Privacy Policy

• Name, contact details (phone number, WhatsApp number, email)
• Profile photo
• Bio, years of experience, specialisations, skills, languages, and availability
• Rates and areas served
• South African ID number
• Qualification documents
• Proof of address
• SAPS (police) clearance certificate
• Driver's licence status
• Reference details (name, relationship, phone number) for people you provide as references
• Banking or payment information processed through our payment provider (we do not store your full banking details — see Section 5)
• Video introduction (Background Checked tier only)

• Name, email address, WhatsApp number
• Suburb and city
• Payment information processed through our payment provider
• Details you submit through "Request a Carer" or review forms, including the type of care needed and any notes you choose to share

• Create and display Carer profiles on the Platform
• Allow Families to search, filter, and contact Carers
• Verify Carer identity, qualifications, and background as part of our tiered verification system (Basic, Verified, Background Checked)
• Process payments for subscriptions and once-off purchases
• Send WhatsApp and email notifications related to your account, payments, profile status, and platform activity
• Respond to enquiries and support requests
• Investigate and confirm references provided by Carers
• Maintain the security and integrity of the Platform
• Comply with our legal obligations

We do not use your personal information for any purpose unrelated to operating the Platform without asking for your separate consent first.

Police clearance is required as a baseline for all Carer profiles to go live on the Platform, regardless of tier — it is not an optional paid upgrade.

Background checks are conducted manually by CarerDirect or processed through a reputable third-party verification partner (currently MIE — Managed Integrity Evaluation). We share only the minimum information necessary with our verification partner to complete the check.

• Between Carers and Families:A Carer's profile, including their professional details and (once unlocked through payment) contact information, is shared with Families who unlock that profile. A Family's contact details are shared with a Carer only where reasonably necessary to facilitate that connection.
• With service providers who help us operate the Platform, including: Supabase (database and file storage hosting), Vercel (website hosting), PayFast (payment processing), Meta (WhatsApp Business Platform, for notifications), Resend (email delivery), and MIE — Managed Integrity Evaluation (background check verification).
• Where required by law, including in response to a valid request from a regulator, court, or law enforcement body.
• In connection with a business transfer, such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case we will notify affected users.

We require all third-party service providers to handle personal information securely and only for the purposes we direct.

• We only send WhatsApp messages to numbers that have opted in to receive them.
• You can opt out of WhatsApp notifications at any time by contacting us at hello@carerdirect.co.za. Note that some account-critical messages (such as payment confirmations) may still be sent via email if WhatsApp delivery is unavailable or declined.
• If a WhatsApp message fails to deliver, we will attempt to notify you by email instead.

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or outdated personal information
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
• Object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances
• Withdraw consent for processing that is based on consent, at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your information has been mishandled

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@carerdirect.co.za. We will respond within a reasonable time and in any event within the timeframes required by POPIA.

• We will process deletion requests within 30 days.
• Some information may be retained beyond this period where we are legally required to do so (for example, financial records required for tax or accounting purposes), or where retention is necessary to resolve an ongoing dispute.
• Deleting your account will remove your profile from public view. Previously completed transactions, payment records, and verification logs may be retained in anonymised or minimal form as required by law.

• Encrypting sensitive identity information at rest
• Restricting access to verification documents through private, time-limited links
• Limiting administrative access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Using reputable, security-conscious infrastructure providers

No method of storage or transmission is completely secure. While we work hard to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.