I attended a very good training session last night about involving parents in their children's time with us here at Knutsford Childminding. I think we do a pretty good job of sharing information and asking for feedback - and so do our parents - but there is always more to learn, so off I went to Stockport after a 10 hour working day for 2 more hours of training!
The training was attended by a range of settings - I like it this way because I enjoy learning from other providers and we all do things in different ways. It started with an introduction about why it is so important to share information with parents and what the EYFS 2012 (and revised EYFS 2014) requires of us. We then talked about how we already share information and shared further ideas with each other.
We spent some time focussing on different challenges practitioners might have in their settings - from ensuring we communicate effectively with disabled parents or parents who do not speak English as a first language - to sharing ideas to enhance children's learning at home with hard to reach parents who don't have time to stop and chat.
It was interesting to see that all settings have similar challenges and to think about how we manage them so that we can share information with parents effectively without letting the barriers to communication get in our way. A variety of methods were suggested including -
- Face to face chats at the beginning and end of the day
- Email
- Newsletters sent out in each parents preferred way
- Using a translator if parents do not speak English confidently
- Texts and phone calls
- Daily diary booklets
- Wow moment cards that parents fill in at home
- Regular meetings
- Settings were keen on getting parents involved in walks in the local area and inviting them in to do gardening, contribute to activities or eat meals with the children
- Professional secure Facebook page or blog
- Displays for parents to look at when their child is being collected
- Learning Journey files that parents regularly read through and comment on
- Travelling bears or book loans to involve parents in their child's learning at home
... and much more!
The most important thing we recognised was that we need to engage parents and find out how they want us to communicate with them and respect their choice. For example, if we have an online way of sharing information and they never log on, we need to provide information in a different format for them... childminders have been downgraded at inspection for exactly that scenario!
Any training is good - it makes you reflect on what you do and how you do things - and it gives you ideas for the future. Even if you come away thinking 'I know all that' you can be smug in the knowledge that you are doing everything right!!
Chat soon, Sarah x
Showing posts with label EYFS 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EYFS 2012. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 May 2014
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Mobile phone and camera policy - childminders
EYFS requirement 3.4 Child Protection states (among other things) -
‘The safeguarding policy and procedures must cover the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting.’
The EYFS does not say that cameras and mobile phones must not be used in childminding provisions, regardless of advice from some Local Safeguarding Children Boards. In fact, Ofsted state that ‘The intention in the EYFS is not to make communication difficult but ensure that mobile phones are only used when essential and you are not distracted by them when caring for children. ‘
Writing your policy - things you might need to include
Advice from Ofsted states that this requirement is in place because of the misuse of photographs and mobile phones in some childcare settings which led to children being abused. You should keep this in mind when writing your policy.
In your policy should consider talking about…
• How you use your mobile phone to make and take essential phone calls during the working day. Explain to parents that it is essential you have a mobile phone as it is the way they can best contact you in an emergency.
o If your mobile phone is used to record children’s progress - some childminders use software on their IPhones for example - then this must also be discussed.
o If you use your mobile phone to store parents / emergency contact numbers so they are available when you go on outings, inform parents about this and explain how you do everything possible to keep your mobile phone safe and the information stored on it secure so their details are not misused.
• How you use your camera (digital camera or phone camera) to take photos of children which are shared with parents to show evidence of their learning and development and for display to help them feel part of the provision.
• How you protect photos is you send them over the internet - for example by email - to parents or absent parents.
• How you ensure children are safeguarded eg how photos are -
o Used - Learning Journey booklets, daily diary, displays in the house, training courses, on the internet to advertise your business - only say what is relevant to you here!
o Appropriate - children are properly dressed; photos do not show intimate views of children etc.
o Stored - on memory sticks, cloud / online storage, CDs to give parents at Christmas (eg), password protected folder on your computer etc.
o Deleted - when no longer needed.
o Printed - on a dedicated printer or using other digital photo printers in a shop or online.
• Who might see photos of childminded children eg Ofsted, local authority development workers, the child’s parent / carer, Local Safeguarding Children Board if there is a safeguarding concern.
• How you manage children’s use of mobile phones, cameras and photos eg if an older child brings a mobile phone to the provision which also has a camera.
• How you relate concerns about photos to parents eg if a child’s parent takes a photo of a group of children or brings their mobile phone on your premises.
• How you relate concerns about photos to other childminders, visitors to your premises etc and manage any incidents where they might take or use photos of childminded children.
• How you monitor your own children’s use of mobile phones and cameras during working hours - and, for example, the phone and camera use of any friends they invite to your house after school.
• Your procedure for requesting written permission from parents / carers to take and use photos of their children.
• How you aim to keep your mobile phone and camera safe - in the house, garden and on outings to ensure any photos of children and data about families is kept secure.
• Registration with the Information Commissioners Office as a data handler because you take, store and retain digital photos of children.
• How your whistleblowing policy includes the use and misuse of cameras and mobile phones - if you work with assistants or a co-childminder.
• You might also need to discuss other devices which link to the internet and might be used to take photos eg IPods, laptops with cameras attached etc as these might potentially pose a risk.
Some childminders are using this policy as a way of reminding parents that their child’s stories about their day are more important than the mobile phone call which they are taking as they walk up the drive!
References
An article in Essential Childminder Magazine
EYFS (DfE, 2012)
The Childminding Forum - various posts
Knutsford Childminding blog
‘The safeguarding policy and procedures must cover the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting.’
The EYFS does not say that cameras and mobile phones must not be used in childminding provisions, regardless of advice from some Local Safeguarding Children Boards. In fact, Ofsted state that ‘The intention in the EYFS is not to make communication difficult but ensure that mobile phones are only used when essential and you are not distracted by them when caring for children. ‘
Writing your policy - things you might need to include
Advice from Ofsted states that this requirement is in place because of the misuse of photographs and mobile phones in some childcare settings which led to children being abused. You should keep this in mind when writing your policy.
In your policy should consider talking about…
• How you use your mobile phone to make and take essential phone calls during the working day. Explain to parents that it is essential you have a mobile phone as it is the way they can best contact you in an emergency.
o If your mobile phone is used to record children’s progress - some childminders use software on their IPhones for example - then this must also be discussed.
o If you use your mobile phone to store parents / emergency contact numbers so they are available when you go on outings, inform parents about this and explain how you do everything possible to keep your mobile phone safe and the information stored on it secure so their details are not misused.
• How you use your camera (digital camera or phone camera) to take photos of children which are shared with parents to show evidence of their learning and development and for display to help them feel part of the provision.
• How you protect photos is you send them over the internet - for example by email - to parents or absent parents.
• How you ensure children are safeguarded eg how photos are -
o Used - Learning Journey booklets, daily diary, displays in the house, training courses, on the internet to advertise your business - only say what is relevant to you here!
o Appropriate - children are properly dressed; photos do not show intimate views of children etc.
o Stored - on memory sticks, cloud / online storage, CDs to give parents at Christmas (eg), password protected folder on your computer etc.
o Deleted - when no longer needed.
o Printed - on a dedicated printer or using other digital photo printers in a shop or online.
• Who might see photos of childminded children eg Ofsted, local authority development workers, the child’s parent / carer, Local Safeguarding Children Board if there is a safeguarding concern.
• How you manage children’s use of mobile phones, cameras and photos eg if an older child brings a mobile phone to the provision which also has a camera.
• How you relate concerns about photos to parents eg if a child’s parent takes a photo of a group of children or brings their mobile phone on your premises.
• How you relate concerns about photos to other childminders, visitors to your premises etc and manage any incidents where they might take or use photos of childminded children.
• How you monitor your own children’s use of mobile phones and cameras during working hours - and, for example, the phone and camera use of any friends they invite to your house after school.
• Your procedure for requesting written permission from parents / carers to take and use photos of their children.
• How you aim to keep your mobile phone and camera safe - in the house, garden and on outings to ensure any photos of children and data about families is kept secure.
• Registration with the Information Commissioners Office as a data handler because you take, store and retain digital photos of children.
• How your whistleblowing policy includes the use and misuse of cameras and mobile phones - if you work with assistants or a co-childminder.
• You might also need to discuss other devices which link to the internet and might be used to take photos eg IPods, laptops with cameras attached etc as these might potentially pose a risk.
Some childminders are using this policy as a way of reminding parents that their child’s stories about their day are more important than the mobile phone call which they are taking as they walk up the drive!
References
An article in Essential Childminder Magazine
EYFS (DfE, 2012)
The Childminding Forum - various posts
Knutsford Childminding blog
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