Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains to users of the Signpost web resource how the NAS may use the information you provide.
What information does the NAS collect and what do we do with it?
1. Cookies
Cookies are small files which many websites transfer to your hard disk but do not:
- identify you the individual user
- carry personal information (such as your name or bank account number)
- harm your PC.
Cookies are used by Signpost to remember the user profile you have entered while you are using it, but the cookie is deleted after 60 minutes of inactivity. This makes your journey smoother while you are using the computer. If you do not have cookies enabled on your computer then no cookie is written, and your profile disappears after 20 minutes of inactivity. For further information on cookies please visit www.aboutcookies.org
2. Personal data
In order to create a user profile users are asked whether they are seeking information as a parent or as a person with ASD, what diagnosis the person with ASD has, their date of birth and their post code. This is so that Signpost can deliver the information that is most relevant to that person’s situation. Signpost does store away a summary of your profile so that the NAS can build a picture of how the web resource is being used. However, this summary does not contain any identifiable personal data.
The only elements of your profile that are stored for future analysis are age, diagnosis, first part of the postcode and whether the person received a diagnosis in the last three years. The reason why this is done is to give the web resource designers a clearer picture of how Signpost is being used and how it might be improved. Your Signpost profile will not be used for any other purpose.
The only part of the post code that is retained or displayed on the system is the first half of the post code that covers up to 5000 houses. The NAS also only stores the age of the person in the profile but not their date of birth.
It is therefore impossible for the NAS to identify any user by the details retained by Signpost, as no name or full postal address is kept.
The user profile is retained on your computer for up to 60 minutes after you have stopped moving from page to page in Signpost, giving you time to read through the page you want to look at. After that it disappears, and you would have to answer the profile questions again to continue using Signpost. You can clear your profile at any time by selecting the Clear button on the left hand side of the screen underneath your profile summary.
The NAS is a Data Controller within the meaning of the Data Protection Act and complies with the Data Protection Principles contained therein.
Links
The NAS is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any site to which links are provided.
Copyright
All material on Signpost is the copyright of The National Autistic Society. All rights are reserved. No materials may be reproduced without permission. To apply for permission to reproduce material, please use the Permissions form on the NAS website Permissions form.
Disclaimer
Details of services and training events are taken from the Autism Services Directory. Every care is taken to ensure that Signpost and the directory are accurate but inaccuracies may nevertheless occur. If you discover any information which you believe to be inaccurate, please use the Contact Us link at the top or bottom of the screen to inform us.
The listed services and links to web sites maintained by other organisations are included in Signpost and the directory to assist you and are provided in good faith. Their inclusion on Signpost and the directory does not imply that the NAS endorses or supports them, nor does the absence of a service imply that the NAS does not support them.
The NAS cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss caused by any inaccuracy on Signpost, the Autism Services Directory, or on linked sites/pages. The NAS cannot control and is not responsible for the privacy practices of any site to which a link is provided. It is recommended that you read the privacy policy of any site you visit, particularly if you are asked to give personal data.
To keep your details private, you can clear your details from the computer by using the “Clear” button. As a further precaution, the system will clear your profile from the computer if an hour has passed since you last selected anything in Signpost.
Note that some of the persons included in the photographs on this site are models and are included here for illustrative purposes only.