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Developing an ICT and Media Procedure
I'm awaiting my pre-registration Ofsted visit and just finalising the last few policies/procedure and i'm stuck on the ICT and Media Procedure.
The main issue i'm having is the use of mobile phones in the setting. I know children are becoming younger and younger when they get a mobile phone so I know the chances are that a handful of the children I care for are going to have mobile phones. I'm just unsure how to include the use of mobile phones in my policy. Ideally i'd like to say no mobile phones allowed, but I know that this may not be feasible (kids that walk to school so are allowed a phone for safety, but go to a childminder after school for example).
If I allow the use of mobile phones, how would I control the use of social networks etc and the content that they are viewing?
this is giving me such a headache
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Phones stay on the shelf with their bags - we do spot checks every so often to make sure they aren't in pockets - our house our rule
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Phone stay in bags in porch, or wherever, you make your rules clear with parents/children when children start. You can not risk children having use of mobile phones- taking photos and accessing who knows what.
I have this as a line in my safeguarding policy rather than a separate policy- don't make work for yourself by creating too many policies!
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I also have a line in my safeguarding policy. No phones out. In bags/schoolbags. If parents need to contact their child they text/phone my mobile. Everyone has accepted this rule. If they question it you could ask the parent something like 'how would they like another child taking photos of their child and distributing them to whom/where?' Be firm from the start as you will have to answer to the consequences if not.
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I agree with the replies already given.
Btw, the idea of a child carrying a 'phone "for their safety" is errant nonsense. It greatly increases the likelihood of them being subjected to cyber-bullying or being mugged to steal the darned thing.
I wish I had a pound for every mum who told me they'd been conned into buying a 'phone "for safety" only to have their child use up the entire prepay credit within hours of taken possession of the device.
I'm equally horrified by the proliferation of tablets for tinies too. I've had two mums (both of whom I normally consider very sensible and responsible parents) turn up with tablets so their lo's could amuse themselves. Neither child had seen their second birthday.
One client is a teacher who has a child in her class who is under counselling for addiction to his tablet, as well as speech therapy for the resultant language delay. He cannot cope with being in class sans tablet. At home, he has had it on constantly, having to "check in" on the device every minute or so since as long as mum can remember.
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Personal technology equipment is not allowed - end of, no discussions, it's a safeguarding issue and I take safeguarding extremely seriously.
If a child brings a tablet/mobile/camera etc it is switched off and goes in a box in my kitchen until hometime (kids aren't allowed in my kitchen)
If a child needs to get a message to parents/carer between coming into my care and being picked up then I will message parents/carer
I have kindles that are available for minded children to use - password protected and no internet/camera access
My laptop is password protected and child friendly if children want to do homework and need to use a pc (rarely as it goes)
A cm friend had a child who took their mobile to school - not sure why as parents walked them there in the morning
It was switched off and put into a brown jiffy bag, taken out at the end of the school day and handed back.
CM allowed child to use it at her setting, to play 'games'...
She had no idea, until her lb started having trouble sleeping at night, what that child was doing on that phone.
Remember a few years ago there was a video going round of a lad that was being recorded whilst pool jumping and broke his leg. Graphic detail.
Yeah, he'd been showing that to her children as it had 3g, and was actually playing 18 rated games - blood and gore ones - even the parents had no idea.
The minded child was 7 at the time
Wouldn't happen here I can tell you!
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