Privacy policy

Effective date: September 25, 2026 · Last updated: September 25, 2026

Caring Hands S.A., operating under the trade name Pacific Childcare (“Pacific Childcare,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), domiciled in Costa Rica, is the party responsible for processing the personal data you provide when you contact us, book a service, or use our website. This Privacy Policy describes what personal data we collect, for what purpose, under what principles we process it, and how you may exercise your rights as the data subject.

1. Party responsible for processing

• Legal name Caring Hands S.A.
• Trade name Pacific Childcare
• Domicile Guanacaste, Costa Rica
• Contact for data protection matters +506 8484 2324 (phone, SMS and WhatsApp)
• Email operations@pacific-childcare.com
• Website pacific-childcare.com

2. Principles governing the processing of your data

In accordance with Law No. 8968 and its Regulation, we process your personal data under the following principles:

• Informational self-determination: you retain the right to control the use of your personal information at all times.
• Informed consent: we request your prior, express, precise, and unambiguous authorization before collecting and processing your data, clearly indicating the purpose of such collection.
• Data quality and accuracy: we make reasonable efforts to keep the data we process accurate and up to date.
• Currency principle: we delete or anonymize data that is no longer relevant or necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.
• Confidentiality and security: we protect your data through reasonable technical, physical, and administrative measures.
• Purpose limitation: we do not use your data for purposes other than those disclosed in this Policy, unless you expressly authorize otherwise.

3. Data we collect

Data you provide directly

• Contact details: name, email address, phone number (including WhatsApp), and the hotel, villa, or residence where the service will take place.
• Reservation details: dates, times, service type, and location.
• Your child or children’s information: name, age or date of birth, allergies, health conditions, dietary restrictions, and any care instructions you choose to share so we can properly assign and brief a caregiver.
• Payment information, processed through our booking platform or payment provider (we do not store full card numbers on our own systems).
• Any other information you voluntarily share with us in messages, forms, or during a consultation.

Data collected automatically

• Basic website usage data (pages visited, general location) through standard web analytics tools.
• Communication metadata when you contact us via WhatsApp or email (for example, the date and time of the message).

4. Sensitive data: minors’ health information

Information about your children’s allergies, medical conditions, or health constitutes sensitive data under Law No. 8968, and therefore receives an enhanced level of protection. We collect this data only when you, as parent or legal guardian, voluntarily provide it with your express consent at the time of booking a service, and solely for the purpose of ensuring safe, personalized care for your child. This information is shared exclusively with the caregiver assigned to your family, to the extent strictly necessary, and is never used for advertising purposes or shared with third parties unrelated to the provision of the service. We do not collect personal data directly from children, minors, or adolescents; all such information is provided by their legal representative.

5. Purpose of processing

• Processing and confirming reservations, and assigning a suitable caregiver to your family.
• Ensuring the safety and well-being of the children in our care.
• Communicating with you regarding your reservation and providing customer support.
• Processing payments and maintaining accounting records required under Costa Rican law.
• Improving our services and our website.
• Complying with applicable legal, safety, and regulatory obligations in Costa Rica.

We will not use your personal data for a purpose other than those described here without first requesting your consent.

6. Consent

By providing us with your personal data and that of your children through our reservation form, WhatsApp, email, or any other channel, you grant your informed, prior, express, and unambiguous consent to the processing of such data in accordance with this Policy. You may withdraw this consent at any time, without retroactive effect, by contacting us through the means indicated in Section 11; withdrawal may mean we are unable to continue providing the requested service.

7. Disclosure and transfer of data to third parties

We do not sell or commercialize your personal data. In accordance with Article 14 of Law No. 8968, we do not transfer your data to third parties without your express authorization, except in the following cases:

• To the caregiver assigned to your family, limited to the information necessary to safely provide the service.
• To providers who support our operations (for example, payment processing or communication tools), under contractual confidentiality obligations.
• To the hotel, resort, or residence where the service is provided, limited to the logistical details necessary to coordinate access (guest name, room, and time).
• When required by law, to protect the safety of a child in our care, or in response to a request from a competent authority.

Should your data need to be transferred outside of Costa Rica (for example, to a foreign-based payment or communications provider), we will ensure that such transfer complies with Article 14 of Law No. 8968 and its Regulation.

8. Data retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, to meet our legal, tax, and contractual obligations, and in keeping with the currency principle set out in Law No. 8968. Sensitive health data regarding your children is deleted or anonymized once it is no longer needed for current or upcoming reservations.

9. Data security

We implement reasonable technical, physical, and administrative security measures to protect your personal data against loss, unauthorized access, alteration, or improper disclosure. Access to sensitive data, such as a child’s health information, is restricted solely to personnel and the caregiver directly involved in providing the relevant service.

10. Data subject rights (ARCO rights)

In accordance with Articles 6 through 9 of Law No. 8968, you have the right to:

• Access (Acceso): know what personal data of yours or your children we process, for what purpose, and for how long.
• Rectification (Rectificación): request correction of inaccurate, outdated, or incomplete data.
• Cancellation (Cancelación): request deletion of your data when it is no longer necessary for the stated purpose, or when you withdraw your consent.
• Objection (Oposición): object to the processing of your data for a specific purpose.

To exercise any of these rights, you may write to us through the means indicated in Section 11, fully identifying yourself and clearly describing your request. We will respond within the five (5) business day period established under Article 7 of Law No. 8968, counted from full receipt of your request.

11. Contact and exercise of rights

• Data controller Caring Hands S.A. (Pacific Childcare)
• WhatsApp +506 8484 2324
• Email operations@pacific-childcare.com
• Website pacific-childcare.com

If you believe your rights have been violated and have not received a satisfactory response from us, you may contact the Agencia de Protección de Datos de los Habitantes (PRODHAB), the Costa Rican data protection agency attached to the Ministry of Justice and Peace, which is the competent authority on personal data protection matters in Costa Rica.

12. Cookies and web analytics

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to understand how visitors use the site and to improve its functionality. You can manage cookies through your browser settings; disabling them may affect certain site features.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or to comply with legal or regulatory changes. We will publish the updated version on our website with a revised “Last updated” date.