Sefton Park Cricket Club

Online Safety and Social Media Policy

Updated: April 2021

Aims

The aims of our policy are:

1. To protect all children and young people involved with our organisation and who make use of technology (such as mobile phones and the internet) while in our care
2. To provide staff and volunteers with policy and procedure information regarding online safety and inform them how to respond to incidents
3. To ensure our organisation is operating in line with our values and within the law regarding how we behave online

Understanding the online world

4. Understand the safety aspects- including what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour for staff and children- when using websites, social media, apps and other forms of digital communication
5. Be aware that it doesn’t matter what device is being used for digital interaction, but that the same safety aspects apply whether it is a computer, mobile phone or games console
6. When using social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), ensure that we adhere to relevant legislation and good practice guidelines
7. Regularly review existing safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that online safeguarding issues are fully integrated, including:
8. Making sure concerns of abuse or disclosures that take place online are written into our reporting procedures
9. Incorporating online bullying (‘cyberbullying’) in our anti-bullying policy
10. Provide training for the person responsible for managing our organisation’s online presence

Managing our online presence

Our online presence through our website or social media platforms will adhere to the following guidelines:

11. All social media accounts will be password-protected, and at least 3 members of staff or volunteers will have access to each account and password
12. The account will be monitored by a designated person, who will have been appointed by the club committee
13. The designated person managing our online presence will seek advice from our Welfare Officer to advice on safeguarding requirements
14. A designated supervisor will remove inappropriate posts by children or staff, explaining why, and informing anyone who may be affected (as well as the parents of any children involved)
15. Identifying details such as a child’s home address, school name or telephone number shouldn’t be posted on social media platforms
16. Any posts or correspondence will be consistent with our aims
17. We will make sure children and young people are aware of who manages our social media accounts and who to contact if they have any concerns about the running of the account
18. Parents will be asked to give their approval for us to communicate with their children through social media, or by any other means of communication
19. Parents will need to give their permission for photographs or videos of their child to be posted on social media
20. All of our accounts and email addresses will be appropriate and fit for purpose

What we expect of staff and volunteers

21. Volunteers should be aware of this policy and behave in accordance with it
22. Volunteers should seek the advice of the designated safeguarding lead if they have any concerns about the use of the internet or social media
23. Volunteers should seek the advice of the safeguarding lead if they have any concerns about the use of the internet or social media
24. Volunteers should communicate any messages they wish to send out to children and young people to the designated person responsible for the organisation’s online presence
25. Volunteers should not ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ children or young people from personal accounts on social media
26. Volunteers should make sure any content posted is accurate and appropriate, as young people may ‘follow’ them on social media
27. Volunteers should not communicate with young people via personal accounts or private messages
28. Rather than communicating with parents through personal social media accounts, volunteers should choose a more formal means of communication, such as face-to-face, in a email or in writing, or use an organisational account, profile or website
29. At least one other volunteer should be copied into any emails sent to children or young people
30. Volunteers should avoid communicating with children or young people via email outside of normal office hours
31. Emails should be signed off in a professional manner, avoiding the use of emojis or symbols such as ‘kisses’ (‘X’s)
32. Any disclosure of abuse through social media should be dealt with in the same way as a face-to-face disclosure, according to our reporting procedures
33. Smartphone users should respect the private lives of others and not take or distribute pictures of other people if it could invade their privacy
34. Volunteers and young people must not engage in ‘sexting’ or send pictures to anyone that are obscene, indecent or menacing

What we expect of children and young people

35. Children should be aware of this policy and agree to its terms
36. We expect children and young people’s behaviour online to be consistent with the guidelines set out in our acceptable use statement
37. Children should follow the guidelines set out in our acceptable use statement on all digital devices, including smartphones, tablets and consoles

Using mobile phones or other digital technology to communicate

When using mobile phones (or other devices) to communicate by voice, video or text (including texting, email and instant messaging), we will take the following precautions to ensure young people’s safety:

38. Volunteers will avoid having children’s or young people’s personal mobile numbers and will instead seek contact through a parent or guardian
39. We will seek parental permission on each occasion we need to contact children directly; the purpose for each contact will be clearly identified and agreed upon
40. A method of accountability will be arranged, such as copies of texts being sent to the club’s lead welfare officer or to parents
41. Volunteers should have a separate phone from their personal one for any contact with young people
42. Texts will be used for communicating information- such as reminding children or young people about upcoming events, which kit to bring to practice timings- and not to engage in conversation
43. If a young person misinterprets such communication and tries to engage a volunteer in conversation, the member of staff will take the following steps:
44. End the conversation or stop replying
45. Suggest discussing the subject further at the next practice or event
46. If concerned about the child or young person, provide contact details for the club’s lead welfare officer or appropriate agencies

Using mobile phones during sports activities

So that all children can enjoy and actively take part in sports activities, we discourage the use of mobile phones during such activities. As part of this policy we will:

47. Make children aware of how and who to contact if there is an emergency or a change to previously agreed arrangements with the organisation
48. Inform parents of appropriate times they can contact children during matches and discourage them from attempting contact outside of these times
49. Advise parents that it may not be possible to contact children during activities and provide a contact within the club or organisation who will be reachable should there be an emergency
50. Explain to young people how using mobile phones during activities has an impact on their safe awareness of their environment, and their level of participation and achievement

Use of other digital devices and programmes

The principles in this policy apply no matter which current or future technology is used - including computers, laptops, tablets, web-enabled games consoles and smart TVs - and whether an app, programme or website is used.

As an organisation, we commit to implementing this policy and addressing any concerns quickly and within these guidelines.

Sefton Park Cricket Club Management Board