Bumbles Day Care > Our Families > E-safety and multimedia

E-safety and multimedia

Principle and statement of intent

This policy has been formed following the guidelines and principles in the:

  • Our Duty to Care (ODTC) – Principles of Good Practice for the protection of children and young people published by Volunteer Now, fifth edition 2009, updated April 2011 (supported by DHSSPS)
  • Department of Health & Social Services NI – Childminding & Day Care for children under age 12 Minimum Standards.

E-Safety concerns safeguarding children, young people and staff in the digital world. Bumbles Day Care appreciates that technology is an important part of everyday life and so E-Safety focuses on learning to understand and use new technology in a positive and safe way.

The purpose of this policy is to help support and protect children and staff when using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment in Bumbles. ICT equipment includes, but is not limited to, Bumbles staff phones, lap top and desktop computers, tablet devices, digital cameras, video cameras, web cams and other recording devices and other technology such as hand-held games consoles with recording, broadcast and/or internet capabilities

This policy applies to all employees, volunteers, visitors and members of the public that use our premises.

Procedures

Any multi-media used in Bumbles Day Care will be:

  • Age appropriate for children
  • Have an educational value
  • Supervised
  • Only take up a small percentage of the curriculum

All staff members are responsible for the following:

  • Understanding the risk and responsibility that is part of the ‘Duty of Care’ that applies to everyone working with children.
  • Understanding the significance of E-Safety which highlights the importance of safeguarding children and keeping them safe, which is of paramount importance.
  • Reporting any knowledge or suspicion of behaviour that contravenes this policy.
  • Being aware of the potential risks of using social networking sites e.g. Facebook, and the importance of considering the materials they post and how publishing unsuitable materials may affect their professional status.
  • Protecting themselves from legal challenge and ensuring that they work within the boundaries of professional behaviour.
  • Ensuring that they do not create any unnecessary business risk to Bumbles Day Care by the misuse of Bumbles Internet or e-mail systems.
  • Complying with current legislation.
  • Using the Internet in an acceptable way.

In particular, the following is deemed unacceptable use or behaviour of staff:

  • Visiting Internet sites that contain obscene, hateful, pornographic or otherwise illegal material.
  • Sending, forwarding, distributing or retaining e-mail or text messages that contain language or images that are abusive, aggressive, obscene or offensive.
  • Using the Internet to send offensive or harassing materials to others.
  • Making any improper or discriminatory reference to a person’s race, colour, religion or belief system, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disabilities or physique, and not forwarding or distributing any material which does so.
  • Publishing defamatory and/or knowingly false materials about Bumbles Day Care.
  • Using work e-mail systems to set up or send chain letters, viral e-mails or spam.
  • Using the Internet for personal purposes during work time.
  • Using the computer to participate in any form of fraud, theft or software or music piracy.
  • Failing to take due care to make sure confidential and/or personal information goes to the correct recipient.
  • Broadcasting personal views on social, political, religious or other non-business related matters. (Staff should also be considerate in the views that they share on their personal social media as representatives of the Bumbles Team.)
  • Undertaking deliberate activities that waste staff effort or networked resources.
  • Sending an unauthorised e-mail on behalf of an individual inside or outside Bumbles Day Care without their knowledge or consent.

Use of mobile phones

  • Staff personal mobile phones must be placed in lockers during scheduled work time.
  • Staff personal Mobile phones should only be accessed during authorised rest breaks
  • Bumbles main telephone number may be given by staff as a work/emergency contact number for incoming calls only.
  • If a member of staff is expecting an emergency or important call, then their personal mobile phone may be switched on but must not be kept on their person. Permission may be sought from the Co-ordinator/Senior staff member who will agree and determine a suitable area or place where the phone is accessible should the need arise.
  • During group outings nominated staff will have access to the setting’s nominated mobile phone, which is to be used for emergency purposes only.
  • Staff who will be required to drive on behalf of Bumbles Day Care must ensure any work and/or personal mobile phones are to be switched off whilst driving.
  • Bumbles mobile devices must solely be used for operational systems, such as Famly and are never taken home with staff.

Managers and Co-ordinators are responsible for the following:

  • Ensuring that staff are aware of and understand this policy and how it links to other relevant policies.
  • Putting relevant systems in place to ensure the protection of information and appropriate access to the Internet, e.g. passwords on computers, limited access to certain websites.
  • Monitoring the policy to ensure that staff members are complying with it; this includes the right of managers/senior staff members to access e-mails, images and Internet sites that have been visited, where there is a suspicion of improper use.
  • Dealing with breaches of the policy and ensuring that the highest standards of practice are maintained.
  • Checking that no unnecessary photographs / videos are held on the mobile devices / tablets.
  • Videos on i-pads and phones never replace staff singing songs or reading stories with the children and are never used as a distraction.

Breach of policy

All employees should be aware that any failure to comply with this policy will be taken seriously and may be dealt with in accordance with Bumbles Disciplinary Policy and Procedures. If an employee is found to have breached the policy, they will face a disciplinary penalty ranging from a verbal warning to a dismissal. Where a criminal offence is suspected, the matter will be referred to the PSNI.