To think this is a safeguarding issue?

[VTechnophobe]

There's a nursery in our town which has a hall attached that is hired out for parties. To get to the party venue guests go through the nursery cloak room with the names and pictures of all the children on the pegs.

Anyone could be attending a party and see who goes to the nursery. Isn't this a massive safeguarding issue? Should I report it?

First names or surnames too?

Who would you report it to?

Photos of the child with their first name could be an issue, you're right. The peg names should be taken down at a packaway preschool when the public can access the space. From what you're saying the nursery is permanent but their cloakroom is communal? Peg names with photos shouldn't be present.

There's nothing to "report", but speak to/email the manager with your concerns and it'll be rectified.

No it’s not. The guests don’t have access to the children. The nursery safeguarding policy should have details about visitors.

However if I ran the nursery I would remove the pictures and ensure I had a robust visitors policy. It’s a matter for the nursery to negotiate with the hall operators regarding access to the cloakroom if they would prefer it to be separate. However, I assume that parties occur when the children are not there, so removing the photos would be the easiest step and then there is no safeguarding issue. Suggest this. Safeguarding is preventing actual harm. No one has access to the children.

I can’t really see any risk to the children here. Someone might see their pictures and first names but what could they do with that information that would be a risk to nursery age children?

I think you are right to be concerned. This system would allow a predator to learn a child's name and possibly using this towards awful intentions. They shouldn't have photos there. First names without surnames, and with non-photo pictures, would be ok.

You realise virtually every school hires out its premises after hours? So on that ideal, every piece of artwork, photograph, display board in every corridor should be covered up - the ones that say Mary Smith, 5B Class rep, School Council etc or pictures of the school football/netball/rounders teams.

I read a harrowing story on here about a little girl who couldn't have her picture taken at any parties/displayed anywhere, because her abusive father was stalking her and her mother. I don't think the nursery should have names and pics visible to people passing through at all

Is it a safeguarding concern for parents to call their children by name in public places then? That also connects a name to a face.

I read a harrowing story on here about a little girl who couldn't have her picture taken at any parties/displayed anywhere, because her abusive father was stalking her and her mother.

That is an extreme case, and the school will be aware that no photos are to be taken or published of a child subject to a court order, or indeed the 'no photos' box on the admissions form.

I do know once the new rules on GDPR came into force our school stopped doing this. First names on pegs is ok. First names linked to surnames not ok. Names linked to photos not ok. The only exception to this is when expression permission has been granted by the representative of the student (ie the person holding parental responsibility).

expression = express

Plain Yes it's an extreme case and that's why it stuck with me. Presumably it developed into an extreme case and something like this wouldn't have helped before it got to such a stage. As someone else said above people could use knowledge of a child's name for frightening purposes. It would concern me if I saw it

The nursery will have asked for photo consent from parents for use in the press etc as well directly in the nursery. Providing that no child without photo consent is displayed I would presume it would be covered by that.

shazkiwi Like so many, you seem to be suggesting that GDPR stops any processing of personal information without consent. That is so far from reality as to be laughable.

Whilst that might be the position your school has taken, it is by no way the general rule which applies post GDPR - displaying kids pictures, names, artwork etc in a school premises doesn't need express consent from anyone, its part and parcel of delivery education to children and promoting the school community so the lawfulness arises from performance of the public task of educating children.

From what I understand of GDPR in our school there shouldn’t be 2 pieces of info about the child in one place ie only first names on books not first and surname. Photos are fine and first names in work but phot with name would be two pieces of info therefore against GDPR rules. Not particularly a safe guarding issue but more of a breech of GDPR regarding sharing personal information. Definitely worth bringing to the attention of whoever runs the play group as they have probably not realised they are in breech!

It’s not safeguarding its date protection.

No first name and surname? Good grief. How do they differentiate between Jack 1 and Jack 2, Mia-Jade 1, 2, and 3, all the Ellie-Maes and the four Alfies?

Just keep your kids locked indoors and never tell anyone their names or you could make them wear masks.

I know it’s nuts isn’t it! We can put Jane.D and Jane.S but I’m not even sure if we are breaking protocol doing that!

Definitely not a safeguarding issue.

From what I understand of GDPR

Which you’ve just demonstrated to be very little.

No. Nurseries and schools have massive security and safeguarding protocols. When my DCs were in nursery anyone who picked them up other than parents ie grandparents, had to have a codeword to be let in.
At school - infants - anyone other than parents collecting had to be written in a book or if last-minute, you’d call school if delayed. Pupils were not released until the parent was seen.
I doubt any random paedo would even remember a name and grainy photo from a peg, plus how would they even gain access to a nursery aged child who is always with a adult?

I d be concerned if there are photos, not necessarily because of predators but more for children fleeing domestic violence or in foster care due to abuse. This is one of the reasons schools and nurseries forbid parents from sharing photos from school events on social media. I would certainly raise it with the nursery manager.

Why on earth do they have photos of the child on the peg? Never seen that before. We have first names only with a picture beginning with the first letter of their name. Eg Alex and picture of apple.

I d be concerned if there are photos, not necessarily because of predators but more for children fleeing domestic violence or in foster care due to abuse

Nurseries have to ask parents/carers permission to take and display photos of children so if this was the case they would be aware and the parent would have refused permission.