Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 24 March 2026
1. Introduction
How To Be Adopted ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data transparently and lawfully. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you interact with our organisation, including through our Squarespace website, events, fundraising activities, and services.
We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal data:
Identity Data: Name, title
Contact Data: Email address, phone number, postal address
Financial Data: Donation details (processed securely via third-party providers such as Stripe, PayPal, or Squarespace Payments; we do not store full payment details)
Volunteer Data: Skills, availability, references, and background check information (where applicable)
Safeguarding Data: Information relevant to working with children or vulnerable individuals, where necessary
Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, cookies and usage data collected via Squarespace analytics and similar tools
3. Legal Bases for Processing
Under UK data protection law, we rely on the following lawful bases:
Consent: For sending marketing communications (e.g. newsletters)
Contract: To process donations or manage volunteer agreements
Legal Obligation: To comply with regulatory requirements (e.g. Gift Aid, Charity Commission reporting)
Legitimate Interests: To operate and improve our services, provided your rights do not override these interests
4. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal data to:
Process donations and maintain donation records
Claim Gift Aid from HMRC where you have provided consent
Communicate updates, campaigns, and newsletters (where you have opted in)
Manage volunteers, programmes, and events
Ensure safeguarding and protection of children and vulnerable individuals
Respond to enquiries
Improve our website and outreach efforts via Squarespace analytics
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
5. Fundraising and Gift Aid
If you make a donation, we may collect and store information required to process your donation and, where applicable, to claim Gift Aid from HMRC.
We will only claim Gift Aid where you have given us permission and confirmed your eligibility. We are required to retain Gift Aid records for audit and compliance purposes.
We may contact you about our fundraising activities where you have opted in or where we have a legitimate interest to do so in line with UK marketing laws (PECR).
6. Safeguarding
Where our activities involve children or vulnerable individuals, we may collect and process relevant personal data to ensure their safety and wellbeing. This may include emergency contact details, health information (where necessary), and background checks for volunteers or staff.
Such data is handled with heightened care and only accessed by authorised individuals.
7. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal data. We may share your information with:
Trusted service providers (e.g. Squarespace, Google, Ko-fi, Stripe, PayPal, email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp)
Professional advisers (e.g. accountants, auditors)
Regulators or authorities (e.g. HMRC, Charity Commission) where required by law
All third parties are required to respect the security of your personal data and process it in accordance with the law.
8. International Transfers
Some of our service providers (including Squarespace, Google and email platforms) may process data outside the UK. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as UK-approved standard contractual clauses or transfers to countries deemed to provide adequate protection.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including legal, accounting, safeguarding, or reporting requirements.
For example:
Donation and Gift Aid records are typically retained for at least 6 years
Safeguarding records may be retained longer where required
10. Your Data Protection Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
Access your personal data
Request correction of inaccurate data
Request erasure ("right to be forgotten")
Restrict or object to processing
Request data portability
Withdraw consent at any time (where applicable)
To exercise your rights, contact us at: hello@howtobeadopted.com
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): https://www.ico.org.uk
11. Cookies and Squarespace
Our website is hosted on Squarespace, which uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the site and analyse traffic.
Squarespace may automatically collect certain technical data about your visit. We use this information to understand how visitors use our website and to improve user experience.
Where required, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
12. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.
13. Children’s Data
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. Where we work directly with children, we ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.
14. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including secure platforms such as Squarespace and encrypted payment processors. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure.
15. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date.
16. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:
How To Be Adopted hello@howtobeadopted.com