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SP@CE Smart Devices Policy
 

Policy Statement

  • It is our intention to provide an environment in which children, parents and colleagues are safe from images being recorded and inappropriately used, in turn eliminating the following concerns:

  • Colleagues being distracted from their work with children

  • The inappropriate use of smart devices and cameras around children

 

Smart Devices Support Office Colleagues

  • Support Office colleagues need to use their work smart devices in order to carry out their role effectively. Some reasons may be to scan documents, take photos of activities and children with photo permission for marketing purposes or to share best practice, site areas for risk assessments and colleagues photos for name badges.

  • Support Office colleagues may need to be contactable by other settings when visiting. If Support Office colleagues need to take or receive a call during club time, they must remove themselves from the children and parents before making or taking a call.

  • When covering at a setting within ratio, Support Office colleagues must notify other sites that they may be supporting that they are unavailable and provide the setting phone number of the setting they are covering at, so they can be contacted.

  • Support Office colleagues must keep their calendar up to date, so others know where they are if needed.

  • When covering Support Office colleagues must ensure that their work and personal smart phones/devices are stored with the stored in the same way as the onsite colleagues smart phones/devices throughout contact time with children.

 

Smart Devices Delivery Colleagues

  • All delivery colleagues must ensure that their smart phones/devices are left in a secure place throughout contact time with children. The Setting Manager must risk assess the most appropriate place which is out of reach of delivery colleagues and children while the setting is operating. For example, in their bag on a high shelf in a cupboard. The black box can be used to store phones/smart devices but it must be locked.

  • Mobile phone/smart device calls may only be taken on breaks or in colleagues own time and away from the children and with the Setting Manager’s permission.

  • Any delivery colleagues found to have their personal phone/smart device on their person or be using their mobile phone/smart device without permission will automatically receive a written warning.

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Smart Devices Visitors

  • All visitors must relinquish their smart phones/devices upon entering the setting. These must be stored in the same way as the colleague smart phones/devices.

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Smart Devices Parents

  • When parents drop off or collect their children they must have their smart phones/devices stored away in a bag or pocket. If their smart phones/devices are visible, then SP@CE after school clubs colleagues must challenge the parent and ask them to put the device away out of sight. 

 

All Colleagues, Volunteers and Visitors

  • If any colleague has a family emergency or similar and required to keep their mobile phone to hand, prior permission must be sought from the Club Manager.

  • All colleagues, volunteers and visitors will be requested to place their bag containing their phone in an appropriate location and asked to take or receive any calls away from the children where their phone must remain.

  • It is the responsibility of all colleagues to be vigilant and report any concerns to the Setting Manager or a member of the Senior Leadership team.

  • Concerns will be taken seriously, logged and investigated appropriately.

  • SP@CE after school clubs reserves the right to check the image contents of a colleagues phones/smart devices should there be any cause for concern over the appropriate use of it.

  • Any colleague found to have their personal phone/smart device on their person or be using their mobile phone/smart device without permission will automatically receive a written warning.

  • Should inappropriate material be found then the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) will be contacted immediately. We will follow the guidance of the LADO as to the appropriate action that needs to be taken.

 

Cameras and Club iPad

Photographs taken for the purpose of recording a child or group of children participating in activities or celebrating their achievements is an effective form or recording their progression in the Early Years Foundation Stage, sharing with parents and for training/observational purposes. However, it is essential that photographs are taken and stored appropriately to safeguard the children in our care.

  • Only the designated setting ipad/tablet phone is to be used to take any photos within the setting.

  • Images taken on this ipad/tablet must be deemed suitable without putting the children in any compromising positions that could cause embarrassment or distress.

  • All colleagues are responsible for the location of the ipad/tablet.

  • SP@CE after school clubs colleagues must not send photos of children taken on work devices to their own personal devices.

 

Marketing

On occasions the marketing team may visit a setting to take promotional videos or photographs using SP@CE after school clubs approved devices.

Failure to adhere to the contents of this policy will lead to disciplinary procedures being followed.

 

Children's use

Children who bring mobile phones or electronic devices into a SP@CE after school clubs setting will have these removed and stored securely and returned to their parents/guardian at the end of the session.

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