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How to approach consent

To provide a service, an agency may need some personal information. The consent process establishes expectations about what a person is agreeing to. This tool summarises good practice and legal obligations.

Understand the core purpose

Understanding the main features of the consent process and form is a key foundation for respectful, trusted and transparent use of people’s data. This tool explains:

  • the core purposes of the consent process
  • that consent is for the service that peoples information is a part of
  • how to explain what information you need and why (the Privacy Act 2020 requires being informed rather than giving consent)
  • how to help people understand their rights and how to use them
  • how to check that people understand what’s happening with their information
  • how to enable them to ask more questions in the future.

Understanding good practice and legal obligations at point of collection are central to good privacy.

Design a consent form and process

This tool supports a richer understanding of consent. Its a consent form template with guidance, based on advice in the Data Protection and Use Policy (DPUP), on the purpose of each part of the form and recommended steps to follow.

The form:

  • contains elements agencies should consider when designing a consent form and a process
  • contains information for the teams designing the consent process and form, including what considerations might be useful when adapting this form to fit their context and need
  • describes what actually happens within the consent process.

Utility links and page information

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