Privacy Policy

Introduction

Pearson’s Farm is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals who interact with our business, including visitors, guests, clients, families, school groups, corporate customers, and community members who book or attend our farm experiences and programs.

Pearson’s Farm operates two locations — Clarendon SA 5157 and Myponga SA 5202 — and offers a wide range of experiences including farm tours, farmstays, birthday parties, educational visits, school programs, horse experiences, corporate events, mentoring, mobile animal nurseries, wildlife rescue, and community group activities.

Pearson’s Farm serves two distinct groups of visitors:

Members of the general public, including families, schools, corporate groups, and community members who book directly through our website or by contacting us.
NDIS participants and their families or support networks, who attend group programs facilitated through Pearson Allied Health Services (PAHS) under the PAHS NDIS registration. Personal information collected in relation to NDIS participants in this context is handled by PAHS under its own Privacy Policy, in accordance with the NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice Standards. Pearson’s Farm and PAHS are separate legal entities.

This policy governs the collection, use, storage and disclosure of personal information by Pearson’s Farm in relation to all visitors and customers, including those participating in NDIS-facilitated activities held on our premises.

Our Commitments

Pearson’s Farm will ensure that:

It meets its legal and ethical obligations in relation to protecting the privacy of all individuals who interact with our business.
Individuals are informed about what personal information is collected, why it is collected, and how it is used.
Personal information is collected only for legitimate purposes directly related to the delivery of our services and experiences.
All staff understand their obligations in relation to privacy and handle personal information appropriately.
It adheres to all requirements imposed under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), including the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017 and the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024.
Personal information collected under the Pearson’s Farm ABN is not shared with Pearson Allied Health Services or any other related entity without the individual’s consent, except where required by law.
The privacy and dignity of NDIS participants attending programs on our premises is respected at all times, consistent with the NDIS Code of Conduct obligations held by PAHS staff delivering those programs.

Legislative and Policy Framework

This policy conforms to the following legislation:

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017.
Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (Cth).
Relevant State and Territory privacy legislation as applicable.
NDIS Code of Conduct, to the extent it applies to PAHS staff facilitating NDIS group programs on our premises.

Note: The Privacy Act applies to organisations with an annual turnover over $3 million, or organisations that are health service providers, or that handle health information. Even where the Act does not technically apply, Pearson’s Farm is committed to handling personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles as a matter of best practice and to maintain the trust of all customers and visitors.

This policy applies to all records, whether hard copy or electronic, containing personal information about individuals who interact with Pearson’s Farm, including information collected through the Pearson’s Farm website (www.pearsonsfarm.com.au) and its online booking system.

What Personal Information We Collect

General public and group bookings

When a member of the general public, school, corporate group, or community organisation makes a booking or enquiry through our website or by contacting us directly, we may collect the following personal information:

Full name of the booking contact.
Email address.
Phone number.
Organisation or school name (where applicable).
Number of attendees and approximate age ranges (for planning purposes).
Any specific accessibility or dietary requirements disclosed voluntarily by the individual.

Accessibility and dietary information may constitute sensitive information (including health information) under the Privacy Act. Pearson’s Farm only collects this information with the individual’s consent, and uses it solely to plan a safe and appropriate visit.

NDIS participant groups

Where NDIS participants attend programs held at Pearson’s Farm, those programs are facilitated by Pearson Allied Health Services (PAHS) under the PAHS NDIS registration and ABN. In this context:

Booking and participant information for NDIS groups is collected and managed by PAHS under the PAHS Privacy Policy, not by Pearson’s Farm.
Pearson’s Farm may receive limited information from PAHS (such as group size, date, and any site-specific safety or access requirements) solely for the purpose of preparing and facilitating the visit.
Any information shared by PAHS with Pearson’s Farm for this purpose will be handled in accordance with this policy and will not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to third parties.
NDIS participants and their families wishing to book directly with Pearson’s Farm as members of the general public (outside of PAHS-facilitated groups) are subject to the same privacy provisions as all other general public visitors.

Website and online interactions

When individuals visit the Pearson’s Farm website (www.pearsonsfarm.com.au), we may also collect the following information automatically:

IP address and general location data.
Browser type and device information.
Pages visited and time spent on the website.
Referral source (how you found our website).

This information is collected through cookies and website analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) and is used to improve the performance and user experience of our website. Where this information constitutes personal information under the Privacy Act, it is subject to the same protections as other personal information we collect.

How We Use Personal Information

Personal information collected by Pearson’s Farm is used only for the purposes for which it was collected, or for closely related purposes that individuals would reasonably expect. These purposes include:

Processing and confirming bookings for farm experiences, tours, farmstays, parties, and programs.
Communicating with customers regarding their booking, including confirmation, reminders, and any changes to scheduled activities.
Planning and preparing for visits, including ensuring appropriate staffing, animal welfare, and accessibility arrangements are in place.
Responding to enquiries and feedback.
Sending information about upcoming events or programs, where the individual has consented to receive such communications.
Improving the quality and safety of our experiences and services.
Meeting our legal obligations, including in relation to incident reporting, insurance, and regulatory compliance.

Pearson’s Farm will not use personal information for direct marketing purposes without the individual’s explicit consent. Where consent is given, individuals may withdraw it at any time by contacting us at farm@pearsonsfarm.com.au.

Online Booking and Website Data Collection

Booking form and collection notice

Pearson’s Farm collects personal information through its website booking system at www.pearsonsfarm.com.au. In accordance with Australian Privacy Principle 5 (APP 5), a Privacy Collection Notice is displayed on the booking form at the point of data collection. This notice clearly states what information is being collected, why, how it will be used, and how individuals can access or correct their information.

The booking form includes an active consent checkbox (not pre-ticked) requiring the individual to confirm they have read and agree to this Privacy Policy and the Privacy Collection Notice before submitting their booking.

Where a booking or enquiry is made by phone or in person rather than through the website, staff will verbally advise the individual of the same information covered in the Privacy Collection Notice (what is collected, why, and how to access or correct it), and can refer them to this policy at www.pearsonsfarm.com.au.

Storage and security of online booking data

Booking data collected through the Pearson’s Farm website is stored securely on the website server, with access restricted to authorised Pearson’s Farm staff only.
The Pearson’s Farm website uses HTTPS (secure, encrypted connections) to protect personal information submitted through online forms during transmission.
Online booking records are retained for a minimum of 7 years and then securely deleted or de-identified, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
Pearson’s Farm does not sell, rent, or trade website visitor information or booking data to any third party.
Booking data collected through this website is held under the Pearson’s Farm ABN and is not transferred to Pearson Allied Health Services without the individual’s explicit consent.

Cookies and website tracking

The Pearson’s Farm website uses cookies and similar technologies (including Google Analytics) to support website functionality and to understand how visitors interact with our site. In accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and OAIC guidance:

Visitors to the website will be informed of cookie use through a notice displayed on their first visit.
Where cookies or analytics tools collect personal information, this is subject to the same privacy protections as other personal information collected by Pearson’s Farm.
Google Analytics data is anonymised where possible and is used only to improve website performance. For more information on how Google handles this data, visit www.google.com/policies/privacy.
Individuals may adjust their browser settings to refuse cookies; however, this may affect the functionality of the booking system.

Authorised representatives

Where a parent, guardian, teacher, support coordinator, or other authorised representative makes a booking on behalf of another individual (including a child or NDIS participant), Pearson’s Farm will treat this as consent given on behalf of that individual. Staff should verify the representative’s authority where there is any uncertainty.

Children

Many of our experiences are designed for children and families. Pearson’s Farm does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children. Bookings involving children must be made by a parent or guardian, and the information provided relates to the booking contact, not to the child personally. Where any identifying information about a child is provided, it will be treated with the same protections as all other personal information.

Disclosure of Personal Information

General disclosure principles

Pearson’s Farm will not disclose personal information to third parties without the individual’s consent, except in the following circumstances:

Where disclosure is required or authorised by law.
Where disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of an individual or to public health or safety.
Where sharing the information directly relates to the primary purpose for which it was collected and the individual would reasonably expect the disclosure (for example, sharing relevant access requirements with on-site staff to facilitate a safe visit).
Where the individual has given explicit consent.

Third-party service providers

Pearson’s Farm may share limited personal information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business, such as website hosting providers, booking software providers, and email communication platforms. Where this occurs:

Third-party providers are required to handle personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
Personal information is shared only to the extent necessary for the provider to perform their function.
Pearson’s Farm takes reasonable steps to ensure that third-party providers do not use personal information for their own purposes.

Overseas disclosure

Some of our third-party service providers (such as website hosting or analytics platforms) may store or process data on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, Pearson’s Farm takes reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is handled in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. By using

our website and booking system, individuals acknowledge that their information may be processed in countries outside Australia.

Relationship with Pearson Allied Health Services

Pearson’s Farm and Pearson Allied Health Services (PAHS) are separate legal entities operating under different ABNs. Personal information collected by Pearson’s Farm through its website or booking system is not shared with PAHS without the individual’s explicit consent, except where PAHS staff facilitating an NDIS group program on our premises require site-specific operational information (such as group size or access arrangements) to safely deliver that program.

Security of Personal Information

Pearson’s Farm takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. Security measures include:

Paper records stored securely with access restricted to authorised staff only.
Electronic records protected by password-protected systems with access on a need-to-know basis.
HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted through the website and booking forms.
Regular review of data storage and security systems.
Secure deletion or de-identification of personal information that is no longer required.
As a general rule, all personal information (not only online booking records) is retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last contact or service, or longer where required by law, prior to secure destruction or de-identification.

Data Breach Response

Pearson’s Farm has procedures in place to identify, assess and respond to data breaches. In the event of an actual or suspected breach of personal information:

The breach will be reported immediately to the Managing Director.
An assessment will be conducted to determine whether it constitutes an eligible data breach under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Where an eligible data breach is identified, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) will be notified as soon as practicable and within the timeframes required by law.
Steps will be taken to contain the breach and prevent recurrence.
All breaches and responses will be documented and reviewed.

Access to and Correction of Personal Information

Individuals have the right to request access to personal information that Pearson’s Farm holds about them, and to request corrections where that information is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.

To make an access or correction request, please contact us at:

Email: farm@pearsonsfarm.com.au
Phone: 8322 2792

We will respond to requests within a reasonable timeframe and at no charge. In some circumstances we may be unable to provide access (for example, where doing so would unreasonably affect the privacy of another individual), and we will explain the reason if this is the case.

Accuracy of Information

Pearson’s Farm will take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy and completeness of personal information collected, used or disclosed. Wherever possible and reasonable, steps will be taken to ensure information is current and to correct incomplete, inaccurate or outdated personal information.

Anonymity and Pseudonymity

Wherever it is lawful and practical, and doing so does not compromise the safe delivery of our experiences, Pearson’s Farm provides individuals with the option of not identifying themselves, or of using a pseudonym, when making a general enquiry or interacting with us (for example, browsing the website or asking a general question about our programs). This option may not be available where identification is required to complete a booking or to meet a legal or safety obligation.

Images, Photographs and Video

Pearson’s Farm will not use or publish images, photographs or video footage of visitors, guests or participants (including at farm tours, farmstays, birthday parties, school programs, or corporate events) for marketing, social media, or promotional purposes without the prior consent of the individual or, where the individual is a child, their parent or guardian. Where consent is not given, or is withdrawn, reasonable steps will be taken to avoid using or to remove the relevant image, photograph or footage.

Privacy Complaints

Any person who believes that Pearson’s Farm has mishandled their personal information may make a privacy complaint. The process is as follows:

Complaints should be directed in the first instance to the Privacy Contact Officer (Client Services Manager) by emailing farm@pearsonsfarm.com.au or writing to us at our Clarendon or Myponga address.
The Privacy Contact Officer will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.
If a complaint cannot be resolved by the Privacy Contact Officer, or you remain unsatisfied, the matter will be escalated to the Managing Director for review.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

Responsibilities

The Managing Director of Pearson’s Farm is responsible for:

Overseeing compliance with this privacy policy.
Ensuring all staff are trained in their privacy obligations and understand how to handle personal information appropriately.
Acting as the final point of escalation for privacy complaints and enquiries that cannot be resolved by the Privacy Contact Officer.
Ensuring the website and online booking system are maintained to meet the privacy and security standards outlined in this policy.
Periodically reviewing this policy to ensure it remains current and compliant with applicable legislation.
Ensuring that any information sharing arrangements with PAHS or other third parties are documented and comply with privacy laws.

All Pearson’s Farm staff are responsible for handling personal information they access in the course of their work in accordance with this policy.

Privacy Contact Officer

The Client Services Manager acts as the Pearson’s Farm Privacy Contact Officer, and is the first point of contact for day-to-day privacy queries and complaints. The Privacy Contact Officer is responsible for:

Ensuring staff are familiar with this Privacy Policy and understand how to handle personal information appropriately.
Receiving and handling day-to-day privacy queries and complaints, escalating to the Managing Director where a matter cannot be resolved, is contested, or involves a suspected data breach.
Supporting the Managing Director in maintaining the website and online booking system to meet the privacy and security standards outlined in this policy.

Currency of This Policy

This policy is reviewed annually, or sooner in the event of changes to relevant legislation, updates to the website or booking system, or following a privacy incident. The current version of this policy is available at www.pearsonsfarm.com.au. If you have questions about this policy, please contact us at farm@pearsonsfarm.com.au