Policy statement
Parents/carers have the right to decide whether their child(ren)’s photograph may be taken and United Adventure Camps will adhere to their decision.
Photography of children for use in promotional literature or training materials, either stills or video, must not take place without the permission of parents. A box on the Camp Attendance form is used for this purpose and must be checked prior to photography.
Parents taking photographs or video of their children during public events is acceptable except in the swimming pool where this is not allowed.
Ensure that the use of mobile phones with cameras is controlled in the same way.
Social Media Policy
United Adventure Camps recognises that many staff enjoy networking with friends and family via social media. However we have to balance this against our duty to maintain the confidentiality of children and parents attending our Camp, as well as ensuring that our good reputation is upheld. Staff must remember that they are ambassadors for our Camp both within and outside of working hours and are expected to conduct themselves accordingly when using social media sites.
This policy covers (but is not limited to) social media platforms such as:
- YouTube
- Tumblr
- Personal blogs and websites
- Comments posted on third party blogs or websites
- Online forums
Social media rules
When using social media sites, staff must not:
- Post anything that could damage our Camp’s reputation.
- Post anything that could offend other members of staff, parents or children using our Camp.
- Publish any photographs or materials that could identify the children or our Camp.
- Accept invitations from parents to connect via social media (eg friend requests on Facebook) unless they already know the parent in a private capacity.
- Discuss with parents any issues relating to their child or our Camp. Instead invite the parent to raise the issue when they are next at the Camp, or to contact the Manager if the matter is more urgent.
Any member of staff who posts content or comments that breach confidentiality or which could harm the reputation of our Camp or other staff members, or who publishes photographs of the setting or children, will face disciplinary action in line with our Staff Disciplinary policy.
General cautions for using social media
When using social media in any context it is wise to bear in mind the following points:
No information published via the internet is ever totally secure; if you don’t want information to become public, do not post it online.
Once an image or information is in the public domain, it is potentially there forever – Google never forgets!
Related policies
See also: Mobile Phone policy, Confidentiality policy, Staff Disciplinary policy, Safeguarding policy.
