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PRIVACY POLICY

Effective date: January 2026


Smiling Family respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us by clients, prospective clients, parents, children, families, professionals and other individuals who communicate with us.


This Privacy Policy explains how Smiling Family collects, uses, stores and protects personal information in accordance with applicable South African privacy legislation, including the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).


1. Who we are

Smiling Family 

Hofmeyer Avenue, Kenridge, Durbanville, 7550
Tel: 021 976 8838
Email: info@smilingfamily.co.za
Website: www.smilingfamily.co.za


For privacy-related enquiries, please contact us using the details above.


2. Personal information we collect

Depending on the services requested, we may collect personal information such as:

  • Name and surname
  • Contact details, including telephone number and email address
  • Residential or postal address
  • Information relating to children and family members
  • Information relevant to social-work assessments and interventions
  • Information relating to family relationships and circumstances
  • Information provided during consultations, assessments, interviews or therapy
  • Information contained in documents provided to us
  • Information required for invoicing and payment
  • Information necessary to communicate with other professionals or organisations where appropriately authorised or legally permitted

We only request information that is reasonably necessary for the services we provide and our related administrative, legal and professional responsibilities.


3. Special personal information

Social-work services may involve information that is considered sensitive or special personal information under applicable legislation.

This may include information concerning a person's health, family circumstances, children, relationships, financial circumstances, substance use, or other information relevant to an assessment or intervention.

Such information will be handled confidentially and only processed where there is a lawful basis for doing so, including where required to provide professional services, where consent has been obtained, where required or permitted by law, or where necessary to protect the interests of a person or child.


4. How we use personal information

We may use personal information to:

  • Provide social-work and related professional services
  • Conduct assessments and prepare professional reports
  • Communicate with clients and relevant parties
  • Arrange appointments and supervised contact
  • Develop parenting plans or facilitate family-related matters
  • Provide therapeutic or support services where applicable
  • Communicate with other professionals, institutions or authorities where appropriately authorised or legally required
  • Process invoices and payments
  • Maintain professional and administrative records
  • Comply with legal, regulatory and professional obligations
  • Respond to enquiries and requests
  • Protect the safety and legitimate interests of clients, children and other persons where legally permitted or required

We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected unless permitted or required by law.


5. Confidentiality

Smiling Family treats client information as confidential.

Information obtained during professional services will generally only be disclosed to another person or organisation where:

  • The client has provided appropriate consent;
  • Disclosure is required or permitted by law;
  • Disclosure is required by a court or other lawful authority;
  • Disclosure is necessary to comply with a legal or professional obligation; or
  • Disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the safety or best interests of a child or another person, where permitted or required by law.

The nature and limits of confidentiality will be explained to clients where appropriate.


6. Children and personal information

Where our services involve children, we take particular care to protect their personal information and best interests.

Information concerning a child will only be collected, used or disclosed in accordance with applicable law and the professional responsibilities applicable to the service being provided.

Where appropriate, parental, guardian or other lawful consent may be required. Circumstances may arise where information may lawfully be processed or disclosed without such consent, including where required to protect a child's safety or best interests or where required by law.


7. Sharing personal information

We do not sell, rent or trade personal information.

Where necessary for the provision of professional services or compliance with legal obligations, information may be shared with appropriately authorised persons or organisations, which may include:

  • Parents, guardians or other persons with lawful authority
  • Attorneys and legal representatives
  • Schools or other educational institutions
  • Medical or mental-health professionals
  • Other social workers or professionals
  • Courts and statutory authorities
  • Other service providers involved in a client's care or support

Information will only be shared where there is an appropriate lawful basis for doing so.


8. Storage and security

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

Personal information may be stored electronically and/or in physical records.

Access to confidential information is restricted to persons who require access for legitimate professional or administrative purposes.

Although reasonable security measures are implemented, no electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.


9. Retention of information

Personal information will be retained for only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or for as long as required by applicable legislation, professional requirements, contractual obligations or other lawful requirements.

Different types of professional records may therefore be retained for different periods.


10. Website information and cookies

Our website may collect limited technical information when you visit the website, such as information relating to your device, browser, IP address and general website usage.

Cookies or similar technologies may be used where necessary for the functioning of the website, security, analytics or other legitimate website purposes.

Where applicable, information collected through cookies or analytics tools will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.


11. Third-party services

Our website may contain links to or make use of third-party services.

Third-party websites and services have their own privacy practices, and Smiling Family is not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites that are not controlled by us.

Where third-party services are used on our website, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that their use is consistent with applicable privacy requirements.


12. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

  • Request access to personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction or updating of inaccurate information
  • Request deletion of personal information where legally permitted
  • Object to certain processing of your personal information
  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, subject to any legal or professional limitations
  • Request information about how your personal information is being processed

Requests relating to personal information should be submitted to:

Email: info@smilingfamily.co.za

We may need to verify your identity before processing a request.


13. Direct marketing

Smiling Family will not use your personal information for direct marketing communications where such processing requires consent unless the applicable legal requirements have been met.

You may request that we stop sending direct marketing communications at any time.


14. Complaints

If you have a concern regarding the way in which Smiling Family has handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can investigate and attempt to resolve the matter.

You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa where applicable.


15. Changes to this Privacy Policy

Smiling Family may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, legislation or professional requirements.

The latest version will be published on this website.


16. Contact us

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal information, please contact:

Smiling Family
Hofmeyer Avenue
Kenridge
Durbanville
7550

Telephone: 021 976 8838
Email: info@smilingfamily.co.za
Website: www.smilingfamily.co.za