Last updated: April 14th, 2026
Who we are
Our website address is: https://sendwolvesforum.org.
SEND Wolves Forum is a Wolverhampton (UK) based parent/carer advocacy group supporting families of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We are the data controller for the personal data we process. For any questions about this policy or your data, please contact us at info@sendwolvesforum.org.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at https://www.ico.org.uk/concerns or by calling 0303 123 1113.
What personal data we collect and why we collect it
We collect personal data that you provide directly to us, including:
- Name, email address, phone number, and postal address (if provided)
- Information submitted via contact or enquiry forms
- Newsletter subscription details and preferences
You may choose to share information about your family situation or SEND-related concerns. We do not directly collect or target children’s personal data.
We may also collect technical data such as IP address, browser type, and device information for website functionality and security.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymised string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/.
After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Contact forms and enquiries
When you contact us via forms or email, we collect the information you provide in order to:
- Respond to your query
- Provide advocacy support
- Direct you to relevant services or resources
If you include sensitive information (such as health or disability details), we will only use it as necessary to respond to your enquiry and in accordance with UK GDPR.
Newsletter
If you sign up to our newsletter, we will use your email address to send updates about SEND-related news, events, and resources.
We only send newsletters where you have given your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails ( or by contacting us.
AI Chatbot
Our website uses an AI-powered chatbot to help visitors find information, access support and navigate our resources more easily.
How the Chatbot Works
The chatbot involves a website-integrated section which connects to large language models such as OpenAI’s GPT in order to generate responses to your questions and signpost information.
When you interact with the chatbot, your messages are sent to the large language model provider’s servers in order to generate a response. This means the content of your conversation may be processed by the provider as a part of this service.
What data the Chatbot May Process
The chatbot and large language model provider may process the following information:
- The text of messages you type into the chat
- Basic technical information such as your browser type, IP address and what section of the website you are viewing.
- Any personal or sensitive details you choose to share voluntarily within the conversation
We advise you to not share sensitive personal information (such as full names, dates of birth, NHS numbers or detailed health or disability information) within the chatbot.
If you need to discuss sensitive matters please reach out to appropriate resources or contact parent/carer peers here at the forum at info@sendwolvesforum.org
Chatbot Data Retention and Third-Party Processing
Chatbot conversations may be stored by us for the purpose of improving the service and reviewing chatbot performance. We will review and delete stored conversation logs in line with our general data retention principles.
OpenAI processes chat inputs on our behalf. OpenAI’s data handling is governed by their own privacy policy and data processing terms. By default, OpenAI does not use data submitted via the API to train their models. For more information, see:
https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy.
Your chatbot interaction data is not sold, rented, or used for advertising purposes.
Legal Basis for Chatbot Processing
We process chatbot conversation data on the basis of legitimate interests; specifically to provide an accessible, helpful information service to parents and carers visiting our site. Where you voluntarily share sensitive information, we rely on your explicit consent (by virtue of you choosing to submit that information).
Your Rights Regarding Chatbot Data
You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal data processed through teh chatbot. To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@sendwolvesforum.org
Cookies
If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience and last for one year.
If you visit our login page, a temporary cookie will be set to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, cookies will store your login information and screen preferences. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. Selecting “Remember Me” extends login to two weeks.
If you edit or publish an article, a cookie will be saved indicating the post ID. It expires after one day.
We may also use essential cookies for website functionality. We do not use non-essential cookies for tracking or advertising without consent.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles). Embedded content behaves as if you visited the external website directly.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor your interaction with that content.
Who we share your data with
We do not sell or rent your data.
We may share your data with:
- Trusted service providers (e.g. hosting, email, or form services) who process data on our behalf
- Authorities where required by law (e.g. safeguarding concerns or legal obligations)
- OpenAI, for the purpose of powering our AI chatbot (see AI Chatbot section above)
All providers are required to comply with UK GDPR and only process data under our instructions.
How long we retain your data
- Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely
- User account data is stored while the account exists
- Enquiry data is kept for up to 2 years after resolution
- Newsletter data is retained until you unsubscribed or become inactive
- Chatbot conversation logs are retained for a limited period and reviewed periodically for deletion
- Technical logs may be kept for up to 1 year
We securely delete or anonymise data when no longer needed.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account or have contacted us, you can:
- Request a copy of your personal data
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data
- Object to certain types of processing
- Withdraw consent (e.g. for newsletters)
To exercise your rights, contact info@sendwolvesforum.org.
.
Where your data is sent
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Chatbot messages are processed by OpenAI’s servers, which may be located outside the UK/EEA. OpenAI operates under appropriate data transfer safeguards including Standard Contractual Clauses.
Your data may be processed by service providers within the UK or EEA. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for any data transfers.
How we protect your data
We use appropriate security measures, including:
- Secure servers and encrypted connections (SSL/TLS)
- Restricted access to authorised individuals only
- Regular data protection reviews
While no system is completely secure, we take all reasonable steps to protect your data.
Children’s Data
Our services are intended for parents and carers. We do not knowingly collect data directly from children under 18.
Any information about children is provided by adults and used only for advocacy purposes, with appropriate safeguards.
We ask that parents and carers take care not to share identifiable information about their children (such as full names or NHS numbers) through the AI chatbot. If you wish to discuss a case in detail with other parent/carers or the forum, please contact us directly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised date.
Legal basis for processing
We process your data under the following legal bases:
- Consent (e.g. newsletters)
- Legitimate interests (e.g. responding to enquiries, running our services, operating the AI chatbot)
- Legal obligations where applicable