Nugent House School Recognises the Growing Popularity of Social Networking Sites Such As

1.0  INTRODUCTION

Nugent House School recognises the growing popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and aims to embrace these new technologies in order to communicate with our audience in new ways.

However, it is important for staff to recognise that their use of social networking sites during personal time can have implications for our duty to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults and the reputation of the charity.

Social Networking includes but is not limited to: blogs, online discussions forums, collaborative spaces and media sharing services such as Facebook and Twitter.

This policy is to be adhered to in conjunction with the Nugent House and Nugent internet use policy.

2.0  RESPONSIBILITIES

The Chief Executive is responsible for authorising access to the internet

The ICT Manager is responsible for providing access via Nugent’s ICT system and monitoring its use

The Marketing & Communications Manager has overall responsibility for all Nugent corporate networking accounts

Heads of Establishment / Projects / Schools and Children’s Homes / Departmental Managers are responsible for ensuring procedural compliance within their areas of responsibility

Individual members of staff are responsible for any comments or images posted on social networking accounts, either work related or personal

3.0  REFERENCES

The following documents are referred to in this procedure:

Nugent ICT Policy

Nugent Internet Use Policy

Nugent Bullying / Harassment policy

Nugent Equality and Diversity statement

DCSF Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who Work with Children and young People

GSCC Code of Practice for Social Care Workers and Code of Practice for Employers of Social Care Workers

4.0  PROCEDURE

All employees working with children, young people and vulnerable adults have a responsibility to maintain public confidence in their ability to safeguard the welfare and best interests of the people in their care. It is therefore expected that employees will adopt high standards of personal conduct in order to maintain the confidence and respect of the public in general and all those with whom they work.

4.1 Social Networking for Personal Use

Nugent recognises and accepts that its employees may keep personal web logs (blogs) on their home internet and that internet Social Networking sites are a useful way of interacting socially with colleagues and friends. Whilst Nugent does not wish to discourage employees from accessing such sites on the internet outside of work, it expects certain standards of conduct to be observed to protect both its legitimate business interests and its employees from the dangers of inappropriate use.

You should think carefully about what you publish and be aware that your behaviour and conduct in your personal life may raise questions about your suitability to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults or for a charity working in the field of social care.

Employees should not seek to have social contact with service users or their families via social networking sites unless the reason for this contact has been firmly established and agreed with senior managers.

Employees must ensure that any use of social networking sites does not have an adverse effect on their work and Nugent would request that employees follow the Terms of Use set out below when using social networking applications for personal use:

Employees MUST:

·  Refrain from identifying themselves as employees of Nugent.

·  Not make reference to Nugent, its employees or its service users unless using the Nugent corporate account in an official capacity.

·  Not make discriminatory or offensive comments about work colleagues, service users or third parties and not make remarks or comments of an abusive or hateful manner. This is tantamount to bullying and harassment and will be treated as it would if it took place in the workplace.

·  Not communicate with service users or their families.

·  Be aware, that even where they do not identify themselves as an employee of Nugent, comments that are not in accordance with our Equality and Diversity policies could have a detrimental effect on the organisation and themselves.

Employees are advised to:-

·  Ensure that privacy settings are set to maximum.

·  Not make any comments of a sexual or racial nature.

·  Not use profanities.

·  Not publish any content including images which may result in actions for defamation, discrimination, breaches of copyright, data protection or other claims for damages. This includes but is not limited to material of an illegal, sexual or offensive nature that may bring Nugent into disrepute.

All Nugent employees must bear in mind that any information shared through social networking applications, even if they are on private spaces, are still subject to copyright, data protection and Freedom of Information legislation, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and other legislation. They must also operate in line with Nugent’s Equality and Diversity statement.

Accessing social networking applications during work hours for personal use using Nugent equipment is strictly prohibited.

4.2 Corporate Social Networking

Nugent now has a presence on Facebook and Twitter for the purposes of marketing and fundraising. The use of social networking at work where you are representing Nugent in an official capacity requires the prior approval of the Director of Finance and Business Support and the Marketing and Communications Manager. The user will be required to undergo a briefing session with the Marketing and Communications Manager in order to understand the acceptable use of the Nugent social network accounts.

Employees with responsibility for updating the Nugent corporate social networking account must not use the account for personal blogs and employees must make it clear when posting information or comments on the site that any personal views which are expressed do not represent those of Nugent.

Any communications or content published either on a personal account or the Nugent corporate account which causes damage to Nugent, any of its employees or any third party’s reputation may amount to misconduct or gross misconduct to which Nugent Disciplinary Policy and Procedure will apply.

Nugent will monitor its IT systems as is deemed necessary in line with the Internet Use Policy.

EMPLOYEE CONFIRMATION OF UNDERSTANDING THE CONTENT OF THE

SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICY

Name: ______

Department: ______

I have read Nugent’s Social Networking policy and understand, accept and will comply with its contents.

I am aware that any breach could result in disciplinary procedures

Employee Signature: ______Date: ______