Collection of personal information:

During the referral process and when providing a service to you, Explore & Empower will need to collect and record personal information necessary to deliver our services. This information will be used only by Explore & Empower, Founder/Director Stephanie Sorraghan, and any therapist(s)/employee(s) working for Explore & Empower. We take your privacy seriously, and ensure your personal information is only collected as necessary and as otherwise allowed by law.

The personal information we may collect:

Explore & Empower may/will need to collect personal information which identifies you and/or could be used to identify you, including:

-            Your name, address, date of birth, and contact information,

-            The name, address, and contact information for your guardian(s), NDIS Plan Nominee(s), and emergency contact(s),

-            Your gender,

-            Information pertaining to your health, such as medical history/records, information about your physical and mental health, and information about your support requirements,

-            Your NDIS number,

-            Other personal history, including social, educational, economical.

How this information will be collected:

Explore & Empower will collect personal information via this website (exploreempower.com.au) through the referrals form, complaints/feedback form, and other means of contact via the website. Explore & Empower may also collect personal information via phone calls, texts, and/or emails to the client, their Plan Nominees/family members/supports, their Support Coordinator, Local Area Coordinator, or other treating professionals who are authorised to provide such information. We will seek your consent prior to obtaining information from, or sharing information with, third parties (unless said third party completes the website forms, e.g., the referral form). You do not have to provide Explore & Empower with personal information, however choosing not to may mean delays in service provision or may lead to referrals being declined or cancelled.

Confidentiality and disclosure of personal information:

All personal information gathered by Explore & Empower during the referral process and service provision will remain confidential, unless:

-            The therapist reasonably believes that failing to disclose the personal information may place you or another person at risk of serious harm, danger, or death,

-            The personal information is subpoenaed by a court,

-            You provide consent (written or verbal) to discuss the personal information with another personal or professional, including verbally disclosing the information, disclosing the information in written format, or disclosing the information in another way,

-            You would reasonably expect the personal information to be shared with another professional party (e.g., the NDIS or your doctor), and

-            Disclosure is otherwise required by law.

How your information is stored:

Explore & Empower stores your personal information in password protected electronic form, and, if stored in hard copy (paper) form, the information is kept in a locked filing cabinet. Personal information is stored using reasonable measures to protect the information, and will be kept for at least seven years following service provision.

Third party websites:

Explore and Empower’s website may contain external links and widgets to third parties, who may not be subject to the same privacy laws and regulations. This may include international companies/storage of information. Explore & Empower is not responsible for the security of the third parties, nor their privacy policies. Please review each individual website’s privacy policy prior to disclosing personal information.

Ensuring my information is up to date:

Explore & Empower takes reasonable steps to keeping information up to date. If you believe the information held about you is out of date or incorrect, you may request via writing that we update your personal information. This can be done via email, with the email address available via the website.

Professional development:

To ensure ongoing best practice, therapists at Explore & Empower may participate in professional development, supervision, and other professional learning activities. Clients’ personal information is bound by confidentiality (as outlined in this policy) during these activities, though de-identified information may be shared for learning/training purposes.

Complaints relating to privacy/personal information:

If you wish to leave feedback or make a complaint about how your personal information has been managed, you are welcome to do so via Explore & Empower’s website, or via email at admin@exploreempower.com. We will attempt to follow up and resolve the complaint within a reasonable time. You may also complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commission via www.oaic.gov.au.