Online Safety

Online Safety Policy

Providers are responsible for ensuring they follow the current version of the framework for their provider type.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Cyber security policy, Data protection and confidentiality policy, Acceptable internet use policy and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy notice.

Our nursery is aware of the growth of the internet and technology and the advantages this can bring to everyday life. However, it is also aware of the dangers it can pose and we strive to support children, staff and families to use the internet safely.

We refer to to support this policy. 'Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety considerations’

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is ultimately responsible for online safety concerns. All concerns need to be raised as soon as possible to Maxine Ross (Croydon), Millicent Brown (Lewisham), Valdine McGregor (Bromley).

The use of technology has become a significant component of many safeguarding issues such as child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and sexual predation with technology often providing the platform that facilitates harm.

The breadth of issues included within online safety is considerable, but can be categorised into three areas of risk:

• Content: being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful material; for example, pornography, fake news, racist or radical and extremist views
• Contact: being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users; for example commercial advertising as well as adults posing as children or young adults, and
• Conduct: personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm; for example making, sending and receiving explicit images, or online bullying.

Within the nursery we aim to keep children, staff and parents safe online. Our safety measures include:

• Ensuring we have appropriate antivirus and anti-spyware software on all devices and update them regularly
• Ensuring content blockers and filters are on all our devices, e.g. computers, laptops, tablets and any mobile devices
• Ensuring all devices are password protected and have screen locks. Practitioners are reminded to use complex strong passwords, keep them safe and secure, change them regularly and not to write them down
• Monitoring all internet usage across the setting
• Providing secure storage of all nursery devices at the end of each day
• Ensuring no social media or messaging apps are installed on nursery devices
• Reviewing all apps or games downloaded onto devices ensuring they are age and content appropriate
• Using only nursery devices to record and/or photograph children in the setting
• Ensuring that staff do not to use personal electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities, including mobile phones, smart watches and cameras
• Never emailing personal or financial information
• Reporting emails with inappropriate content to the internet watch foundation (IWF )www.iwf.org.uk
• Teaching children how to stay safe online and report any concerns they have
• Ensuring children are supervised when using internet connected devices
• Using tracking software to monitor suitability of internet usage (for older children)
• Not permitting staff or visitors private access to the nursery Wi-Fi
• Talking to children about ‘stranger danger’ and deciding who is a stranger and who is not; comparing people in real life situations to online ‘friends’
• When using online video chat, such as Zoom, Teams, Skype, FaceTime etc. (where applicable) discussing with the children what they would do if someone they did not know tried to contact them
• Providing training for staff, at least annually, in online safety and understanding how to keep children safe online. We encourage staff and families to complete a free online safety briefing, which can be found at https://ndna.org.uk/product/free-online-safety-in-early-years/
• Staff modelling safe practice when using technology with children and ensuring all staff abide by an acceptable use policy such as instructing staff to use the nursery IT equipment for matters relating to the children and their education and care only. No personal use will be tolerated (see Acceptable internet use policy)
• Monitoring children’s screen time to ensure they remain safe online and have access to material that promotes their development. We ensure that their screen time is within an acceptable level and is integrated within their programme of learning
• Making sure the physical safety of users is considered, including the posture of staff and children when using devices
• Being aware of the need to manage our digital reputation, including the appropriateness of information and content that is posted online, both professionally and personally. This is continually monitored by the setting’s management
• Staff must not friend or communicate with parents on personal devices or social media accounts
• Ensuring all electronic communications between staff and parents is professional and takes place via the official nursery communication channels, e.g. the setting’s email addresses and telephone numbers. This is to protect staff, children and parents
• Signposting parents to appropriate sources of support regarding online safety at home.

If any concerns arise relating to online safety, then we will follow our Safeguarding children and child protection policy and report all online safety concerns to the DSL.

The DSL will make sure that:

• All staff know how to report a problem and when to escalate a concern, including the process for external referral
• All concerns are logged, assessed and actioned in accordance with the nursery’s safeguarding procedures
• Parents are supported to develop their knowledge of online safety issues concerning their children via photograph consent, JLK Stories platform, tablet use in rooms
• Parents are offered support to help them talk about online safety with their children using appropriate resources
• Parents are signposted to appropriate sources of support regarding online safety at home and are fully supported to understand how to report an online safety concern
• Staff have access to information and guidance for supporting online safety, both personally and professionally
• Under no circumstances should any member of staff, either at work or in any other place, make, deliberately download, possess, or distribute material they know to be illegal, for example child sexual abuse material.