BOSH Ltd.
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
(Including Use of ‘Smart’ Mobile Devices and Cameras)
The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that staff and children will benefit from the use of technology offered by BOSH in a safe and effective manner. E-safety is primarily a safeguarding issue. Anyone with responsibility for the welfare of children and young people needs to take responsibility for this essential area.
This policy also covers the use of any device, hand-held or otherwise, whether it is a mobile phone, digital camera or iPod, which has the capacity to record images or sounds from the setting and/or connect to the internet.
All staff involved in this area will be made aware of their responsibilities in order to support an e-safe culture.
Responsibilities
The Management of BOSH, specifically Jon Langston, is responsiblefor:
•Acting as a named point of contact on all e-safety issues
•Developing and reviewing this policy
•Recording, addressing and monitoring any incidents
•Awareness in relation to new and emerging technologies
•Risk assessment of the use of technology
•Ensure continual professional development of staff
•Ensuring e-safety is promoted to parents and carers
•Ensuring that the setting is registered with the Information Commissioners Office if they hold any information or data on any forms of technology
The staff are responsible for:
•Having an awareness of e-safety issues and how these relate to the children in their care
•Reporting any incidents to the named contact above
•Accessing continual professional development training
•Modelling good practice in using new and emerging technologies
The strategies used at BOSH to reduce the risk associated with the use of technology and the internet are:
•Children are only allowed access to the internet using BOSH managed equipment and resources, under adult supervision, who will be responsible for monitoring the children’s actions and responding promptly to ensure only appropriate material is accessed
•In the case of accidental accessing of inappropriate materials supervising adults will immediately exit the material and inform the named contact above
•BOSH will ensure that suitable firewall and filtering software is in place in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material
•Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted
•Virus protection software is used and updated on a regular basis
•The use of personal IT equipment, belonging to children or staff, which can access the internet, is not permitted at BOSH
Specifically, BOSH provides a single laptop, or iPad, for use by the Play Manager of each setting only, or members of staff under the direction of the Play Manager. BOSH may also provide additional computers at a setting, owned by BOSH, which would be available for use by children and staff under the guidelines above. Any such computer will have appropriate Anti-Virus and Firewall software installed and enabled, configured to protect it and prevent access to unsuitable sites as much as possible. Access by the children attending BOSH is restricted to a specific user account, which has restricted privileges and therefore the computer is protected from accidental or deliberate misuse. Any administration privileged account is password protected and is only available for use by the named contact above.
Where school equipment is available for use by BOSH children, the guidelines above will still be followed, with BOSH confirming with the school that the relevant anti-virus and firewall software is in place.
Additional Electronic Devices
In addition to computers, the use of devices such as smart mobile phones and iPods is becoming commonplace. Any such device capable of any of the following:
• Internet access
• Image Recording (still or video)
• Voice Recording
is not permitted to be used at any BOSH setting, with the exception of the mobile phone and iPad of the Play Manager. All staff are required to handover any such devices, such as personal mobile phones, when they commence work and/or enter the setting, which are then secured by the Play Manager.
Children are not allowed to use such devices at any of the settings, or holiday clubs. Incoming, or outgoing, emergency contact should be made via the Play Manager’s mobile phone or via the BOSH free phone number. Use of any such device by a child will result in an Incident Report being raised, parents/carers being informed and the device confiscated until the end of the session.
Parents/carers are requested not to use their personal mobile phones, or similar devices, whilst at a setting and asked to take calls outside of the setting, if they were to receive a phone-call, for example. Under no circumstances will the taking of photographs on personal devices, be permitted. A notice will be on display at all settings and holiday clubs reminding parents of this policy.
Social Networking/Internet Sites
The submitting of any personal information, images taken at settings or images of children, to an internet site or social networking site, such as Facebook or MySpace, is strictly prohibited.
Any member of staff who is discovered to have done so, will be subject to disciplinary action and the incident will be thoroughly investigated. Such an action will be treated as serious misconduct and could result in immediate dismissal.
In addition, for example, the updating, by a member of staff, of an individual’s “Facebook status” (and the equivalent with current and future technologies), whilst at work, is not acceptable and is indicative of a negligent and irresponsible attitude towards the children in our care. Such an incident will be investigated and could be deemed to be serious misconduct.
If a child at BOSH was responsible for either of the above an Incident Report would be raised and parents/carers reminded of the seriousness of such behaviour and that this could lead to the child’s place being forfeited.
This Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that at the very minimum the organisation is following relevant legislation.
Reviewed May 2014