1.6 E-safety | westwoodfarm

1.6 E-safety (including mobile phones and cameras)

Policy statement

We take steps to ensure that there are effective procedures in place to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from the unacceptable use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment or exposure to inappropriate materials in the setting.

Our designated persons responsible for co-ordinating action taken to protect children is:

1st - Clare Worlin. 1st Deputy – Cheryl Beisly.

Online Safety

It is important that children and young people receive consistent messages about the safe use of technology and can recognise and manage the risks posed in both the real and the virtual world.

Terms such as ‘e-safety’, ‘online’, ‘communication technologies’ and ‘digital technologies’ refer to fixed and mobile technologies that adults and children may encounter, now and in the future, which allow them access to content and communications that could raise issues or pose risks. The issues are:

Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful material

Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users

Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm

I.C.T Equipment

The setting manager/deputy ensure that all computers have up-to-date virus protection installed.

Tablets are only used for the purposes of observation, assessment and planning and to take photographs for individual children’s learning journeys.
Tablets are stored securely at all times when not in use.

Internet access

Children never have unsupervised access to the internet.
The setting manager and health and safety officer ensure that risk assessments in relation to e-safety are completed.
Only reputable sites with a focus on early learning are used (e.g., CBeebies).
Video sharing sites such as YouTube are not accessed due to the risk of inappropriate content unless being used by an adult.
Children are taught the following stay safe principles in an age-appropriate way:

only go online with a grown up
be kind online and keep information about me safe
only press buttons on the internet to things I understand
tell a grown up if something makes me unhappy on the internet

Staff support children’s resilience in relation to issues they may face online, and address issues such as staying safe, appropriate friendships, asking for help if unsure, not keeping secrets as part of social and emotional development in age-appropriate ways.

All computers for use by children are sited in an area clearly visible to staff.

Staff report any suspicious or offensive material, including material which may incite racism, bullying or discrimination to the Internet Watch Foundation at www.iwf.org.uk.

The setting manager ensures staff have access to age-appropriate resources to enable them to assist children to use the internet safely.

Personal mobile phones – staff and visitors (includes internet enabled devices)

Personal mobile phones and internet enabled devices are not used by staff during working hours. This does not include breaks where personal mobiles may be used off the premises or in a safe place e.g., the bar area. The health and safety officer completes a risk assessment for where they can be used safely.
Personal mobile phones are stored in a box adjacent to the administration area.
In an emergency, personal mobile phones may be used with the permission of the Manager.
Staff ensure that contact details of the setting are known to family and people who may need to contact them in an emergency.
Members of staff do not use personal equipment to take photographs of children.
Parents and visitors do not use their mobile phones on the premises. There is an exception if a visitor’s company/organisation operates a policy that requires contact with their office periodically throughout the day. Visitors are advised of a private space where they can use their mobile.

Cameras and videos

Members of staff do not bring their own cameras or video recorders to the setting.
Photographs/recordings of children are only taken for valid reasons, e.g., to record learning and development, or for displays, and are only taken on equipment belonging to the setting.
Camera and video use is monitored by the setting manager.
Where parents request permission to photograph or record their own children at special events, general permission is first gained from all parents for their children to be included. Parents are told they do not have a right to photograph or upload photos of anyone else’s children.
Photographs/recordings of children are only made if relevant permissions are in place.
If photographs are used for publicity, parental consent is gained and safeguarding risks minimised, e.g., children may be identified if photographed in a sweatshirt with the name of their setting on it.

Cyber Bullying

If staff become aware that a child is the victim of cyber-bullying at home or elsewhere, they discuss this with the parents and refer them to help, such as: NSPCC Tel: 0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.uk or ChildLine Tel: 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk

Use of social media

Staff are expected to:

understand how to manage their security settings to ensure that their information is only available to people they choose to share information with
ensure the organisation is not negatively affected by their actions and do not name the setting
are aware that comments or photographs online may be accessible to anyone and should use their judgement before posting
are aware that images, such as those on Snapchat may still be accessed by others and a permanent record of them made, for example, by taking a screen shot of the image with a mobile phone
observe confidentiality and refrain from discussing any issues relating to work
not share information they would not want children, parents or colleagues to view
set privacy settings to personal social networking and restrict those who are able to access
report any concerns or breaches to the designated person in their setting
not engage in personal communication, including on social networking sites, with children and parents with whom they act in a professional capacity. There may be occasions when the practitioner and family are friendly prior to the child coming to the setting. In this case information is shared with the manager and a risk assessment and agreement in relation to boundaries are agreed

Use/distribution of inappropriate images

Staff are aware that it is an offence to distribute indecent images and that it is an offence to groom children online. In the event of a concern that a colleague is behaving inappropriately, staff advise the designated person who follow procedure 06.2 Allegations against staff, volunteers or agency staff.

Facebook

Westwood farm Community Pre-School has a Facebook page where we upload and share images of children within the pre-school environment
Only photographs of children for whom parents have given permission will have photographs published on this page.
The use of Facebook has been appropriately risk assessed and the setting has taken steps to ensure all data stored is held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (as above).
Images uploaded to Facebook will only be taken using the setting’s devices.
All users authorised to upload images to Facebook are advised on safety measures to protect all members of the community e.g., using strong passwords, logging out of systems after use etc.
Parents/guardians will be informed of the settings expectations regarding safe and appropriate use (e.g., not sharing passwords or copying and sharing images) prior to being given access. Failure to comply with this may result in access being removed. Further information can be found in our social media Policy.

Electronic learning journals for recording children’s progress

Managers seek permission from the senior management team prior to using any online learning journal. A risk assessment is completed with details on how the learning journal is managed to ensure children are safeguarded.
Staff adhere to the guidance provided with the system at all times; and will read and sign to say they have understood the Tapestry agreement.
Parents are asked to sign our tapestry agreement which outlines tapestry’s use of our data.

Further guidance

NSPCC and CEOP Keeping Children Safe Online training: www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/get-expert-training/keeping-children-safe-online-course/