Privacy Policy

Who we are

Foster Care Compare is a comparison website helping people find fostering agencies across the UK. The site is operated by a sole trader. If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at hello@fostercarecompare.co.uk.

What data we collect

When you submit an enquiry through our site, we collect:

• Your full name
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Your postcode
• Your preferred contact method
• Which fostering agencies you have shortlisted and enquired about
• Whether you have confirmed you meet the basic eligibility requirements to foster
• The date and time of your submission

We also collect anonymised usage data through Google Analytics (GA4), including approximate location, pages visited, and how you found our site. This data is not used to identify you individually.

How we use your data

We use the information you submit to:

• Forward your enquiry to the fostering agencies you have selected
• Send you a confirmation that your enquiry has been received
• Contact you if there is a problem delivering your enquiry
• Improve our service based on how people use the site

If you have given your consent, we may also send you relevant information about fostering by email. You can withdraw this consent at any time by emailing hello@fostercarecompare.co.uk.

How your enquiry is delivered

The way your enquiry is handled depends on the agency you have selected:

Partner agencies — fostering agencies that work with us commercially, as well as charities and local authorities, will receive your enquiry directly and promptly, including your name, email, phone number, and postcode.

Non-partner agencies — your enquiry will be handled manually by us and forwarded within 2–3 business days. We will share your contact details with the agency so they can respond to you directly.

In all cases, your data is only shared with the specific agencies you have chosen to enquire about. We do not sell your data or share it with any other third parties.

How long we keep your data

We retain enquiry data for 24 months from the date of submission, after which it is securely deleted. Where you have consented to marketing emails, we keep your contact details until you withdraw that consent.

Legal basis for processing your data

We process your data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

• Contract — to fulfil the enquiry service you have requested
• Legitimate interests — to improve our service and manage our business records
• Consent — for any marketing communications, where you have opted in

Third parties we use

We use the following third party services to operate our site:

• Supabase — to securely store enquiry submissions in a database
• Gmail — to send and receive emails relating to your enquiry
• Google Analytics (GA4) — to understand how people use our site using anonymised data

We do not use any advertising platforms or sell data to third parties.

International data transfers

Some of the providers we use may process data outside the UK. Where this happens, transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) as required under UK GDPR.

Cookies

Our site uses cookies to ensure it functions properly and to understand how visitors use it.

We use Google Analytics (GA4) cookies to collect anonymised information about how people use our site. This includes pages visited, time spent on the site, and how users arrive at the site.

The cookies we use include:

• _ga — used to distinguish users (expires after 2 years)
• _ga_[container-id] — used to maintain session state (expires after 2 years)

These cookies do not identify you personally. We do not currently use advertising platforms or cookies for tracking across other websites.

When you first visit our site, you will be asked to consent to non-essential cookies. You can change your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie settings on our site. Refusing analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use the site.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to how we use your data
• Request that we restrict processing of your data
• Withdraw consent for marketing at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please email hello@fostercarecompare.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page will always show when it was last updated. Significant changes will be communicated by email where we hold your contact details.

Contact

For any questions about this privacy policy or your personal data:

Email: hello@fostercarecompare.co.uk
Website: fostercarecompare.co.uk