This was a very interesting meeting and led to many differing perspectives. We agreed that it would be beneficial to share good practice and NAFP to support members by providing some good practice guidance - please forward your existing policy (some agencies did not have a policy around this), so we can incorporate some of the great practice being adopted.
- What is its purpose - it was agreed by all that there should be no recording to evidence children's behaviour, shame children - however, a few said that it had been used to share with children at a later date in a therapeutic way to help them understand - however, this was not agreed by most of the group, discussion around children’s trauma, level of understanding etc - is this a “family environment” - would we do this with our own children?
- Rights of children - does the above violate their right to privacy
- Outside cameras - many homes appear to have this, most thought this was reasonable and there are many examples of this - “ring doorbell”
- Parent and child - has been used above a cot to ensure the child is safe and also example of used to monitor if there is co-sleeping with parent and child
- Carers bedroom - example of camera directed at carers room to see who is approaching - carers were told to take this down
- Carers bedroom - UV - example of serious case review - cameras monitoring children and camera in bathroom - carer jailed (need to find this review)
- Monitoring v Recording - discussion re the difference
- Children should be informed if there are any recording devices in the home and clear they are not being used to record the child
- Recording devices - many out there and many people do not know they are able to do this - eg alexa type devices, echo etc - would be helpful to have a glossary of them and to talk this through with foster carers re their use - recording of voices, and voice recognition etc
- Blink for home - more info required re this
- Meetings in the home - again there are devices that can record without people in the room being aware - need to be mindful of this if there is confidential discussions and meetings and during the intro to establish there is nothing being recorded etc
- Virtual platform - as above - also - ensuring nobody is in and out of the room when discussions or training is taking place - eg - work people in and out of rooms, or children in and out - and the camera does not show this
- Safer caring - the importance of recording within this
- Legal aspect - needs further exploration - how things are stored, who is the data controller, belongs to the foster carer and not the agency - role of courts
- Warnings re CCTV - displaying stickers outside the premises informing being recorded - would this be a family home if this was the same inside
- Exceptions to recordings - discussion re a child with severe epilepsy and recording agreed for a safety measure so could monitor (how monitoring is different to recording) - about alerting people to take action
- Autistic child - this is what it looks like to be angry, or upset - is this appropriate if used in a therapeutic setting?
- Cameras on back doors / front doors - security type cameras
- Starting point - most agencies agreed - the starting point was a clear “no” - however further discussion re security measures - and conflicting guidance out there
- Tik tok - children being filmed and culture around this
- Google - and how this collects data - recognises patterns of viewing
- Pet cameras - to see how pet is, what doing, saying hello etc
- Matching - discussion re how any monitoring should be considered and then safer caring
- Disclaimers - for use - agreed and signed by everyone - so clear on purposes
- Visitors to the home - should be informed if recording devises
- Children recording carers - brief discussion re how this has been used against carers - recording their behaviour etc - without the knowledge of carers or sometimes with the knowledge
- LA and their agreements and discussion - however, this is a family home, a fostering family - if recording is required - is fostering appropriate ?
- Boundaries, appropriate behaviour and expectations
- Sharing of recordings - nephew filmed self and child play fighting and then posted and sent various places - this was a child in court proceedings and protected whereabouts
- Parental controls - blocks discussed
- Being tech savvy - difficult as constantly changing - but what is out there to educate and how agencies can keep informed to inform - children are very tech savvy
- Apps on devices - phones - children find ways of accessing
- Family life - values
- Recording - for memories - who this is shared with - relationships, family history - good recordings are important - again discussion re boundaries and sharing - what is reasonable in a family?
- Policies - being transparent
- Covert - when nobody knows
- Annual reviews - important to revise the health and safety and also reporting on UV etc
