Echo Privacy Notice | How We Use Your Information

ECHO PRIVACY NOTICE

Accessibility Note

This Privacy Notice is available in alternative formats.
If you need this information in a different format, please contact us via the website contact form or email info@theechosociety.org.uk.

1. Who We Are

The Echo Society Ltd (“Echo”, “we”, “us”) is a community‑focused organisation supporting people affected by narcissistic abuse, coercive control, and a wide range of emotional and relational challenges through:

awareness raising and campaigning
outreach and community initiatives
workshops and training
support groups
events
volunteering opportunities
fundraising activities
and a counselling service pathway (intake, allocation, safeguarding coordination, continuity planning)

Echo is the Data Controller for the personal information we collect and manage in connection with these activities.

We do not hold clinical notes or therapeutic records.
Those are held by your counsellor (see the Counselling & Therapeutic Records Privacy Notice, provided by your counsellor).

Registered address:
71–75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ
Email: info@theechosociety.org.uk

2. What This Privacy Notice Covers

This notice explains how Echo uses your information when you:

visit our website
contact us
register for workshops, training, or events
join support groups
subscribe to our newsletter
volunteer with us
donate or support our fundraising
participate in campaigns or outreach
enquire about counselling
go through counselling intake and allocation
engage with Echo for safeguarding coordination or continuity planning

This is Echo’s organisation‑wide privacy notice.

Information about clinical records is provided separately in the Counselling & Therapeutic Records Privacy Notice.

3. Why You May Receive More Than One Privacy Notice

Echo manages the counselling service pathway.
Your counsellor provides your therapy.

Because we each hold different types of information, you may receive:

Echo’s Privacy Notice (this document)
Counselling & Therapeutic Records Privacy Notice (provided by your counsellor)

Associate counsellors are independent Data Controllers for their clinical records and therapeutic documentation.

Echo handles service‑level information.
Your counsellor handles clinical information.

4. The Information We Collect and Why

Echo collects only the information needed to run our services safely and effectively.

4.1 Information we collect directly from you

name and contact details
communication preferences
event/workshop registrations
support group registrations
volunteer applications
donation and fundraising information
newsletter subscriptions
general enquiries
availability and service preferences for counselling allocation
safeguarding information (where relevant)
safeguarding coordination records
continuity planning information
risk‑related service‑level information

4.2 Information we may receive from others

In some circumstances we may receive information about you from:

referrers
existing service users
safeguarding agencies
individuals acting on your behalf
professionals or organisations involved in referral, safeguarding, or service coordination

We only record what is necessary for service delivery, safeguarding, or legal obligations.

4.3 Information we do NOT routinely collect

Echo does not routinely collect or maintain:

clinical notes
therapeutic records
session content
modality‑specific clinical documentation

If you choose to disclose sensitive or trauma‑related information during intake or communication with Echo, we will record only what is necessary for:

allocation
safeguarding
service‑level decision‑making
continuity planning

We do not create or store clinical records.

4.4 Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, we may collect:

IP address
browser type
device information
pages visited
interaction data
cookie preferences

See our Cookies Policy for details.

5. Special Category Data

Echo may process special category data where necessary, including:

health information
information about experiences of abuse
safeguarding information
risk‑related information

Where Echo processes special category data, we do so in accordance with UK GDPR and applicable safeguarding, legal, and regulatory requirements, and always limit this to what is necessary.

6. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

respond to enquiries
provide workshops, events, and support groups
manage volunteers and donors
send newsletters (with your consent)
coordinate campaigns and outreach
manage safeguarding concerns
run the counselling intake and allocation process
maintain service continuity
operate and improve our website
comply with legal obligations

We may also use information you provide in connection with campaigns, awareness‑raising, community engagement, or advocacy activities that you choose to participate in.

We do not use counselling‑related information for marketing.

7. Lawful Bases for Processing

We rely on:

Contract

To provide services you request (e.g., events, groups, counselling intake).

Legitimate Interests

To run a safe, effective organisation, including:

safeguarding coordination
service continuity
improving our services
managing volunteers

Legal Obligation

Where the law requires us to share or retain information (e.g., safeguarding).

Vital Interests

Where someone is at risk of serious harm.

Consent

For newsletters and optional communications.

We do not rely on consent for core service operations.

8. Safeguarding

If we believe someone is at risk of harm, we may share the minimum necessary information with:

emergency services
local authority safeguarding teams
other relevant agencies

We will always act proportionately and transparently wherever possible.

Echo may hold:

safeguarding coordination records
safeguarding communications
risk‑related service‑level information
continuity planning information

These are separate from clinical notes.

9. Who We Share Information With

Echo may share service‑level information with:

your counsellor (for allocation and continuity)
safeguarding agencies (where required)
IT and administrative service providers
legal authorities (if required by law)
event/workshop platforms
volunteer management systems

We do not share clinical notes — we do not hold them.

We never share information with perpetrators.

10. How Long We Keep Your Information

Echo keeps information only for as long as necessary for:

service delivery
safeguarding
continuity
legal obligations

Different categories of information are retained for different periods depending on their purpose, legal requirements, safeguarding considerations, and organisational needs.

Echo’s retention periods are set out in our Data Retention & Disposal Policy.

Your counsellor has their own retention schedule for clinical records.

11. Your Rights

You have rights under UK GDPR, including:

access
correction
deletion
restriction
objection
portability

Subject Access Requests (SARs)

For Echo‑held information, contact Echo.
For clinical records, contact your counsellor.

We will always explain which information we hold and which we do not.

Your right to complain

If you are unhappy with how your information has been used, you can complain to:

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
www.ico.org.uk

You can also contact Echo directly using the details below.

12. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may store data outside the UK/EEA.
We use appropriate safeguards such as:

adequacy decisions
the UK‑US Data Bridge
International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTA)
contractual protections

Data Protection Lead
The Echo Society Ltd
71–75 Shelton Street
Covent Garden
London WC2H 9JQ
Email: info@theechosociety.org.uk

14. Updates to This Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time.

The version that applies is the one published on our website on the day you use our services.