Photography and mobile phone policy

Mobile phones

Staff are not permitted to bring their mobile phones into the group room. Mobile phones are to be kept in the main office at all times. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in mobiles being confiscated until the end of a shift. A verbal warning will be given. If staff fail to follow procedures, they will have their phones locked in the main office each day until the end of their shifts whist employed at Little Steps. The only exception will be in the event of an emergency and mobile phone usage has been cleared with the principal. A senior member of staff is to take a phone on outings but is not permitted to use it to take photographs. Parents and visitors are requested not to use mobile phones in the nursery. They are asked to step outside if they need to use their phone.

Social networking sites

Use of social networking sites is not permitted whilst in the Little Steps setting and no member of staff is permitted to post photos of the children or comments naming the children. The nursery has a social network page which is for information only. Photographs of children are never posted. Security settings for the page are checked regularly.

Cameras

Photographs of children must only be taken on the nursery cameras, which must be locked in the office filing cabinet at the end of the day. Photographs are used for the children’s records and display purposes only. For any other purposes, separate written permission will be obtained. All photographs are printed on site using the nursery computer and printer. Photographs are never printed outside the nursery. If professionals in the nursery are using laptops or tablet devices they will be asked to cover or disable the camera whist in the setting.

Information storage

All photographs are stored on computer files and memory cards which are named and dated. The memory cards are stored in the filing cabinet in the office.