Personal information deserves careful, respectful handling.

This policy explains how The Death Guide collects, uses, stores and protects personal and health information.

It applies to enquiries, counselling and personal support, practical services, workshops, telephone and video appointments, in-person work and communication through this website or social media.

Read the policy Ask a privacy question

Information collected

Only what is reasonably needed for the purpose.

The information needed will depend on why you make contact. It may include:

Your name, contact details, location and preferred way to communicate.
The reason for your enquiry and information needed to decide whether and how The Death Guide can help.
Appointment, service, payment and administrative information.
Personal, family, health, grief and safety information shared during counselling or support.
Information about a child, young person, parent, guardian, carer or other person involved in the work.
An emergency contact, treating practitioner or other service contact where this is relevant and agreed.
Basic technical information handled by website, email, video, payment, security or hosting providers.

A first enquiry can be brief. You do not need to send a full personal history by email or social media. Share enough to make contact, and a more suitable private conversation can be arranged if needed.

Use, disclosure and confidentiality

Information is used for the reason it was provided.

Personal information may be used to respond to an enquiry, assess whether a service is suitable, provide agreed support, manage appointments and accounts, meet safety responsibilities, communicate with consent, respond to a complaint or legal matter, and operate the service responsibly.

Counselling and personal support conversations are confidential. Information is not shared with family members, Macquarie Valley Funerals, doctors, palliative-care services, schools, funeral directors or other organisations merely because they are involved in the wider situation.

Information may be disclosed where you have given permission, where it is reasonably necessary to provide an agreed service, where disclosure is authorised or required by law, or where action is needed in response to a serious safety concern involving you, another person or a child. Wherever practicable and safe, Damien will discuss the concern and intended action with you first.

The Death Guide does not sell personal information or use counselling information for marketing.

Records and security

Counselling records are kept separately.

Counselling and personal support records are kept separately from general enquiries, marketing contacts and Macquarie Valley Funerals records.

Reasonable safeguards are used to protect information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. No system can remove every risk, particularly when ordinary email, text messages, voicemail, video platforms or public internet connections are used.

Sessions are not audio-recorded or video-recorded by default. Any exceptional proposal to record would require a clear reason and agreement beforehand.

Children and young people

Privacy is explained in a way each person can understand.

When work involves a child or young person, Damien will clarify who is requesting the service, who can consent, what the child or young person understands and agrees to, who will participate, and what information may be shared with a parent or guardian.

A child or young person’s privacy is respected according to their age, maturity, circumstances and the law. Absolute secrecy cannot be promised where there is a serious concern about safety, abuse, neglect or another legal obligation.

Where appropriate, the child or young person will be involved in decisions about their information rather than conversations occurring only around them.

Telephone and video

Remote support includes a practical privacy and safety plan.

At the beginning of remote work, Damien may confirm identity, current location, a callback number and an emergency contact where relevant. This helps if the connection fails or an urgent safety concern arises.

You are encouraged to choose a private place and use a device and connection you trust. Damien cannot control whether another person is within hearing distance at your location or whether a public, workplace, café or shared network is private.

If technology is unreliable or privacy cannot be maintained, the appointment may move to telephone, be paused or be rearranged.

Website, email and social media

Public channels are not suitable for sensitive information.

The website’s hosting and security providers may process basic technical information needed to deliver and protect the site. Email, telephone, video, payment and practice-management providers handle information through their own systems when those services are used.

Links to Instagram, Facebook and other external websites take you to services with their own privacy practices. Public comments and posts can be seen, copied or shared by other people. Please use telephone or email to begin a private enquiry and avoid posting sensitive information publicly.

Reasonable steps are taken when selecting and using service providers and when information may be processed outside New South Wales or Australia, in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.

Questions, concerns and data breaches

Raise a concern directly so it can be examined properly.

If you have a question, believe information has been mishandled or wish to make a privacy complaint, contact Damien Hudson using the details below. The concern will be acknowledged, examined and responded to as reasonably practicable.

Suspected data breaches are assessed and contained. Affected people and the relevant regulator will be notified where required under applicable law.

Contact The Death Guide:
0478 707 314
help@thedeathguide.com.au

If urgent help is needed

The Death Guide is not an emergency or 24-hour crisis service.

If life is in danger, someone may act on thoughts of suicide or urgent medical assistance is needed, call Triple Zero (000).

Emergency assistance: Triple Zero (000) Lifeline crisis support: 13 11 14 Lifeline text support: 0477 13 11 14 Lifeline online chat ↗