facilitate service provision and there is a risk of harm to the individual, their family or the public.

When transferring information, reasonable steps will be taken to maintain the security and privacy of the personal information being transferred.

Cookies And Website Tracking

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality and improve the user experience. In accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and OAIC guidance:

Visitors to this website will be informed of cookie use through a notice displayed on their first visit to the website.
Generic, aggregated information from server logs (such as the number of hits to the site and browser types used) may be used solely to improve website design, and is not used to identify individual visitors.
Where cookies collect personal information (for example, through analytics tools), this is subject to the same privacy protections as other personal information collected by Pearson Services.
Individuals may adjust their browser settings to refuse cookies, however this may affect the functionality of the booking system.
This website does not sell, rent, or trade visitor information or booking data to any third party.
Information provided via the enquiry form is used solely to assist with fulfilling the individual’s request, and is not sold to any third party or used for advertising or promotions.

Privacy Contact Officer

The Client Services Manager acts as the Pearson Services Privacy Contact Officer, and is the first point of contact for privacy queries. The Privacy Contact Officer is responsible for ensuring individuals are provided with information about their privacy rights, and for receiving and handling day-to-day privacy queries and complaints.

Privacy Complaints

Individuals are encouraged to follow the Pearson Services complaints and feedback procedure if they have a complaint about the way their personal information is gathered, held or handled, by contacting the Privacy Contact Officer on (08) 8322 2792 or via email.

The Privacy Contact Officer will acknowledge the complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.
If a complaint cannot be resolved by the Privacy Contact Officer, or the complainant remains unsatisfied, the matter will be escalated to the Managing Director for review.
If individuals are not satisfied with the handling of their complaint, they may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992 or at www.oaic.gov.au.

Copyright

No part of this work may be copied, reproduced, or translated in any form or medium without the prior written consent of Pearson Services.

To obtain permission to reproduce information (text or graphics) contained on the Pearson Services website for any purpose, submit the specifics of your request in writing to Pearson Services via email to support@pahs.com.au.

Terms of Use

The Pearson Services website, www.pahs.com.au, is provided as a public service.

Please note that users of this website are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency and/or suitability of all information. Pearson Services makes no representations, guarantees, or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of the information provided via this website.

Pearson Services specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing the Pearson Services website or the information it contains, including any websites maintained by third parties and linked to the Pearson Services website.

The inclusion of links from this site does not imply endorsement by Pearson Services. Specific questions regarding information should be directed to support@pahs.com.au. Pearson Services makes no effort to independently verify, and does not exert editorial control over, information on pages outside of the pahs.com.au domain.

Any mention of vendors, products, or services is for informational purposes only.