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Cameras, Filming and Image Messaging

• Schools should make their policies clear in their School Handbook on the use of cameras and recording equipment within school, for example during sporting events, shows and other activities
• Parents and pupils should know who to contact if they wish to request that any images of them are not used in school publications, on the internet, or in the local media (or if their circumstances change and they would like images removed)
• It may be preferable that parents provide explicit consent to their children / young people being filmed or photographed (by the school or other parents) before their participation in activities that make this likely.

Parental photography and filming

Parental filming or photography of events involving pupils limits the control that the school or other parents have over any images of a child. There are some examples of practice which may inform schools and authorities when developing their local policies.

In cases where a request has been made by a parent or pupil that they are not filmed or photographed, the school should judge the appropriate action and consult their education authority for advice. It may be possible to restrict filming during events or performances and allow managed photo-opportunities during or after the event from which some children and young people can be removed, without compromising their participation in the event as a whole.

Some organisations ask that those wishing to film or photograph their children during activities (for example at a swimming gala or gymnastics competition) register their equipment on arrival. Their equipment is then given an identification tag, so that anyone seen using equipment without a tag can be challenged. Any inappropriate use of images subsequently discovered can also potentially be traced back to the event and those who registered equipment.

Image messaging

Pupils' inappropriate use of digital imaging by mobile phone messaging must also be considered. There is the potential for images to be used to bully or harass others, or for pupils to gain gratification from capturing images (of incidents inside or outside school) and sharing these by text or on the internet. Schools may wish to consider agreeing with pupils and parents strict guidelines on the use of mobile phones in schools.

Mobile Phones

Schools may consider areas of the school in which mobile phones cannot be used (apart from during learning) such as changing rooms and toilets.

Children and young people with a parent or close relative in prison

It is estimated that around 13,500 children and young people in Scotland have a parent or close relative in prison. Children and young people in these circumstances may require support from schools in a number of ways:

• a child or young person may be affected by the process of trial and sentencing. At this time, there will be a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty in the family, and, for younger children, the procedures may be difficult to understand. There may be media coverage of the trial which will add to their distress
• when the parent or relative is sent to prison, children and young people may experience a deep sense of loss, a sense of shame or guilt, and especially in the case of a parent being sent to prison, anxiety about how the family will manage. The family may be losing an income and possibly their home, children may be moved to live with other relatives or carers, or may be taken into care
• the stigma associated with imprisonment may discourage the family from openly discussing their situation with their children, or with others outside the family, especially schools.

Schools may help by:

• focusing on the child's need for help and support - parents can be asked to discuss the child's or young person's needs without reference to the family's circumstances, if communication is difficult. Confidentiality can be assured to both pupil and parent
• where the circumstances of the family have been openly discussed with the school, the school can offer to provide progress reports to the parent in prison as with any other separated family
• prison visits are often conducted during the working week, and will necessitate time off school for a pupil who is visiting their parent or relative in prison. This can be authorised under 'exceptional domestic circumstances'. After visits, pupils may again show signs of being upset or withdrawn
• the school can be aware of the pupil's peer support in the school, and ensure that other pupils are not stigmatising the child or young person because of their parent or relative's circumstances.

Family mobility prior to release of a prisoner

On occasion, a family may fear the release of a prisoner - whether a parent or relative, or some other connection. This may be because of violence previously committed against the family or threats of violence in connection with witnesses in trials, etc. Or, relationships may have broken down during imprisonment of a partner.

In these circumstances, families may fear disclosure of information about the family's whereabouts or fear their children will be contacted by the released ex-prisoner. In normal good practice, schools would ensure that details of children are never released to unknown individuals (see Identification of Callers, Access to Information and Access to Schools). However, where the 'estranged' parent would ordinarily have the right to receive information about their child, parents may need help to apply for restrictions of access to information, for which information about local advice centres and legal advice will be useful.

A further response to fear is for families to relocate suddenly, in order to avoid contact with the person to be released from prison. In these circumstances staff should follow the procedures described in the section of this handbook on 'Children Missing Education'. Schools receiving families that obviously wish to obscure details of their past to avoid being traced may have a rational reason for this. Schools should consider with their education authority Child Protection in Education Manager whether steps can legitimately be taken to support a transfer of files with restricted information.

Imprisonment following conviction for a crime against a child victim

When a crime has been committed against a child or young person, any subsequent trial and imprisonment of the accused may be distressing for them (see Supporting Children who are Victims or Witnesses in Court Proceedings). The child or young person and their family may have mixed feelings about the length of prison sentence or the value of imprisonment as a symbol of justice. Some young people may regard the sentencing as a point of closure on the painful process from crime to court; but feel let down when this point passes and their emotions are still in turmoil. Some children and young people may feel guilty themselves that they have been the 'cause' of someone's imprisonment. Some children and young people may also fear the release date of the accused. Victim support services may help, or a school may consider whether support is required such as a Co-ordinated Support Plan (see Additional Support Needs and Co-ordinated Support Plans), or whether support is required for the wider family as well as the pupil.

Any member of the public including, of course, members of staff, can make a referral to the Reporter if they believe a child is in need of compulsory measures of supervision.

Providing reports on a child to a hearing

The Reporter will request a report from the school on the educational progress and welfare of any child of school age who has been referred to the panel. The headteacher is responsible for ensuring that the report is completed by the person who knows the pupil best, and returned to the Reporter within the stipulated timescale. The report should provide as full a picture of the child as possible and state why compulsory measures may be needed.

The Reporter has to make a decision on how to proceed, on the basis of the reports provided, so it is essential these concentrate on the key points. Parents and children over 12 will see these reports.

If the Reporter decides a hearing is required, then the report will also be considered in some detail by the panel members, and staff may be asked to discuss it. The input of school staff is valued by the Hearing.

Attending a hearing

The Children's Hearing may ask that someone from the school attends the Hearing to share their views on the child. There will be three panel members, who must be a mixed gender and age. One of the panel members will chair the Hearing. The child must usually attend, and the parent, with any representatives they choose to support them. This may be a friend or lay person, but there may also be a legal representative if there is a possibility that the Hearing will recommend secure accommodation for the child. However, legal aid is not available for attendance at a Hearing, but is available for other stages, if the court has to be involved in deciding evidence or an appeal. Free legal advice will be made available prior to the Hearing to help inform the child or parent about their rights during a hearing or to help them contest the grounds for referral. (If a child or parent does not agree with the grounds for referral, then a Sheriff has to decide whether the case is established and should be referred to a Hearing.) The Hearing is meant to be conducted in a child-friendly manner, in an informal room around a table. If the child is uncomfortable or distressed by the presence of other representatives then they may be asked to leave while the child gives their views. However, the chair of the panel will then explain what has been discussed when the
representatives return.

Any school staff invited to attend a Hearing should ensure that they are well-prepared with, for example, up-to-date information on the pupil's attendance, achievement and behaviour and attitude in school. They should be prepared to give a well-considered and objective view on any aspects of the pupil's emotional and physical wellbeing in school, as well as any educational issues.

A Hearing is not a court, where witnesses or those providing reports will be challenged on their evidence or information. It is a tribunal. The press is entitled to attend Hearings, but may not reveal the identity of the child in any accounts of the proceedings.

All very young children are at risk of harm, if allowed to leave nursery or primary school, or other facilities, unaccompanied. This risk may be significantly increased for those whose journeys home may mean the crossing of busy main roads. However, at the end of the school day, there may be large numbers of children and parents moving in and out of school. Children themselves must be aware of the importance of leaving school in the way that they are happy with themselves and that their parent has arranged. Good practice includes:

• regular consultation with parents on 'collection' policy and encouragement to parents to consider with the establishment appropriate ages and stages of development when children might be allowed to make their way to and from the establishment independently
• ensuring that very young children are dropped off and collected by a safe, known adult, and checking that this is the person who collects them at the end of the day
• parents/carers are asked to give advance notice of any concerns regarding collection of their child by non-contact adults. Parents should be asked to provide details of access arrangements that restrict another parent's access to children ( e.g. evidence of any injunction). The school should maintain clear records of named individuals who are not permitted to collect particular children (for example an estranged parent)
• parents should be asked to support the school in ensuring that children are aware of who will be collecting them and making any changes to these arrangements known to the child and the school
• staff present at home time should be aware of adults collecting the child who may not be in a fit state to care for the child. If there are any doubts on this matter the parental emergency contact number should be used to identify another appropriate adult who can collect the child, or, if no alternative is available, staff should contact their social work department and ask them for advice (see Drug Use)
• where a child who is due to be collected is not collected, s/he being retained in school until an adult can be contacted to find out the problem and agree a solution
• supervising younger pupils who may require to remain in school for the school bus until the end of the longer afternoon session for older pupils
• develop a school protocol on what to do if a child refuses to go home with the adult who is (legitimately) collecting them
• ensure clear contractual arrangements when pupils, including those with additional support needs, are transported to school by bus or taxi, regarding handover arrangements both between home and transport, and school and transport, supervision if transport arrives before the start of the school day, and action to be taken if in the event of any emergency situation arising during the journey.

"When I saw someone else's child left in the playground after hometime, I was pleased to see the staff took care of things. We all want to feel there is a safety net."
(parent)

Many children and young people are involved in citizenship activities and opportunities for pupil participation where some form of volunteering is an important aspect of their learning and education for personal and social development.

The following issues should be considered by staff making arrangements for children's and young people's volunteering:

Peer to peer

• children and young people receive training for their role in helping other pupils
• children and young people are aware of the limits of their role in helping other pupils, and know which member of staff they should seek help from
• children and young people are involved in setting guidelines for their conduct when helping other pupils
• older young people are not left to supervise young children without adult support
• one-to-one buddying, paired reading or tutorial support between older and younger pupils should take place in view of staff.

Children and Young People in the Community

• organisations hosting volunteer placements have been assessed for their suitability, supervision of the volunteer, their own staff/volunteer safety policies
• the nature of the activity is suitable for the children or young people
• any involvement with other vulnerable members of the community is safe for both them and the volunteer pupils
• pupil volunteers are properly prepared for their placement with advice on appropriate conduct and personal safety
• young people undertaking activities more independently have a member of staff they can contact at all times
• there are arrangements with the host organisation to contact the school if there are difficulties or if the young person fails to arrive
• transport arrangements to and from the placement are known by the school, the host and the parent.

Volunteer Development Scotland can provide further information and advice on volunteering guidelines and volunteering in schools, tel: 01786 479593. web: www.pupilvolunteering.org .

See also Disclosure Checking

"We want to be trusted and to take responsibility. But we want teachers to support us as well. We don't want it to get heavy."
(Buddies project)

The huge benefits of ICT to teachers and learners bring some risks, which can be minimised. Risks include exposure to obscene and/or violent material, bullying or intimidation through e-mail, identification through access to a school website, and contact in chat rooms with adults who wish to exploit them (grooming).

A range of specialised guidance is available to schools, including Click Thinking www.ngflscotland.gov.uk/doubleclickthinking published by the Scottish Executive, and a Superhighway Safety information pack obtainable from the BECTA website.

A chatsafer website ( www.chatsafer.com.uk ) has been set up to provide people with more information on how to surf the internet safely.

Managing ICT infrastructure for child safety

Education authorities, schools and other establishments, should have in place an appropriate filtering system to protect users from exposure to unsuitable materials during internet searches. Establishments should have in place an 'Acceptable Use Policy' for staff and learners and share this with parents or young users. This should include guidance on aspects relating to child safety:

• the content of school or establishment websites, and how the establishment manages the risks of identification of individual children or issues of consent
• the safe use of internal and external e-mail
• establishment responses to inappropriate messaging through e-mail
• safe access (if any) to chat rooms
• protocols in relation to internet searches
• monitoring arrangements and means of identifying any children and young people or staff accessing inappropriate materials.

Establishments should consider their responsibility to provide accessible information for young people in relation to sexual health. The internet provides discrete access to information for young people who may be too embarrassed to directly request information on sexuality or sexual health. Good information encourages responsible relationships and safe behaviour, and so contributes to personal safety. A balanced approach to filtering in relation to key words and age-appropriate access may be appropriate to ensure such information can be available, or if it is not to be available, alternative discrete access to other forms of information by young people should be pro-actively offered.

Enabling children and young people to use ICT safely

The greatest protection for children and young people lies in their safe use of computers wherever they are. These are skills which can and should be taught progressively wherever children and young people learn with, or have access to computers. Children and young people should be enabled to:

• have a critical perspective of the virtual worlds and realities presented on the net
• respond appropriately to e-mails and chat conversations, including telling staff or parents of inappropriate approaches
• know when, where and how it is appropriate to share personal information.

Use of the internet for 'grooming'

The Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill was introduced in October 2004. This legislation will create a new offence to deal with predatory sex offenders who seek to win the confidence of children by 'grooming' with the aim of later abusing them. This will allow the police to step in before a sex offender has even met his intended victim.

If a member of staff suspects that a child or young person is preparing to meet an unknown correspondent that they have 'met' in a chatroom, the child's parents should be contacted to alert them to the risks of children meeting unknown correspondents unaccompanied.

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