Guest Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I am looking at the possibility of installing these at our pre-school. Does anybody have any experience, good or bad of these that I need to know about? Staff all willing to look at the possibilities, I hadn't expected such a positive response. Also does anybody know of any companies that provide such equipment, and what the costs are. Thankyou Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Can I just ask why you are thinking of doing this? Has something happened that has made you think this is a good idea or have parents approached you? Sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I had been chatting with my family and we were talking along the lines of 'what would you do if money was no object.....' I came up with the idea that I would like to open and run a private nursery, to make my nursery something different, to set it apart from the rest, I thought about having cameras set up in the main room so that working parents in particular would have the chance to see their children at Nursery. This is very much a dream at the moment, nothing has happened in our pre-school to make me think that they would be a good idea, but seems to be the ultimate way to share information with parents. Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Gosh! If money was no object, cameras would be the last thing I'd think of installing! I wouldn't want to work in a setting where cameras were on all the time - not that I've got anything to hide but I hate having my picture taken, so the idea of being on camera the whole time I was at work would be too awful to contemplate! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I can see why some parents would like the idea. I would love to be a fly on the wall at my daughters' schools sometimes. I did consider something similar for my childminding and I asked a couple of friends who run nurseries what they thought. One pointed out that actions seen from one not very clear angle without the rest of the context being apparent could be easily mis-interpreted by parents. You could be open to parents questioning every minor incident where they may feel that their child was not being fairly treated. I imagine it would be very expensive and time consuming to set up because of the security requirements. You would need to think about whether you needed to restrict parents to only viewing when their child was present, etc. I think what really stopped my was the fact that I am working in my own home and what might happen if I forgot to turn off the camera at the end of the day! I dread to think what some parent might see I do the next best thing now. I take photos throughout the day and email them to parents at work when I have a quiet couple of minutes so they can see what their child is doing. That way costs a lot less and I get to control and annotate the image. Not that I have anything to hide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Wow Upsey Daisy, what a fantastic idea emailing photos. I too had thought of all the negative points you mentioned, I also hate my photo being taken, but perhaps seeing my huge bottom and belly on screen might finally make me attempt to loose weight!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Funnily enough I too had considered the motivational benefits re dieting of being on camera constantly. That's another advantage of emailing pictures. I am BEHIND the camera rather than having my behind ON camera! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Perhaps I did have something to hide after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 LOL Upsy Daisy. I will have to make sure staff catch 'my thin side' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 There was something about this on a programme recently (Who's Watching You? or something like that). There have been cases where nurseries installed some sort of camera system and parents had secure passwords to view the images. However, it was found that the images were not particularly secure and it was relatively easy to hack into. One company was streaming the images to the internet with no security at all! The nurseries involved were horrified as they thought that the images were fully secure. Additionally, how can you regulate who is watching even if it is secure and only accessible through passwords. Billys mum might give the password to Auntie Betty and Auntie Betty's new boyfriend watches too. Only they don't know that the boyfriend actually has unsavoury tendencies......... I for one wouldn't be happy to have such a system at my setting, nor would I want images of my children streamed on the internet and have no control or knowledge who may be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I think that children are in a safe and secure place at nursery and surveillance is something that isn't necessary. Even if the 'nanny cam' is for the best of reasons, so that parents can see their children whilst at play, it is open to all kinds of abuse. Who is watching? Who are they watching? How are they reacting to what they see? One parent may see another child doing something they don't approve of and then gossip about it to others. Some parents may misinterpret a situation, or have bias towards their own child in a situation which could cause problems for staff and other children. All parents would have to agree to the children being watched otherwise it would not be possible to do it. I wonder if there are issues with privacy and confidentiality as well? There is enough 'big brother' in the outside world without young children feeling that they are being watched all the time, and I wouldn't like to think everything I did was going to be scrutinised, and possibly criticised or questioned. I want to be able to relax, and the children need to be relaxed and private if they wish. Parents have access to learning journeys, they can volunteer to help, they can have photos of their child, and they can talk to staff which should be enough surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Is it me or am I the only one thinking that if money was no object the last thing I'd do is open my own nursery!!!! I'm a Manager now and don't get me wrong I love my job and chosen career, but as for opening and owning my own nursery.............ugh I'm having nightmares just thinking about it lol!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueFinanceManager Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Hi Interesting conversation. Personally, when I worked in my setting I was able to play and for want of a better phrase, be silly and sing off key and do all the strange actions to rhymes and songs and get smothered in paint or flour or whatever we were doing because I didn't feel self concious around the children and my colleagues. I was always a bit more reserved when ever we had a visitor in the setting and if I had had a camera on me then I am not sure I would ever have felt I could behave naturally. I know it is nice for working parents to see their children but I do think photos are great and pieces of work and art that are then shared and discussed are better. It might be quite nice for some children to be able to be themselves without their parents watching.....can you imagine a child going home and being asked why it didn't do this or that because mum or dad had been watching? Also we had children who did things for us that they would not do for mum and dad.....what if mum could see that and then start pressuring the child at home. I think the more I think about this the less I like the idea.....sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Thank you all for your comments. I love my job and even if I won millions on the Lottery I would still do it. Suppose I was just trying to think of ways to improve our setting, but I have to agree with all of your comments, I do not know enough about these yet and a lot of research would have to be done before I contemplated installing them. Thanks again Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 The Foundation Stage Forum at its best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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