Data Protection Policy Act

ISCOS recognizes its obligations under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA), which includes the collection, use and/or disclosure of personal data, for the purpose(s) for which an individual has given consent.

The personal data collected by ISCOS include an individual’s full name, NRIC number, phone number, email address, and mailing address. It also includes other data that allows one to identify the person.

ISCOS relies on personal data to provide services and therefore we entrust the individual to ensure that the personal data provided is accurate, complete and correct.

The Civil Law Act states that minors who are 18 and above have the full capacity to enter into contracts. Thus, consent of minors who are 18 and above will be valid for allowing the collection, use and/or disclosure of their personal data. For minors who are below 18, consent will be obtained from the parent or legal guardian.

Prior to any collection, use and/or disclosure of personal data, we would state the purpose, followed by the attainment of consent (written or verbal), unless an exception applies.  On most occasions, clients will be deemed to have given consent because they have voluntarily provide their personal data for a specific purpose, for example, if an individual calls us with an enquiry and requires us to follow up with a response, the individual is deemed to consent to the collection and use of his/her name and contact details for us to reach him/her.

Most of our programmes require our case workers to be in contact with the clients’ family members/significant others as they often play an important role in the clients’ reintegration. Personal data of the family members/significant others is necessary for our case workers to provide case management services to support them. We will rely on the clients to obtain their family members/significant others’ consent. We will also attempt to verify that consent has been obtained before the collection, use and/or disclosure of the personal data, unless an exception applies.

For programmes that commence prior to clients’ release, we note that it is not feasible for clients, who are currently in prison, to contact their family members/significant others to attain timely consent. ISCOS will thereby attain consent from clients to collect their family members’/significant others’ personal data for use in contacting them to brief them on the programme and to attain their consent for further collection, use and/or disclosure of their personal data. This is with reference to the exceptions that (a) collection and use is necessary for any purpose which is clearly in the interest of the individual, if consent for its collection and use cannot be obtained in a timely manner (PDPA, Section 17(1) and 17(2); Second Schedule, 1(a) and Third Schedule, 1(a)) and (b) collection and use is necessary for evaluative purposes (PDPA, Section 17 (1) and 17 (2); Second Schedule, 1(f) and Third Schedule, 1(f)).

Purpose for the Collection, Use and/or Disclosure of Personal Data

We may collect, use and/or disclose the personal data of our clients and/or family members/significant others for the purpose(s) stated below:

•For assessment of suitability for the programmes offered by ISCOS;
•For administering and processing applications for selected schemes administered by ISCOS;
•For case management, assessment and planning of services;
•For contacting client and family members/significant others for any purposes related to the services ISCOS is providing and/or on matters during the duration of the programme;
•For notification of events that take place during the duration of the programme and up to 3 months after the closure of the programme;
•For referral to external agencies when required;
•For sharing and/or updating of client’s information and progress under the programme with any third parties that are involved in the programme client has signed up for;
•For generating reports and statistics;
•For internal records and references;
•For programme evaluation and research; and
•With consent, we may also use and/or disclose the personal data provided for additional purposes.

We may disclose personal data belonging to our clients and/or family members/significant others for the above purpose(s) to the following parties:

•CARE Network Agencies
•Donors/Funders
•Voluntary Welfare Organisations
•Community Development Councils
•Family Service Centres
•Family Resource Centres
•Hospitals
•Schools
•Housing Development Board
•Halfway Houses and New Hope Community Services
•Regulators, Law Enforcement and Government Agencies

Photos and/or videos will be taken during our private events (E.g. Workshops and Activities, Volunteer Appreciation Night, Training, etc.). We will inform all parties involved via the invitation email/flyer/letter and/or through verbal announcement on the day of the event. The purpose of the photo taking and/or video recording at the events is for publication through ISCOS’s newsletter, annual report, Facebook and/or website.