GFCCCC Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Hello all, Just wondered if anyone has a policy about staff wearing these, I have a few staff that got these items for Christmas and want to wear them at work - to count steps etc.! However, I understand some of them link to the internet and therefore am not sure what rules to put in place regarding their use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Interesting question - one of my staff members wears a fitbit - naively i hadn't given it a thought...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFCCCC Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 We have asked someone from the LA safeguarding team for guidance but she's not sure so plans to bring it up at their next meeting with Ofsted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 1 hour ago, GFCCCC said: We have asked someone from the LA safeguarding team for guidance but she's not sure so plans to bring it up at their next meeting with Ofsted. The answer will be 'what does your policy say' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceinWonderland Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 I don't know much about these items but my instinct is to ask if they have any kind of camera or recording ability, ( I don't think fitbits do but not got a clue about Iwatch). If they do then it would be the same rule as for mobile phones. What sort of capability do they have for connecting to the internet? is it just to link their steps or can they actually search online? If this is the case then i would treat them under same rules as using the internet on any other device in the setting, no personal use etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) iwatches and fitbits may not have a camera function but what about similar looking watches that do, how would we know what someone’s watch is capable of (they all look the same to me) Edited February 22, 2018 by Mouseketeer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliewilk Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I’m pretty sure all that my Apple Watch 3 can do is operate the camera on my phone remotely. It can’t actually take photos of whatever it can see. If my phone is in my bag the Apple Watch would only be able to take photos of the inside of my bag. If you’re concerned that staff may be distracted by receiving notifications on their watch while working you could ask them to switch their phone off or set their watch to cinema mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 We don't allow staff to wear an Apple iwatch or similar Garmin devices. Fitbits are ok though if they are purely step counters. We would not allow anything that gave messages linked from a phone for safeguarding reasons. Our safeguarding policy, use of mobile phones and cameras policy (this would count as use of a mobile phone as they are linking in real time) and our whistleblowing policy would come into effect here. We rely on staff to uphold our safeguarding policies at all times and report to us anything that they thought did not meet our expectations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I think that’s all we can do Rebecca, there is no way we can stop the worst happening if someone really wants to, no matter how much locking away, signing in and out of mobile phones we have in place we cannot frisk staff every morning to make sure they don’t have anything else on them that could be used to record images whether another mobile phone, a camera pen or some fancy watch, we can only do the best we can with robust policies and procedures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 do you think early years are a bit hung up about these things? i often walk round schools and the teachers have their mobile phones with them...yet they are still teaching children in the EYFS and are probably less policed as there can be a teacher and one assistant for a group. Actually i think fitbits are a great idea...surely we should be encouraging all our staff to keep fit and teach the children to do so too? Apple watches do have more capabilities but most of these are controlled by your phone to my knowledge (which is very limited!!) As technology increases we are going to have more and more of these issues....i suspect we are going to have to move away from the "lets ban everything" model and emphasise the lets make sure our staff are 'safe' 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSFRebecca Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Yes, I agree fitbits are a great idea! If it encourages staff to move about more in the garden it gets my vote. If it was one linked to a phone we could also ask that the phone (which is out of the way) was switched off, then any messages from the phone would n't distract staff while they were working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 5 hours ago, finleysmaid said: do you think early years are a bit hung up about these things? i often walk round schools and the teachers have their mobile phones with them...yet they are still teaching children in the EYFS and are probably less policed as there can be a teacher and one assistant for a group. Actually i think fitbits are a great idea...surely we should be encouraging all our staff to keep fit and teach the children to do so too? Apple watches do have more capabilities but most of these are controlled by your phone to my knowledge (which is very limited!!) As technology increases we are going to have more and more of these issues....i suspect we are going to have to move away from the "lets ban everything" model and emphasise the lets make sure our staff are 'safe' Yes I totally agree. We have a very up to date mobile phone policy which I feel reflects our needs as a setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 7 hours ago, finleysmaid said: do you think early years are a bit hung up about these things? i often walk round schools and the teachers have their mobile phones with them...yet they are still teaching children in the EYFS and are probably less policed as there can be a teacher and one assistant for a group. Actually i think fitbits are a great idea...surely we should be encouraging all our staff to keep fit and teach the children to do so too? Apple watches do have more capabilities but most of these are controlled by your phone to my knowledge (which is very limited!!) As technology increases we are going to have more and more of these issues....i suspect we are going to have to move away from the "lets ban everything" model and emphasise the lets make sure our staff are 'safe' I am also inclined to agree with you fm - but I don't think we will ever be able to turn the clock back as the Vanessa George case highlighted the need for extra vigilance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 3 minutes ago, sunnyday said: I am also inclined to agree with you fm - but I don't think we will ever be able to turn the clock back as the Vanessa George case highlighted the need for extra vigilance agreed but the serious case review for this case also highlights all the other issues that indicated a problem way before the photographs....we should never say never but i just don't know how we are going to embrace technology without these issues coming up ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Just now, finleysmaid said: agreed but the serious case review for this case also highlights all the other issues that indicated a problem way before the photographs....we should never say never but i just don't know how we are going to embrace technology without these issues coming up ! Agreed fm - there were many, many red flags, but sadly no action was taken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynne28 Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Hi i think fit bits should be allowed, especially as it will motivate staff to move around, and i would say that the ones i have seen do not have any cameras. I also understand that phones eg anything with cameras should not be allowed in early years however i am a bit astonished to know that paediatric nurses can carry their phones around the ward with them. Why is it always us that need to be making policies/procedures and having them in place. I would like to make it clear that i agree with no mobiles/cameras but it also looks like double standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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