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Last Updated: 06/06/2026 

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Your privacy and the confidentiality of your family’s information are of the utmost importance to my practice. This Privacy Policy explains how I, Leanne at The Symbols Studio, collect, store, use, and protect the personal data of the children and families I work with. 

As a Play Therapist registered with Play Therapy UK (PTUK), I practice under strict ethical guidelines. For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am a Data Controller registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number ZB277327. I also maintain comprehensive professional indemnity insurance to ensure a secure and accountable practice. 

 

1. What Information I Collect 

To provide safe, effective, and ethical play therapy, I need to collect certain personal and sensitive data. This includes: 

• Contact Details: Names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of parents/legal guardians. 

• Child’s Information: Name, date of birth, school, and relevant medical history. 

• Therapeutic Information: Background history, developmental milestones, family context, school reports, and reasons for referral. 

• Session Notes: Brief, anonymized summaries of therapeutic themes and progress after each session. 

Note: Under data protection law, information regarding a child's mental or physical health is classified as "Special Category Data," which I handle with the highest level of security. 

 

2. How I Use Your Data 

I only use this information to: 

• Assess whether play therapy is the right support for your child. 

• Deliver tailored, child-centered therapeutic sessions. 

• Communicate with you regarding appointments, progress updates, and administrative matters. 

• Fulfill my professional obligations to PTUK, including clinical supervision. 

 

3. Lawful Basis for Processing 

Under the UK GDPR, I rely on the following legal bases to process your data: 

1. Contract: To fulfill the terms of our therapeutic agreement. 

1. Consent: Explicit consent provided by a parent or legal guardian during the intake process. 

1. Special Category Data (Health): Processing is necessary for the provision of health or social care treatment. 

 

4. Confidentiality, Supervision, and Data Sharing 

Everything discussed within the therapeutic space remains confidential. I will never sell your data or share it with third parties for marketing purposes. 

Information is only shared under the following specific circumstances: 

• Clinical Supervision: In line with professional requirements, I regularly see a qualified clinical supervisor for reflection and accountability purposes. This practice is vital in order to provide the best possible care for the children in my care. Any case material discussed is strictly anonymized to protect your child's identity. 

• Safeguarding: If I have reason to believe that a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of serious harm, I have a legal and ethical duty to share information with relevant safeguarding authorities (such as Social Care or a GP). I will always endeavor to discuss this with you first, unless doing so increases the risk to the child. 

• Legal Obligation: If I am legally required to do so by a court of law. 

 

5. How I Store and Protect Your Data 

I implement robust physical and digital security measures to keep your data safe: 

• Digital Records: All digital data collected is stored on Fortuna, a specialized, secure, and GDPR-compliant data management software specifically designed for play therapists. 

• Physical Records: Any physical paperwork is kept locked away securely in a designated private space with myself, ensuring no unauthorized access. 

• Anonymisation: Case notes are kept separate from identifiable contact details and use a unique coding system rather than your child's name. 

 

6. Data Retention 

In line with Play Therapy UK (PTUK) guidelines and professional insurance requirements, all clinical records, session notes, and consent forms for children are securely retained until the child’s 26th birthday (or for 7 years from the end of treatment for adults). Once this retention period expires, all physical paperwork is securely shredded and digital records on Fortuna are permanently and securely deleted. 

 

7. Your Rights 

Under UK data protection law, you have specific rights regarding your personal information. You have the right to: 

• Request access to the personal data I hold about you or your child. 

• Request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete data. 

• Request the restriction of data processing under certain conditions. 

• Lodge a complaint with the ICO if you feel your data has been mishandled. 

 

8. Contact Me 

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact me directly: 

• Name: Leanne Gorham 

• Email: leanne@thesymbolsstudio.com 

• Phone: 07460878441 

• ICO Registration: ZB277327