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
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Sunday, 11 March 2012
De-cluttering your provision
Childminders work from their homes – and homes, as we all know, vary greatly in size and available space. As we take on more children, we often find that our playrooms are so cluttered with toys and games, the children can hardly fit in!
If you notice the toddlers tripping over the babies, the pre-schoolers fighting for space with the babies and the after schoolers pulling too much from the shelves because they are overwhelmed with the choices available and the books getting trampled under-foot… then maybe it is time to make a few changes.
I have been reading up on de-cluttering as part of something I am currently writing for the childminder advertising website about the revised EYFS and the Prime Area of learning ‘Communication and Language’ and I have found it to be a very interesting subject.
During my research I have found that some childminders have found themselves marked down by Local Authorities which use FCCERS and ECCERS to grade their service because they are not offering sufficient choice or duplicates of resources etc.
However Ofsted are fine with a de cluttered environment according to letter written by Liz Elsom on the Elizabeth Jarman site about Communication Friendly Spaces (TM) - http://www.elizabethjarmantraining.co.uk.
I have found from reading Ofsted reports that inspectors like to see toys children can easily access in labelled boxes - they don't have a problem with resources being rotated if the children have free choice (photo albums or choice books) of what they want out.
However there are some parts of provision such as reading, mark making, music, dance, art etc that should always be freely available to ensure you are linking the activities you have available with all the EYFS areas of learning and development.
If you want to make changes to your provision with the aim of de-cluttering the environment, you could do it as part of an ongoing improvement project –
• Audit the resources currently available in your provision against the areas of learning of the EYFS to make sure you are keeping appropriate resources
• Read up on de-cluttering and how it helps you to work more efficiently
• Talk to other childminders on www.childmindingforum.co.uk and ask for their ideas and views - do a forum search as the subject has already been discussed a few times previously
• Show how you have involved parents and all the children in the review process
• Carry out observations of inside and outside play involving different groups and children and at different times of the day to see what is currently being used
• Make decisions about any changes you intend to do based on their comments and the spaces available etc.
You could then ask the children to help you document the changes you make adding comments from children, before and after photos etc and put it in a file for Ofsted / parents etc to show your commitment to continuous professional development.
I hope you enjoy your newly de-cluttered spaces :)
If you notice the toddlers tripping over the babies, the pre-schoolers fighting for space with the babies and the after schoolers pulling too much from the shelves because they are overwhelmed with the choices available and the books getting trampled under-foot… then maybe it is time to make a few changes.
I have been reading up on de-cluttering as part of something I am currently writing for the childminder advertising website about the revised EYFS and the Prime Area of learning ‘Communication and Language’ and I have found it to be a very interesting subject.
During my research I have found that some childminders have found themselves marked down by Local Authorities which use FCCERS and ECCERS to grade their service because they are not offering sufficient choice or duplicates of resources etc.
However Ofsted are fine with a de cluttered environment according to letter written by Liz Elsom on the Elizabeth Jarman site about Communication Friendly Spaces (TM) - http://www.elizabethjarmantraining.co.uk.
I have found from reading Ofsted reports that inspectors like to see toys children can easily access in labelled boxes - they don't have a problem with resources being rotated if the children have free choice (photo albums or choice books) of what they want out.
However there are some parts of provision such as reading, mark making, music, dance, art etc that should always be freely available to ensure you are linking the activities you have available with all the EYFS areas of learning and development.
If you want to make changes to your provision with the aim of de-cluttering the environment, you could do it as part of an ongoing improvement project –
• Audit the resources currently available in your provision against the areas of learning of the EYFS to make sure you are keeping appropriate resources
• Read up on de-cluttering and how it helps you to work more efficiently
• Talk to other childminders on www.childmindingforum.co.uk and ask for their ideas and views - do a forum search as the subject has already been discussed a few times previously
• Show how you have involved parents and all the children in the review process
• Carry out observations of inside and outside play involving different groups and children and at different times of the day to see what is currently being used
• Make decisions about any changes you intend to do based on their comments and the spaces available etc.
You could then ask the children to help you document the changes you make adding comments from children, before and after photos etc and put it in a file for Ofsted / parents etc to show your commitment to continuous professional development.
I hope you enjoy your newly de-cluttered spaces :)
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