Phone, photo and internet safety

This policy is an extension of our Safeguarding policy and seeks to keep children safe from exploitation and negative exposure on social media. It is our intention to provide an environment in which children, parents and staff are safe from images being recorded and inappropriately used as well as negative publicity or inappropriate communications between families and staff or unsuitable use of the internet.

The internet provides a number of benefits for staff and our business. However, when someone is identified with the setting or discusses their work, they are expected to behave appropriately when on the internet so that the reputation of the setting is not adversely affected.

All electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities e.g. tablets and smart watches should be kept in bags, owners cars or in our visitor box unless otherwise stated by the management.

  

Phones

  • Only the management team should use their phones in the setting, other staff should keep their phones either out of setting or in the Catton Room

  • Staff may access their own phones in their lunch break in the Catton Room, they should use managers’ numbers as emergency contacts for others

  • Two phones should be taken when off site, e.g. down the woods, to ensure reception can always be had, these should be managers’ phones unless otherwise stated. Staff phones should be left in their cars or locked in the outdoor shed

  • Visitors coming to view the setting are asked to keep their phones in their car or in our visitor boxes in the cupboard

  • All staff needing to make personal calls during work time should make the call in the Catton Room (unless in the instance that it is a manager and they are needed to stay outdoors in ratio, then they can step away to make their call)

  • If an emergency call is received (which would be to a manager’s phone) then they can step away from everyone and talk privately

Walkie talkies - staff use in setting daily. They should be scanned on their channel each morning for interference and channel changed if there is someone else is using it. If anyone else other than preschool is heard on the channel at any time, notify a manager so that the channel can be changed. There should be no safeguarding or confidential information shared over walkie talkies.

 

Photos

  • We ask parents for permission to use the photos/video of their children for the purpose of displays and in learning journeys or for publicity and promotion at induction. A document is signed accordingly and a list is kept for whom permission has been and not been granted for

  • Parents or carers may withdraw or grant permission, at any time

  • Pupils’ names will not be published alongside their image

  • Preschool digital cameras and tablets are locked away in the designated area at the end of the day

  • Any photos stored on a preschool computer must have restricted password access

  • We appreciate that many parents will want to record their children at special events, however, with respect to other family’s privacy we ask them to agree to only publishing pictures or video footage of their own children on social media sites

  • Appropriate photos of children are taken either on manager’s phones, preschool cameras or tablets only

Internet

  • It is not appropriate to share work-related information, other than that posted by the company, on social media

  • We ask that staff do not post about preschool on their personal domains and that they keep their domains as private as possible and consider what they post

  • Staff are asked not to connect as friends with parent/carers on social media

  • Staff are asked not to engage in activities on the internet which might bring the setting or its associated employees into disrepute

  • We review and update the security of our information systems regularly

  • Staff are asked not to contact parents from their personal email accounts nor give out their personal email addresses

At no time should any inappropriate photographs be taken of children or adults on any device.

Useful websites

Childnet - Hosts recommended resources for young people, parents, carers and teachers -

 https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers

 

ThinkUKnow - Advice on internet safety for young people, parents and professionals -

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/4_7/

 

NSPCC Online Safety Resources - Comprehensive information and advice for parents and carers including online safety resources, reviews of apps and conversation starters -

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety

 

UK Safer Internet Centre - Advice on internet safety for young people, parents and professionals. The Parents and Carers’ section has information on parental controls for home internet, parental controls on devices and privacy settings on social networks -

https://saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers

 

Internet Matters - Advice for parents of children of all ages: learn about it, talk about it, deal with it -

https://www.internetmatters.org/

 

CEOP - Police agency tackling child abuse on the internet. Website has a unique facility enabling parents and young people to make reports of actual/attempted abuse online -

https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/

Feb 24