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DCFS Privacy Notice

Who We Are
The Department of Children and Family Services  is the department of the Cayman Islands Government’s Ministry of Investment, Innovation & Social Development that protects and promotes the rights and welfare of children and families through the use of preventative interventions, education, advocacy and community–based program that serve to strengthen family bonds and build stronger communities.  


In order to allocate funds in accordance with our mandate, the DCFS collects and processes the personal data of the applicant and relevant related parties. The DCFS is the data controller for the data collected for this function. 


We are committed to making sure your data are safe. This privacy notice explains how we use the personal data we collect in the course of assessing whether you qualify for our services and after you have been approved to receive our services.


Any questions regarding this notice and our privacy practices should be sent by email to dcfs@gov.ky


Personal Data we collect and why we collect it
We collect personal data for the purpose of determining whether an applicant for DCFS’s services is eligible for those services, and the extent to which those services are available. We collect data to administer DCFS services, for the prevention and detection of fraud, and to protect public funds. We also use the personal data we collect to produce aggregated statistics that do not identify any individual, which may be used for reports and to inform service provision.
The personal data we collect may include:

  • Name, age, gender, nationality and marital status

  • Address information, including your home address and mailing address

  • Contact information such as email address and phone numbers

  • Employment status and employment history

  • Sources and evidence of amounts of the applicant’s income

  • Details and evidence of the applicant’s expenses, assets and liabilities.

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The DCFScollects and processes certain sensitive personal data, including health data and medical data. We do so only where necessary in the exercise of our public function duty and to ensure that funds are allocated to those who are eligible for additional support as a result of an illness or disability. When referring an applicant to a retirement home, we may ask applicants to disclose their religious affiliation, so that the applicant’s wishes can be accommodated appropriately.


The personal data that we collect may be that of the person that is applying for services, or other persons that have a relevant relationship with the applicant, including:

  • The applicant’s dependants, who may also benefit from the DCFS’s services.

  • Other people that reside in the applicant’s household, or that have a responsibility for sharing the applicant’s costs

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Your Internet IP address may also be logged in when you use our website, in order to help maintain the security of the website.


Where you are asked to provide personal data relating to third parties, including your adult dependents and other individuals that have a relevant relationship with you, we ask that you ensure that you are authorised to provide those details and that each individual is made aware of how their personal data will be processed.


Our Data Processors
Our applications are hosted by the Cayman Islands Government’s Computer Services Department (CSD). All personal data provided in the course of using our applications will be stored securely in CSD’s data centers in the Cayman Islands.


Cookies
Our website uses cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. All cookies that are required for this website to operate properly are set automatically.


What Are Your Data Protection Rights?
We would like to make sure you are fully aware of all of your data protection rights. Every person is entitled to the following:

  • The right to access – You have the right to request copies of your personal data and other information related to our processing.

  • The right to rectification – You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate, including to ensure it is complete or up to date.

  • The right to erasure – You have the right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions.

  • The right to stop or restrict processing – You have the right to request that we stop or restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

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You also have the right to complain to us or to the Ombudsman if you believe we are processing your personal data in a way that breaches the Cayman Islands Data Protection Act.


You can submit any requests, questions or complaints to us at dcfs@gov.ky.


Information about the Cayman Islands Data Protection Act and how to complain to the Ombudsman is available at www.ombudsman.ky/data-protection.


How Long Do We Retain Your Data?
We will only keep your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, audit or reporting requirements.


Who Has Access To Your Information?
We may disclose personal data to third parties in order to ensure that an applicant is entitled to the financial services for which they are applying. This includes other Cayman Islands Government entities which are data controllers for specific processing activities.

 

We may exchange your information with:

  • All relevant Cayman Islands Government Entities including ministries, portfolios, departments, statutory authorities, government companies, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Audit Office. During the course of establishing eligibility for services, we can offer streamlined services to applicants by seeking information from other government agencies, and we may share information with other government agencies in the execution of our duty to protect public funds.


We may also disclose personal data to private commercial organisations, and not-for-profit organisations, in order to confirm eligibility, and if requested, to refer an applicant for additional services:

  • All Cayman Islands Local Banks and Money Transfer Agencies, in order to validate that savings and income are within prescribed limits for the provision of assistance.

  • All Health Insurance Companies, Pension Companies and Educational Institutions, to confirm benefits and enrollment.

  • All Local Churches, Service Clubs and other Not-For-Profit Organisations, in order to validate an applicant’s sources and amounts of income.

  • Employer, in order to verify employment status and remuneration

  • Utility Companies, Landlords, Hotels and Other Accommodations, in order to validate expenses.

  • Vendors of Services Requested

  • Overseas Consulates

  • Attorneys / Barristers / Lawyers

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If your personal data are disclosed to any other person in order to facilitate an application for DCFS financial assistance, we will endeavour to inform you before this happens and let you know exactly who will receive your data and why. We will also only disclose the minimum amount of data necessary for that purpose. 


How Do We Keep Your Personal Data Safe?
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep your personal data confidential and secure, in accordance with our internal policies and procedures regarding storage of, access to and disclosure of personal data. We may keep your personal data in our electronic systems, in the systems of our data processor, or in paper files.


Changes to our Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice was published on 10 August 2021.
We have the right to update the contents of this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect any changes in the way in which we process your personal data or to reflect legal requirements as these may change. In case of updates, we will post the revised Privacy Notice on our website at https://DCFS.gov.ky/privacy.

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