Family and Children’s Services Niagara (FACS Niagara) is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information. We follow the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA) and Ontario privacy laws. This Notice explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information in the course of providing child protection and related services.
Children’s Aid Societies’ Mandate and Accountability
Children’s Aid Societies (CASs) in Ontario have a legislated mandate to promote the best interests, protection, and well-being of children. FACS Niagara is the mandated CAS for the Niagara Region. We are responsible for the personal information in our custody and control and have policies, procedures, and designated staff to support compliance with legal and ethical privacy requirements.
Identifying Purposes for Collection
We collect personal information to perform our legally mandated child protection functions. This includes assessing risk of harm, delivering services to children and families, supporting caregivers, assessing and approving foster, kin and adoptive homes, and completing other responsibilities required under the CYFSA. We may collect information directly from individuals or from others involved in a child’s life, as permitted by law.
What Personal Information We Collect
Depending on the service being provided, records may include: contact information; date of birth; service notes; school information; health information including clinical assessments; financial or employment information; police involvement, court documents or criminal history; allegations or findings of maltreatment; views and opinions; and identity-based information such as race, ancestry, disability, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, family diversity, and cultural or language needs.
How We Use and Share Personal Information
Only authorized staff and contractors who require access to perform their job duties may use personal information. We use and disclose information for child protection investigations, risk assessments, service planning, providing care or supervision, placing children for adoption, evaluating and improving services, fulfilling legal or regulatory obligations, supporting financial processes, responding to legal proceedings, and other purposes permitted or required by law.
Consent
As a mandated child protection agency, we do not require consent to collect, use, or disclose personal information when performing our duties under the CYFSA or when necessary to reduce or prevent serious harm. When consent is required, individuals may choose to provide or withhold it, although the law may place limits on those choices. Capable children may make decisions regarding their own personal information, and if a capable child disagrees with a substitute decision-maker, the child’s decision prevails.
Limiting Collection, Use, Disclosure and Retention
We collect only the information needed to provide services or meet legal requirements. We use and disclose personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected unless otherwise permitted by law. Most information is stored in the Child Protection Information Network (CPIN), a secure provincial system. Older paper and electronic files predating CPIN are also retained. CPIN does not currently have a legislated retention period. Additional information about CPIN and the Ontario government’s privacy practices can be found through MCCSS. Questions about retention and disposal of personal information within CPIN may be directed to: access.privacy@ontario.ca
Safeguarding Personal Information
We use physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, loss, or misuse of personal information. All employees, students, volunteers, and contractors are bound by confidentiality requirements. If a privacy breach occurs, we will notify affected individuals as required by law and take steps to reduce potential harm.
Access to Records
Individuals who have received services from FACS Niagara may request access to their service record.
Requests must be made in writing to recordsdisclosure@facsniagara.on.ca or by mail to the
Privacy Designate at FACS Niagara
82 Hannover Drive, P.O. Box 24028
St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7P7
If portions of a record cannot be released due to legal restrictions, we will explain why.
Accuracy
We work to ensure that personal information is accurate, complete, and up to date. Individuals may request corrections to their record. If a correction cannot be made, a Statement of Disagreement may be added to the file.
Privacy Complaints
Questions or concerns about privacy may be directed to the Privacy Designate at recordsdisclosure@facsniagara.on.ca or by phone at 905-937-7731 or 1-888-937-7731.
If concerns remain unresolved, individuals may contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario 2 Bloor Street East
Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
Email address: info@ipc.on.ca
Telephone: (416) 325-7539
Long Distance: 1-800-387-0073
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Some approved tools (such as Microsoft products) include integrated AI features used strictly for administrative efficiency. FACS Niagara does not use AI to make decisions about child safety, service planning, or employment matters. Personal information is never entered into public or unapproved AI tools. Only anonymized or pseudonymized data may be used, and all outputs are reviewed for accuracy.
Updates to This Notice
This Notice will be updated as laws, technology, or service practices change.
