Do you use digital camera for observations?

**hectors house** · 07-08-2012, 10:34 AM

I just rang the ICO and they said every childminder needs to register with them (at a cost of £35 a year), as it doesn't matter whether you:

save the photos on your computer

just take photos with digital camera or mobile phone, download, print and delete from computer and camera card

Or even take digital photos don't downloading them and just printing them in Boots and delete from camera card

it is the fact that you used a piece of digital equipment to take the image, so he said unless we all go back to using a manual or throw away camera we are all breaking the Data Protection Act!

Even if you use your computer as a word processor to type a letter to a parent (business customer) and you save and print letter - you need to register.

I told him that probably 17,000 childminders were breaking the law then - or have you all registered?

**Mouse** · 07-08-2012, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by hectors house

I just rang the ICO and they said every childminder needs to register with them (at a cost of £35 a year), as it doesn't matter whether you:

save the photos on your computer

just take photos with digital camera or mobile phone, download, print and delete from computer and camera card

Or even take digital photos don't downloading them and just printing them in Boots and delete from camera card

it is the fact that you used a piece of digital equipment to take the image, so he said unless we all go back to using a manual or throw away camera we are all breaking the Data Protection Act!

Even if you use your computer as a word processor to type a letter to a parent (business customer) and you save and print letter - you need to register.

I told him that probably 17,000 childminders were breaking the law then - or have you all registered?

I've been registered for quite a few years. It's something that's been known about for a while.
If you search on here you'll probably find other posts about it

**AgentTink** · 07-08-2012, 10:40 AM

I am registered as I was made aware of it through this forum when I first set out to become a childminder. There has been a few debates on here in regards o who pays for it and who doesn't.

**JCrakers** · 07-08-2012, 10:40 AM

Yes i am through gritted teeth

All the pictures I take are for the benefit of EYFS, Ofsted and LJ's not for me and I dont agree with having to pay but Hey Ho..this job is full of things I hate

(paperwork wise btw , not children wise)

**Mouse** · 07-08-2012, 10:47 AM

Here's one of the threads.
It's one of those things that some do, some don't. I do, but I've never heard of anyone getting into trouble for not registering

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...hlight=digital

**marnieb** · 07-08-2012, 11:08 AM

I asked my local Do about this - she said she was aware of it, but has the same feelings as me about it - until I actually get a letter telling to do it, then I'm not going to.

**Jods** · 07-08-2012, 11:18 AM

I am registered, but am still not sure to its point and useage!! has anyone ever been in the position where its had a use ?

**lozzy23** · 07-08-2012, 11:24 AM

I am registered, have been for two years

But I seem to be in the minority with the CM's in my area.

**muffins** · 07-08-2012, 11:54 AM

I'm not but I know I should be

**pinkellifun** · 07-08-2012, 12:13 PM

I have just registered as I am keeping all my documents and photos on my computer.

I just see it as another expense that I have to have in addition to all the others.

**~Grasshopper~** · 07-08-2012, 12:32 PM

i am not registered and i dont intend to pay £35 that i cant afford.

i print immediatley on my pogo and dont save anything online. i only know about this because of this forum, my do has never mentioned anything to me.

i wont be looking after eyfs children past jan 13 anyway

x

**hectors house** · 07-08-2012, 12:55 PM

I thought it was the saving and storing photos on your computer which meant you were supposed to register - I didn't know it was the digital equipment you used to take photo. Not sure if I will register or not - £35 seems a lot for a piece of paper - not far short from the money I pay morton michel for my annual liability insurance or my Ofsted Annual fee and at least you get something for you money - piece of mind from one and

from the other!

I have emailed my development officer as I'm sure they have never explained this properly at training sessions.

**mum2two** · 07-08-2012, 01:09 PM

I don't agree with it! Because we use a digital camera, we have to pay, yet if we used an old style one with a film we don't??? Surely it's safer with a digital as we print pics off, yet with a film - we had to send them off for god knows who to go through & take whatever copies they wanted without us knowing???? (I know it's other stuff as well, accounts, letters, obs etc- but just going with OP comment)

Just another £35 off our expenses...

xx

**melco** · 07-08-2012, 01:19 PM

What annoyed me about all this is that I was never informed when I went on my childminding course, it was only seeing it mentioned on here that I thought we had to register.

Like others I have registered but I know a lot of childminders that haven't and I also have never heard anyone get into trouble for not being registered. And if cm are not getting into trouble then its annoying that I am paying £35 a year without needing to but knowing my luck if I didn't I would be the one who was caught!

**funemnx** · 07-08-2012, 01:30 PM

I've been registered for a couple of years now - heard about it on the forum (thank you!). As I have an inspection due, I was worried about not having it just in case Mrs O didn't like it!

The £35 comes off my Tax anyway, so not real money spent

**hectors house** · 07-08-2012, 04:20 PM

For minders who have 2 children of their own and can then only look after one mindee - £35 is real money and probably takes nearly 10 hours to earn!

**Winnie** · 07-08-2012, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by hectors house

For minders who have 2 children of their own and can then only look after one mindee - £35 is real money and probably takes nearly 10 hours to earn!

I do sympathize

but it is a legal requirement, think of it this way…… if you had a car sitting on the drive but didn’t want to pay road tax because you only use it now & again….

I know £35 is a lot of money but it does make people aware of their responsibilities in data protection.
The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

**moggy** · 07-08-2012, 04:40 PM

Yes, always been registered.

**lulubelle** · 07-08-2012, 04:43 PM

i am so fed up with this company i have called them twice for the pack and never recieved it so still unable to register

**nikki thomson** · 07-08-2012, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by muffins

I'm not but I know I should be

I'm not either and tbh wasn't aware until recently that we had to be, I read it on a thread on here and then looked into it as I knew nothing about it.
Now it is on my list of things to do but at the moment my eyfs lo has recently left and I'm not replacing her until the end of nov so I'm in no rush but I will do it eventually, I do begrudge it if I'm honest just one more thing we have to pay out for in my opinion. X