protecting the children in your care. Expert Kate Tyler runs through the
key areas you should be thinking about.
Safeguarding is a term we all use a lot, but what does it really mean when it comes to social media? Everyone involved in the care of children has a role to play in their protection. This is just as true online as it is offline.
Yet taking safeguarding seriously doesn't have to mean avoiding publishing photographs of children. As long as the person responsible for your social media channels fully understands how and why they need to take safeguarding seriously, using pictures of children is quite possible.
First and foremost, according to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, providers must have and implement a policy, and procedures, to safeguard children. This policy must cover the use of mobile phones and cameras in your setting, as well as the use of social networks both in and out of work. Key points to consider within your policy include the following.
Images
You need to obtain the written consent of your parents to use photographs on social networks. Be clear how and why you want to use the images. Respect their decision, and their right to change their mind.
Think carefully about the kind of photos you will share. A good rule of thumb is to make the photos activity focused, rather than body focused. Consider sharing images of work rather than children if some parents express reservations. Always check that everyone involved in group photos or photos with children in the background has given consent.
Text and tagging
Consideration of the text and tagging used with images is just as important as parental consent. Don't name children, and always share news and images of trips outside the setting after the event. Ensure that language is inclusive, positive and doesn't ever shame children or families in any way.
Facebook allows you to tag people in images. I would advise always avoiding this and asking parents only to tag themselves, not others, in images you share. Encouraging a supportive and respectful community around your page is key.
If a child might want to be named, say for a special award or event, avoid using his or her image. This enables a celebration of the children and activities at your setting while still allowing those children to grow up with a degree of anonymity and privacy online.
Community
Finally, it is important that the community around your social channels is monitored and managed appropriately, with safeguarding at its heart. A practitioner must be designated to take lead responsibility - ideally someone trained in online community management and confident in addressing inappropriate comments, tagging or messages, if needed. It is also important to monitor what else is being said about you online.
Ensure that any messages, photos, videos or information comply with existing policies at your setting. Planning content in advance and following a safeguarding policy are the vital ingredients for a safe, respectful and meaningful online community around your setting.
Kate Tyler is managing director of Shake Social, a social media agency for the early years
- Tell us about your social media progress using #nwsocial on Twitter
The most popular network and the most powerful for nurseries. People can collect 'friends' and companies can collect 'likes' for their profile pages.
This real-time service is unrivalled for fast-paced, breaking news. Use hashtags (#) to group conversations together. Tweets are limited to just 140 characters.
A virtual pinboard for all the things you love. Boards are based on different themes, with images 'pinned' on your board linking back to the website they came from.
YouTube
YouTube is now the second largest search engine in the world. Owned by Google, it is immensely popular and affects your online search rankings.
Blogs
A blog (web-log) is an online article or journal that can include text, images and video.
Google+
Although not as widely used as other social networks, Google+ does influence search engine rankings.
Connects people for professional purposes.
With its square format and retro filters, Instagram gives your images a polaroid feel. Only available for use on mobile phones, it is intended to be about recording the moment.
Snapchat
Allows users to create 'snaps' - photos or videos that only last for up to ten seconds once the recipient has opened them.
