Fostering the Connection LLC (“Fostering the Connection,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to handling your personal information responsibly.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we may collect when you visit fosteringtheconnection.com, complete a form, subscribe to our newsletter, register for an event or training, purchase a product or service, or otherwise communicate with us. It also explains how we use, share, and protect that information.

By using our website, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We May Collect

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including:

• Your name

• Email address

• Telephone number

• Organization or employer

• Job title or professional role

• Mailing or billing address

• Event or speaking-request details

• Training or consulting interests

• Newsletter preferences

• Messages, questions, or other information submitted through our forms

• Registration or purchase information

• Payment-related information processed through a third-party payment provider
   

Please do not submit confidential case information, protected health information, or personally identifying information about a child, family, client, or foster-care case through our website forms.

2. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by Wix and other service providers, including:

• Internet Protocol address

• Browser type

• Device type

• Operating system

• Approximate geographic location

• Pages visited

• Date and time of your visit

• Referring website or source

• Links or buttons selected

• General website-use and performance information
   

This information helps us maintain, secure, and improve our website and understand how visitors use it.

3. How We Use Information

We may use collected information to:

• Respond to questions and inquiries

• Review speaking, training, consulting, or partnership requests

• Communicate about services, scheduling, pricing, and availability

• Process event registrations, purchases, or payments

• Deliver digital products, resources, or requested materials

• Send newsletters and organizational updates

• Announce new resources, podcast episodes, events, trainings, or services

• Maintain customer and contact records

• Improve our website, resources, communications, and services

• Measure website traffic and engagement

• Prevent fraud, misuse, or security threats

• Comply with legal, accounting, tax, or regulatory obligations

• Enforce our agreements, policies, and terms
   

We will not use information submitted through a speaker-request or contact form to place you on our marketing email list unless you separately consent to receive those communications.

4. Email Communications

When you subscribe to our newsletter, you may receive emails about:

• Educational resources

• Foster-care and trauma-informed content

• Trainings and workshops

• Speaking engagements

• Podcast announcements

• Symposium updates

• New products or services

• Other Fostering the Connection news
   

You may unsubscribe at any time by selecting the unsubscribe link included in an email or by contacting us directly.
Unsubscribing from marketing messages will not prevent us from sending necessary transactional communications related to an inquiry, purchase, registration, contract, or service you requested.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies, pixels, analytics tools, and similar technologies.
Cookies are small files placed on a device to support website functionality and remember certain information. They may be used to:

• Operate essential website features

• Maintain security

• Remember visitor preferences

• Measure website performance

• Understand visitor activity

• Support embedded content

• Improve marketing and communications
   

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function. Others may be used for analytics, functionality, or marketing.
Where required, visitors may be given the opportunity to accept, decline, or manage nonessential cookies through our cookie banner. Browser settings may also allow visitors to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect some website features.

6. Analytics

We may use Wix Analytics, Google Analytics, or similar tools to understand website traffic and visitor behavior.
These services may collect information such as pages viewed, time spent on the website, general location, device information, and referral source. We use this information in an aggregated manner to improve our website and communications.

7. How We May Share Information

We do not sell your personal information.
We may share information with trusted service providers that assist us in operating our business, such as:

• Wix, which hosts and supports our website

• Email-marketing platforms

• Payment processors

• Accounting or bookkeeping providers

• Customer-management systems

• Event-registration platforms

• Scheduling tools

• Analytics providers

• Cloud-storage providers

• Contractors or professional advisers

• Legal, tax, or insurance professionals
   

These providers may access information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for us and are subject to their own terms and privacy practices.

We may also disclose information:

• When required by law, court order, subpoena, or legal process

• To protect our rights, property, safety, or security

• To investigate suspected fraud or misuse

• In connection with a merger, sale, restructuring, or transfer of business assets

• With your consent or at your direction
   

8. Payments and Purchases

When you purchase a product, register for a paid event, or pay for a service, payment information may be collected and processed by a third-party payment provider.
Fostering the Connection generally does not directly receive or store your complete credit-card number. Payment providers process information according to their own privacy policies and security practices.

9. Third-Party Links and Embedded Content

Our website may contain links to outside websites, articles, organizations, social-media platforms, videos, podcasts, payment services, or other third-party content.
We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, security, or policies of third-party websites. We encourage visitors to review the privacy policy of any outside service they use.

10. Social Media

When you interact with Fostering the Connection through Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, or another social-media platform, that platform may collect and process information under its own policies.
Information you post publicly or send through a social-media platform may be visible to the platform and, depending on your settings, other users.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Respond to inquiries

• Provide requested services

• Maintain business and customer records

• Fulfill contractual obligations

• Satisfy tax, legal, insurance, or accounting requirements

• Resolve disputes

• Protect against fraud or misuse
   

Retention periods may vary based on the nature of the information and the purpose for which it was collected.

12. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, disclosure, or alteration.

However, no website, email transmission, database, or online storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Visitors provide information electronically at their own risk.

13. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are intended primarily for adults, professionals, caregivers, organizations, and community members. They are not directed toward children under the age of 13.

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through this website. If we learn that such information has been submitted without appropriate parental or legal consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
Parents or guardians who believe a child has submitted personal information may contact us using the information below.

14. Sensitive Foster-Care and Family Information

Because our work relates to foster care, trauma, adoption, and family support, visitors may be tempted to share sensitive personal stories or case details.

Please do not submit through our website:

• A child’s full name

• A child’s photograph without appropriate authorization

• Foster-care case numbers

• Medical or mental-health information

• Court records

• Placement addresses

• School information identifying a child

• Confidential agency information

• Details protected by a court order, contract, or professional duty
   

Submitting an inquiry does not create a confidential professional, therapeutic, legal, social-work, or fiduciary relationship.

15. Your Privacy Choices

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to request that we:

• Confirm whether we hold personal information about you

• Provide access to certain information

• Correct inaccurate information

• Delete certain information

• Stop sending marketing communications

• Explain how information has been used or shared
   

To make a request, contact us using the information below. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
Certain information may be retained when required for legal, contractual, tax, fraud-prevention, or recordkeeping purposes.

16. Visitors Outside the United States

Fostering the Connection is based in North Carolina, United States.
If you access the website from another country, your information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in the United States or other locations where our service providers operate. Privacy laws in those locations may differ from those in your country.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our website, services, technology, business practices, or legal obligations.
The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Your continued use of the website after an update indicates acknowledgment of the revised policy.

18. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or privacy-related requests, contact:

Fostering the Connection LLC
camille@fosteringtheconnection.com
fosteringtheconnection.com