Privacy Policy
Effective date: 01 July 2026
1. About this Policy
DREAM KIDS AUSTRALIA respects the privacy of children, families, members, nominators, directory participants and website visitors.
This Privacy Policy explains how DREAM KIDS AUSTRALIA, referred to as “Dream Kids”, “we”, “us” or “our”, collects, holds, uses, protects and discloses personal information.
This policy is informed by applicable Australian privacy requirements, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, to the extent that they apply to our activities.
Because Dream Kids works with children and young people, we apply a privacy-first approach and treat children’s information with particular care.
Our additional commitments concerning the public identity, imagery and personal stories of participating children are explained in our separate Child Identity Protection Commitment.
2. Contact Details
Questions, requests or complaints concerning privacy may be directed to:
DREAM KIDS AUSTRALIA
Email: queensland@dreamkids.au
Website: www.dreamkids.au
3. Who This Policy Applies To
This policy applies to personal information relating to:
children nominated for Dream Kids programs;
Dream Kids Finalists, Winners, Ambassadors and Alumni;
parents, legal guardians and family members;
people who nominate children;
Dream Kids members;
businesses and individuals included in or applying to join the Dream Kids Directory;
website visitors and people who contact us;
volunteers, contractors, professional advisers, sponsors and program partners.
4. Personal Information We May Collect
The personal information we collect depends on how a person interacts with Dream Kids.
4.1 Nominators
We may collect:
full name;
relationship or connection to the nominated child;
email address;
telephone number;
state or territory;
information provided in nomination responses;
communications exchanged with Dream Kids.
4.2 Nominated Children
We may collect:
name;
age;
state or territory;
postcode;
dream career, aspiration or area of interest;
information explaining the child’s interests, qualities, goals and potential;
information about opportunities or support that may help the child;
additional information provided by a parent, guardian or nominator;
information collected later if the nomination progresses.
We do not request a child’s personal telephone number, personal email address, identity documents, exact home address, medical records or detailed trauma history through the initial nomination form.
4.3 Parents and Legal Guardians
We may collect:
name;
relationship to the child;
email address;
telephone number;
consent records;
communications with Dream Kids;
information required to verify or progress a nomination;
information required to administer a child’s participation in the program.
4.4 Members
We may collect:
name;
email address;
membership and account information;
membership commencement and cancellation dates;
payment and subscription status;
transaction amount and date;
communications, enquiries and support requests;
directory access and website account information.
Membership payments are processed by Stripe. Dream Kids does not ordinarily receive or store complete payment-card numbers. Stripe may collect payment-method details, contact information, transaction information, payment status and subscription information in accordance with Stripe’s own privacy practices.
4.5 Directory Participants
Where a person or business submits or maintains a directory listing, we may collect:
business or trading name;
contact-person name;
business email address and telephone number;
website and social-media details;
business location and service areas;
business category, services and listing description;
photographs, logos and other listing material;
communications relating to the directory.
Some directory information is intended to be published and made available to website visitors or members. We will distinguish between information supplied for publication and private administrative contact information.
4.6 Website Visitors
Squarespace and its associated systems may automatically collect technical and usage information, including:
internet protocol address;
browser and device type;
operating system;
pages visited;
time and date of visits;
referring website or source;
approximate location derived from an internet protocol address;
cookie and website-interaction information.
4.7 Enquiries and Complaints
When someone contacts Dream Kids, we may collect their name, contact details, the content of their enquiry or complaint, and any information reasonably required to respond.
5. Sensitive Information
Sensitive information can include health information, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, criminal records and certain other protected categories of information.
Dream Kids does not actively request sensitive information through its initial nomination form.
Nominators should not provide medical diagnoses, identity documents, detailed trauma histories, allegations of abuse, detailed financial hardship information or other sensitive information unless Dream Kids has specifically requested it and explained why it is necessary.
If we receive sensitive information that we did not request, we will consider whether it is reasonably necessary for our activities. Where it is not necessary or appropriate to retain it, we may delete, securely destroy or de-identify it.
6. How We Collect Information
We may collect information:
directly through our website forms;
through child nominations;
through membership registration and account creation;
through Stripe when membership payments are processed;
through directory applications and listing updates;
through email, telephone or other direct communications;
through Squarespace website analytics and cookies;
from parents, guardians, nominators, community members or program partners;
from publicly available business information where appropriate;
during the assessment, selection and administration of Dream Kids programs.
Because community nominations involve one person providing information about another person, Dream Kids may initially receive information about a child or parent from a nominator. We will seek appropriate parent or guardian involvement and consent before progressing a child’s participation.
7. Why We Collect and Use Personal Information
We may collect, hold and use personal information to:
receive and assess child nominations;
communicate with nominators, parents and legal guardians;
confirm consent and verify nomination information;
determine eligibility for Dream Kids programs;
select and administer Dream Kids Finalists and Winners;
understand a child’s aspirations and possible support needs;
arrange mentoring, experiences, resources, education or career opportunities;
administer memberships and provide member benefits;
provide access to the full Dream Kids Directory;
process and reconcile membership payments;
send Finalist, Winner, membership and program updates;
create and manage directory listings;
respond to enquiries, requests and complaints;
operate, secure and improve our website;
measure website usage and program engagement;
prevent misuse, fraud or unauthorised access;
maintain appropriate financial, legal and administrative records;
comply with applicable laws, court orders or lawful requests.
Membership, donations, directory participation or purchases do not improve a child’s likelihood of becoming a Dream Kids Finalist or Winner.
8. Children’s Privacy and Consent
Personal information is protected under Australian privacy law regardless of a person’s age. Whether a child can provide valid consent depends on whether they have sufficient maturity and understanding of what is proposed. Where a child does not have that capacity, consent should generally be obtained from a parent or legal guardian.
Dream Kids applies the following principles:
we collect only information reasonably required for the nomination or program;
an initial community nomination does not authorise direct contact with the child;
parent or legal guardian consent is required before a child’s nomination progresses into active participation;
the child should also be informed and involved in decisions wherever appropriate;
consent must be informed, specific and understandable;
consent for program participation is separate from consent for publicity;
no consent for publicity is assumed;
a child’s information is not used for targeted advertising;
a child’s full identity, photograph or personal story is not published merely because they were nominated or selected.
Where age and maturity permit, Dream Kids will seek the child’s views and agreement as well as parent or guardian consent.
9. Publicity, Images and Personal Stories
Dream Kids does not treat children’s identities or personal circumstances as marketing assets.
We will not publicly publish a participating child’s full legal name, identifiable image, private family circumstances, health information or trauma history without a separate assessment and appropriate informed consent.
Where public information is shared, we aim to focus on:
aspirations;
skills;
values;
progress toward the child’s dream career.
Consent for images, interviews, stories or promotional material may be withdrawn. Following withdrawal, Dream Kids will cease future use and will take reasonable steps to remove material from platforms under our control. Complete removal from third-party websites, search engines, archives or material previously shared by others may not always be technically possible.
10. Membership and Communications
Dream Kids members may receive:
monthly Finalist and Winner updates;
program and organisational news;
information about membership benefits;
access information for the full Dream Kids Directory;
payment, renewal, account and service communications.
Essential membership communications may be sent where required to operate a membership, including payment confirmations, failed-payment notices, changes to membership terms or important service information.
Marketing or promotional communications will only be sent where permitted. Recipients may unsubscribe using the option provided in the communication or by emailing queensland@dreamkids.au.
Unsubscribing from promotional communications may not prevent essential account, payment or program communications.
11. Cookies and Squarespace Analytics
Our website is hosted through Squarespace and may use cookies and similar technologies for:
essential website functions;
website security;
member account access;
payment and checkout functions;
remembering website settings;
measuring visitor traffic and website performance;
understanding how visitors interact with the website.
Visitors can control certain cookies through our website cookie banner, where available, and through their browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may prevent some website or membership features from operating correctly.
Squarespace provides website owners with tools and sample disclosures for explaining website visitor data, cookies and analytics.
12. When We May Disclose Personal Information
Dream Kids may disclose limited personal information to:
Squarespace, as our website and form-hosting provider;
Stripe, as our payment processor;
Google and Gmail, as our email and communication provider;
authorised staff, volunteers or contractors who require access for their role;
professional advisers, including legal, accounting, insurance or information-technology advisers;
mentors, education providers, experience providers or program partners where required to arrange an approved opportunity;
sponsors or funding partners where appropriate and subject to privacy safeguards;
government agencies, regulators, courts or law-enforcement bodies where required or authorised by law;
another organisation where necessary to prevent a serious threat to health or safety and disclosure is legally permitted.
We seek to disclose only the information reasonably required for the relevant purpose.
Dream Kids does not sell, rent or trade personal information.
Sponsors, businesses, members or donors do not receive access to private nomination information merely because they financially support Dream Kids.
13. Overseas Processing and Storage
Dream Kids uses online providers whose systems may process or store information outside Australia.
These providers include:
Squarespace, whose relevant entities and service infrastructure may operate in the United States, Ireland and other jurisdictions;
Stripe, which states that personal data may be transferred internationally, including to the United States and India;
Google and Gmail, which operate servers and infrastructure in countries around the world.
The precise location in which information is processed may vary according to the provider, service configuration and infrastructure being used.
Where applicable, Dream Kids will take reasonable steps when selecting and using service providers and will limit the information provided to what is reasonably necessary. Australian privacy guidance recognises that organisations may remain responsible for information handled by overseas providers and should consider appropriate safeguards.
14. Storage and Security
Personal information is stored electronically and may be held within:
Squarespace form submissions and member systems;
Dream Kids’ Gmail account;
Stripe’s payment systems;
password-protected electronic records;
other approved cloud or administrative systems used for program delivery.
Nomination submissions may be retained within Squarespace and may also be transmitted to Dream Kids through Gmail for review, communication and program administration.
Dream Kids takes reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information from:
misuse;
interference;
loss;
unauthorised access;
unauthorised modification;
unauthorised disclosure.
These measures may include restricted account access, strong passwords, multi-factor authentication where available, reputable service providers, secure website connections and limiting access to people who reasonably require the information.
No internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Australian privacy guidance requires reasonable security measures and the destruction or de-identification of information once it is no longer reasonably required, subject to legal retention obligations.
15. Retention and Deletion
Dream Kids retains personal information only for as long as it is reasonably required for:
assessing or administering nominations;
supporting participating children;
managing memberships;
maintaining directory listings;
responding to enquiries or complaints;
keeping financial and administrative records;
resolving disputes;
complying with legal, insurance, accounting or reporting obligations.
When personal information is no longer reasonably required, we will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or de-identify it.
Some information may remain temporarily within secure backups or third-party systems until those systems complete their usual deletion processes.
16. Access and Correction
A person may ask Dream Kids to:
confirm whether we hold personal information about them;
provide access to that information;
correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading;
delete information where it is no longer required or where deletion is otherwise appropriate.
Parents or legal guardians may make requests concerning information about a child where they have authority to do so. A sufficiently mature young person may also make a request concerning their own information.
Requests should be sent to:
queensland@dreamkids.au
Please provide enough information for us to identify the relevant records. We may request reasonable identity or authority verification before providing access or making changes.
We will respond within a reasonable period and will generally aim to respond within 30 days. In limited circumstances, access or deletion may be refused or restricted where permitted or required by law, including where providing access would unreasonably affect another person’s privacy. Australian Privacy Principles 12 and 13 address access to and correction of personal information.
17. Privacy Complaints
A person who believes Dream Kids has mishandled personal information should contact:
Privacy Contact
DREAM KIDS AUSTRALIA
Email: queensland@dreamkids.au
The complaint should include:
the person’s name and contact details;
a description of the concern;
relevant dates or communications;
the outcome being requested.
We will acknowledge and assess the complaint and will generally aim to provide a substantive response within 30 days.
Where the Privacy Act applies and a person is not satisfied with our response, they may be entitled to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. The OAIC generally expects a person to first give the organisation a reasonable opportunity—usually 30 days—to resolve the complaint.
18. Data Breaches
If Dream Kids becomes aware of suspected unauthorised access, disclosure, loss or misuse of personal information, we will assess the incident and take reasonable steps to contain and address it.
Where required under applicable law, Dream Kids will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
19. Anonymous and Pseudonymous Contact
People may browse the publicly available parts of the Dream Kids website without identifying themselves.
Anonymous or pseudonymous general enquiries may also be possible. However, Dream Kids may need a person’s identity and contact information where it is not practical to proceed anonymously, including for:
child nominations;
parent or guardian consent;
memberships and payments;
directory applications;
access or correction requests;
formal privacy complaints;
participation in Dream Kids programs.
20. External Websites
The Dream Kids website and directory may link to third-party websites, businesses or services.
Dream Kids is not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of external websites. Visitors should review the privacy policies and terms of those providers before supplying personal information.
21. Changes to This Policy
Dream Kids may update this Privacy Policy where our programs, website, service providers, information-handling practices or legal obligations change.
The current version will be published on our website with its effective or last-updated date.
Material changes affecting how we handle children’s information, membership information or nomination information may also be communicated through the website or by email where appropriate.
22. Our Privacy Commitment
At Dream Kids Australia, we believe in protecting a child’s journey as fiercely as we invest in it.
We seek to collect only what is reasonably necessary, protect information throughout its lifecycle, avoid unnecessary public exposure, and give children and families an informed voice in decisions involving their identities and stories.
END OF POLICY