Calm Mediation is a charity that aims to make conflict resolution accessible to all sections of society. Our mission is to give everyone a voice, a choice and a chance for change.
ICO Registration Reference: ZB618553
Last updated: June 2026
This notice was revised to reflect the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and the closure of our Restorative Justice service (31 March 2026) and Family Mediation service (31 May 2025). Personal data relating to clients of these services is retained only for legal, regulatory, and audit purposes.
Contact our Data Protection Officer:
Email: data@calmmediation.org
Post: Data Protection Officer, Calm Mediation, 92 Camberwell Road, London, SE5 0EG, UK
Marketing and Newsletter
What we collect:
Your name and email address.
Lawful basis:
Legitimate Interests. For new enquirers and supporters from 5 February 2026 onwards, we rely on the charitable purpose soft opt-in under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. For supporters who joined us prior to this date, we continue to respect your existing consent preferences. We will not use this basis for purely commercial marketing without separate consent.
How we use it:
Our newsletter shares updates about our mission to make conflict resolution available across different sectors of society.
Opting out:
Every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link. You may opt out at any time.
Right to object to direct marketing:
You have an absolute right to object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes at any time, with no need to give a reason. We will stop processing immediately. To exercise this right, use the unsubscribe link in any newsletter or contact data@calmmediation.org.
For Visitors and Enquiries
This section explains how we handle your information when you visit our digital or physical spaces, or when you contact us with an enquiry.
Visitors to our Website
What we collect:
Standard internet log information, IP addresses, and visitor behaviour patterns via cookies.
Lawful basis:
Legitimate Interests (network and information security).
How we use it:
We use Google Analytics to understand how many people use our site and which parts are most helpful. We do not use this data to identify individual visitors. A cookie consent banner allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies when you first visit our site.
Contacting us by Telephone
What we collect:
Your telephone number, call metadata (date/time), and voicemail audio. We do not record phone calls, except in exceptional cases, where a call becomes threatening or abusive, following a verbal warning to the caller.
Lawful basis:
Legitimate Interests (safety).
How we use it:
To manage our switchboard effectively, return missed calls, and ensure we have a record of your enquiry to provide support. Any calls that are recorded are only recorded with the aim to help us support the wellbeing of our staff.
Making an Enquiry (including website forms)
What we collect:
Your name, contact details, and the nature of your enquiry.
Lawful basis:
Legitimate Interests.
How we use it:
To respond to your request.
Visitors to our office
What we collect:
Video and audio recordings via our doorbell security system.
Lawful basis:
Legitimate Interests (safety and security).
How we use it:
To manage premises security. Recordings are securely stored in the cloud for up to 180 days.
For Mediation Clients
This section explains how we handle your information when you use our mediation services.
What information we collect, use, and why
We collect or use the following information to provide mediation services:
- Names and contact details
- Addresses
- Service use history
- Information about support requirements
- Records of meetings and decisions
- Information relating to compliments or complaints
Where we get personal information from
- Directly from you
- Via referral partners such as housing associations, councils, and other public sector organisations
- Family members or carers
- Schools, colleges, universities, or other education or support organisations
Our lawful basis
- Consent — we have permission from you after providing all relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
- Legitimate Interests — we are collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation, or someone else, without causing undue risk of harm. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interest is: where we are planning a mediation meeting to resolve conflict, we may contact individuals so they may decide whether they wish to take part.
How we use it
- Service delivery: to manage your case, facilitate communication between parties, and provide professional mediation support.
- Reporting and accountability: to provide anonymised monitoring data to our funders and meet our obligations as a UK charity.
- Audit and compliance: to maintain records required under Charity SORP 2026.
For Professionals, Referrers and Training Delegates
We work closely with professionals across many settings to raise awareness of conflict resolution methods.
What information we collect, use, and why
- Name
- Work contact details
- Job title
Where we get personal information from
- Your employer
- Referral networks and partner organisations
- Directly from you
Lawful basis
Legitimate Interests — to facilitate professional relationships and referral networks in support of our charitable mission
Stay in touch (charitable purpose soft opt-in)
From 5 February 2026, if you have referred clients or participated in our training, we may send you electronic updates about our conflict resolution work. This is based on our legitimate interest in furthering our charitable purposes. You will always be given a clear opportunity to opt out at the point we first collect your details and in every message we send. You can also contact data@calmmediation.org at any time to opt out.
For Volunteers, Practitioners and Staff
When you apply to join one of our panels or take up a role with us, we provide a full role description and requirements.
What information we collect and use, and why
We collect or use the following personal information as part of recruitment, administration and management:
- Contact details (name, address, telephone number, email address)
- Date of birth
- Photographs, for example for ID cards or to promote our services
- Copies of identification documents (e.g. passport, proof of address) — these are used only during the processing of your application and are not retained in our systems thereafter
- Next of kin and emergency contact details
- Education history and qualifications
- Right to work information
- DBS check certificate number and issue date — the certificate itself and any supporting documents are not retained after the initial check is completed
- Training history and development needs
- Role description
- Bank account details for payment and/or expenses claimed
- Time contributed to Calm Mediation
Our lawful basis
- Consent — for photographs and optional monitoring information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
- Contract — we need to collect or use the information to enter into or carry out a working arrangement with you. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object.
- Legal obligation — we must collect or use your information to comply with the law, including employment law, charity law, and safeguarding requirements. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object, and the right to data portability.
For DBS and criminal conviction data: We rely on Article 10 UK GDPR and Schedule 1, Part 3, paragraph 36 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (safeguarding of individuals at risk). We store only the DBS certificate number and the date of issue. No images of certificates or supporting identification documents are retained after the check has been completed
Where we get personal information from
We collect your information directly from you. We will not share your data outside the organisations detailed in this notice, unless we are legally obliged to — for example, where we have a safeguarding concern or if we believed you were in a life-threatening situation.
Data Retention for Closed Services
Restorative Justice Clients
This service permanently closed on 31 March 2026.
From 13 February 2026, we stopped accepting new referrals. Under our agreement with MOPAC, any cases that remained open at the time of contract termination were securely transferred to the new service provider to ensure continuity of support.
What information we collected and continue to hold in archive
- Names, addresses, and contact details (phone/email)
- Dates of birth and criminal offence data (including sentence and risk details)
- Service use history and records of meetings or decisions
- Information about support requirements
- Information relating to compliments or complaints
- Racial or ethnic origin, gender, and sexual orientation (for monitoring purposes)
- Religious or philosophical beliefs (for monitoring purposes)
Where we received personal information from
- Directly from you
- Criminal justice agencies, including the Metropolitan Police and HMPPS (Probation/Prisons)
- Councils and other public or third-sector organisations (such as Victim Support)
Lawful basis during service delivery
- Public Task: processing was necessary to carry out a task in the public interest laid down by law.
- Substantial Public Interest: specifically to provide restorative justice services to London residents and uphold rights under the Victims Code of Practice (VCOP).
For criminal offence data: We relied on Article 10 UK GDPR and Schedule 1, Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018.
Lawful basis for ongoing archival retention
Statutory Retention: as a UK charity we have reporting obligations, including compliance with Charity SORP 2026, which mandate enhanced impact reporting and clear financial records for audit purposes.
Cases are retained for 6 years from the date of case closure, after which they are permanently and securely deleted.
Family Mediation Clients
This service permanently closed on 31 March 2025.
What information we collected and continue to hold in archive
- Names and contact details, including addresses and dates of birth
- Service use history and detailed records of mediation meetings and decisions
- Support requirements and information relating to compliments or complaints
- Monitoring data (racial or ethnic origin, age, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation) used to evaluate our service delivery
Where we received personal information from
- Directly from you
- Family members or carers
- Social services, lawyers, and other referral sources
Lawful basis during service delivery
- Consent — for monitoring data and specific funding purposes.
- Legitimate Interests — to facilitate conflict resolution between parties.
Lawful basis for ongoing archival retention
Statutory Retention: to fulfil our mandatory record-keeping and reporting duties as a UK charity, including compliance with Charity SORP 2026 requirements for impact reporting and the maintenance of clear financial records for audit.
All case-related data and client contact information is deleted 6 years after the specific case was closed.
Historical joint controllership
Clients who accessed our services via Legal Aid should be aware that during the period the service was active, Calm Mediation held a joint controller relationship with the Legal Aid Agency in relation to your application and service use. This relationship is no longer active. If you have questions about data held in connection with a Legal Aid application made during that period, please contact us at data@calmmediation.org.
Retention Schedule
The retention periods below apply to our active and archived records. All data is deleted securely and permanently at the end of its retention period.
|
Type of record |
Retention period |
|
Enquiries, leads and callback requests |
12 months from last contact |
|
Referral records (cases) — Mediation |
6 years from case closure date |
|
Referral records (cases) — Restorative Justice (closed) |
6 years from case closure date |
|
Referral records (cases) — Family Mediation (closed) |
6 years from case closure date |
|
Client contact records |
Deleted once all related cases have been removed from our systems |
|
Practitioner and staff records |
6 years from end of engagement, or until all related cases are deleted — whichever is longer |
|
Voicemails and call records |
Maximum 6 years |
|
Office security recordings (doorbell) |
180 days |
|
Website visitor logs and analytics |
In accordance with our cookie and analytics settings |
|
Newsletter subscriber records |
Until you unsubscribe |
These retention periods are managed programmatically by our systems where possible.
Who We Share Information With
We do not share your data outside the organisations mentioned in this notice unless we are legally obliged to, for example due to a safeguarding concern or a life-threatening situation.
For Restorative Justice cases, under our agreement with MOPAC, any cases that remained open at contract termination were securely transferred to the new service provider.
Practitioners Assigned to your Case
Practitioners assigned to your case will receive your contact details and details of the case. If they make notes during any of the meetings, these will be used to create a meeting summary and the notes themselves will be securely destroyed.
Data Processors
We use secure third-party platforms and service providers (known as data processors) to support the day-to-day running of our organisation. These partners process your information only on our strict instructions and are contractually prohibited from using your data for their own purposes. We use processors for the following functions:
|
Function |
Purpose |
|
Cloud productivity and communication suite |
Secure email, document storage, and internal collaboration for staff and practitioners. |
|
Client relationship management (CRM) platform |
To securely store and manage client cases, referral information, and practitioner records, ensuring only authorised personnel can access the data they need. |
|
Financial and accounting software |
To manage our financial records and fulfil our audit and reporting duties as a UK charity, including compliance with Charity SORP 2026. |
|
Telephony and communication services |
To manage our telephone switchboard, route calls effectively, and securely store voicemails. |
|
IT and technical support |
To maintain our workstations, ensure network security, and protect our systems against cyber threats. We rely on Legitimate Interests to process data for the security of our network and information systems. |
|
Website and newsletter hosting |
To manage our online presence and deliver electronic communications to those who have opted in or meet the charitable purpose soft opt-in criteria. |
|
Disclosure and Barring Service portal |
To obtain and verify background checks for our volunteers and practitioners to ensure the safety of our clients. |
International Transfers
While we aim to store all personal data within the UK, choosing providers with UK-based servers where possible, some cloud-based providers may process data outside the UK. Where such transfers occur, we ensure they are protected by one of the following mechanisms, in line with ICO requirements and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025:
- The International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA); or
- The UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
All international transfers are subject to high levels of encryption and appropriate technical and organisational safeguards.
Your Rights and How to Complain
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for collecting and using your personal information. Which lawful basis we rely on may affect your data protection rights. You can find out more about lawful bases and your rights on the ICO’s website: ico.org.uk
Your data protection rights
Right of access
You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information, including details about where we obtain personal information from and who we share it with. There are some exemptions which mean you may not receive all the information you ask for.
Right to rectification
You have the right to ask us to correct or complete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to erasure
You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction of processing
You have the right to ask us to limit how we use your personal information.
Right to object to processing
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to object to direct marketing
You have an absolute right at any time to object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes. There is no balancing test — we must stop processing as soon as we receive your objection. Use the unsubscribe link in any communication or contact data@calmmediation.org.
Right to data portability
You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
Right to withdraw consent
Where we rely on consent as our lawful basis, you have the right to withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before you withdrew consent.
Automated processing and AI
Where our service providers use AI or automated tools to assist with data categorisation or administration, we ensure that human oversight remains central to the process. We do not use automated systems to make decisions based on special category data without explicit consent. You have the right to obtain human intervention, to express your point of view, and to contest any automated decision.
Making a request
If you wish to exercise any of the above rights, please contact us using the details at the top of this notice. We will respond without undue delay and within one month of receiving your request.
How to complain
If you have concerns about how we use your personal data, please contact us in the first instance using the details at the top of this notice, or via our complaints policy on our website.
If you remain unhappy after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
