Digital technology and social media policy.

AND OWNA APP

OWNA is a digital form of documentation used by our centre, providing a secure way for us to share information with families. We value developing strong links between home and childcare. Our personalised App keeps families informed about the learning that occurs each day as well as the day-to-day happenings. We want families to be empowered to build on our programming and have rich conversations with their child.

OWNA is utilised by our services as a secure way of sharing information with our families through real time updates. Each OWNA App is a private closed loop within each centre and cannot be accessed across the web. Families are provided with updates and can continue the learning with their children at home and securely invite additional family members worldwide to view the posts. (This requires a written request to the Centre). We are committed to ensuring that technology is integrated into children’s play, leisure experiences, projects, and practices.

We believe that any use of social media must not place at risk the safety, health or wellbeing of children, educators, families, or visitors at the service.

Our App enables you to keep updates with your child’s learning and development in the form of an e-portfolio. As technology evolves this App is a safe online platform that allows educators to capture moments throughout the day and save them directly to your child’s profile. Each room throughout the Centres are equipped with an iPad to capture moments of play and development for each child. All parents using our Centres have access to our App and their child’s e-portfolio.

Prior to your child commencing care, you will be asked to supply email addresses of up to two people and once this information is put into our system both parties will automatically be sent an invitation to join the App. You will also be required to sign permission for your child’s information and images to be displayed on our secure App.

Through this online e-portfolio you will be able to view images, videos, stories and have the ability to message your child’s educator adding your comments or likes to your child’s learning journey.

Each day your child is in care the educators will send notifications about your child’s day which may include an individual moment about your child or an overview of a special event that has captured the group’s learning for the day. This is a nice way to inform families of what has happened at care throughout the day and can prompt children when parents ask, ‘What have you done?”

Our 0–2 year-old room can send daily routine information throughout the day so you can see your child’s food intake, bottles, and sleep times.

This is a meaningful way for families to stay informed with your child’s activities throughout the day and provides further reassurance and peace of mind that your child is enjoying their learning journey in childcare/kindergarten.

Aims

• Encourage all children to use and access information and communication technologies to express ideas, access images and information and explore diverse perspectives. Educators will ensure that all content is child appropriate and follows the guidelines set in our multi-media policy.

• Educators are able to simplify reporting on learning outcomes and develop and maintain positive engaging relationships with families.

• Child’s data will be accessible only by the child’s families or additional family members invited, making it secure and private to the centre.

• Parents/carers can use our App, to see events, photos, and reminders as they happen and receive photos, news, and reminders on their smart device.

• Parents/carers can see reports on developmental milestones and curriculum themes.

• Develop and maintain positive and constructive relationships.

• Parents/carers continue the learning with their children at home.

• Support the appropriate use of technologies by children and educators and recognise that the children in our care will experience and engage with many forms of electronic media both in and out of the service.

Educators will

Consider the content and message of movies, television programs, electronic games and other devices and discuss these with children when deciding what is acceptable for them to engage with.

Not post information about the service, staff, management, families, visitors, or any matters relating to the service on a personal social networking site, i.e., Facebook.

Senior staff responsible for updating the App must not post names or recognisable photographs of staff, children, visitors, or family members without written permission.

In relation to their personal social media accounts, the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators, staff members and volunteers will not:

• Access their social media accounts on any device while educating and caring for children.

• Send or accept ‘friend requests’ from parents or family members that have children at the Service.

• Post any information about what happens at the Service.

• Post any photos taken at the service or on an excursion. If this occurs families will be contacted immediately. If possible, the social networking website will be contacted to delete the photos.

• Post any material that is offensive, defamatory, threatening, harassing, bullying, discriminatory or otherwise unlawful.

• Post any material that could bring their professional standing into disrepute.

• Post any material that could damage the employment relationship, the employer’s/Service’s reputation, or commercial interest, or bring the employer/Service into disrepute.

• Pose as a representative of the employer or express views on behalf of the employer.

• Use the service logo or email without permission.

• List the employer’s name on a Facebook page without permission.

• Disclose confidential, private, or sensitive information.

• Publicise workplace disputes.

The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will

• Use our Grievance Guidelines to investigate any circumstances where an employee or volunteer brings their professional standing into disrepute by posting information on their personal social media account that is offensive, defamatory, threatening, harassing, bullying, discriminatory or otherwise unlawful. A possible outcome of the investigation for employees is termination of employment.

• Use our Grievance Guidelines to investigate any circumstances where an employee or volunteer damages the reputation or commercial interests of the Service/employer through material posted on their social media account, including material that is confidential, private, or sensitive. A possible outcome of the investigation for employees is termination of employment.

• Use our Grievance Guidelines to investigate any instance where someone working at the Service is defamed, bullied, or harassed on social media by a family or community member connected to the Service. Families will not defame, harass, or bully any person working at the Service through social media and may face possible termination of their child’s place at our service if this occurs.

• Contact the police and other relevant authorities if a person working at the Service breaks the law in relation to social media e.g., through defamation or bullying.

Service Social Media Account

Our Service has a social media account to communicate and share information with our Service families and community.

The Nominated Supervisor will:

• obtain authorisation from a child’s parents before posting any photos of their child on-line. No children’s faces or identifying features will be visible online.

• Ensure no personal information about families and children is posted on-line,

• regularly change passwords to the account.

• activate password protected screen savers on all computers at the Service and ensure all social media users at the Service always log off before leaving.

• The centre director and admin manager will only have access to the social media page to maintain strict control of the information that is added.

• include specific conditions about social media usage in employee contracts eg prohibiting comments about the Service or families/children.

• regularly scan online content related to the Service.

Sources: National Quality Standard

Education and Care Services National Regulation

This policy is the property of Eikoh Seminar Australia Pty Ltd and must not be reproduced without the consent of management.