Nursery staff using personal phone to take photos

[WeatherDependant]

hello , so I have a DSIL who started working as an apprentice in a nursery few weeks go.

today we were discussing how the nursery role is going etc and she told me how the staff use their own personal phones to photograph the children for the app as the nursery camera is slow to use. Surely this is not ok??

my DS1 goes to a different nursery and I think they use a nursery ipad but I’m definitely going to check about this.

im just worried about safeguarding!! Maybe im
over thinking this

thanks

Absolutely right to be concerned. I don't think that's right at all!

Absolutely inappropriate. No one should have personal devices anywhere near the children in their care. Haven’t they heard of Vincent Chan? Total and utter safeguarding failure. She needs to leave and join a nursery that actually understands safeguarding, and then report this one.

This is NOT ok. Personal phones should be locked away, and they should never be used to take photos of children. I work in a school and this is a safeguarding red flag.

100000000% not ok.

Could it be a work phone that stays in the nursery???

But if using personal phones is standard practice in this setting then they need to be reported. Massive safeguarding breach.

I was asked to use my personal phone working for NHS. I refused. She should leave it in her locker.

I thought this myself. She said she wasn’t comfortable using her own phone.

im at a loss because it’s her first job / apprentice after struggling to get work due to MH. She is so lovely and kind and gentle I just don’t know how i could report the nursery without affecting her??

You can and should report anonymously to Ofsted.

You’re right, i think I’m going to do this. It’s just utterly utterly insane this is allowed to happen

We aren't allowed our phones in the rooms with the children and the majority of nurseries I know are the same. That is protection for children and staff.

Locker otherwise (a) distraction from the job and (b) safeguarding issue.

This is obvious so what else are they missing?

That’s a huge safeguarding risk! I’m a childminder, so do use my personal phone for photos, but I won’t let anyone else in my property use their phones. When I have an inspection I make it clear that the inspectors phone should be switched off and kept in their bag, if they need to use it then they must go outside to do so. Same goes for the local authority or any other outside agency.

I would report to Ofsted and also ICO as this is a data breech.

Massive safeguarding breach! All phones should be signed in and stored securely in the office. Managers should also be doing random checks to make sure the number of phones stored match the number signed in.

I work in a nursery; our phones have to be in a box in the staff room- we aren’t even allowed to leave them in our bags in the cupboard. All staff phones have to be accounted for.

Same goes for smart watches and glasses.

At my nursery personal phones are put in a safe on entry and collected on leaving. It’s been that way for …. Must be 15 years or more

I’m glad I reached out. I’m going to double check at my own DS’s nursery too.