Implementing the ACECQA National Model Code for taking images of children while providing early childhood education and care
Adopting safe practices regarding the use of digital images or videos has always been of the utmost importance to EarlyWorks. Child safety is something we value highly and has guided both the initial development and continued enhancement of EarlyWorks.
There are a number of functions within EarlyWorks that will be of assistance to services as they adopt the National Model Code for Taking Images or Videos of Children while providing early childhood education and care.
- To help ensure images and videos are used as evidence of learning and form a valuable part of documentation, educators can include captions with each photo or video, highlighting the learning evidenced in the photos. The National Guidelines make clear that images need to have a targeted purpose in order to discourage increased expectations from families of frequent updates. The captions make clear this targeted purpose.
- To ensure images and videos are only shared with the family of the child photographed, educators can restrict access just to that family. So, when creating group observations and journals, educators can create one document, and customise the photos shared with each family. The National Guidelines state that images and videos are not to be inappropriately posted online or shared through an application in a way that is not for the purpose of sharing with a child’s family or carer. Having control over the inclusion of images in documentation assists services in adhering to this requirement.
- As an added protection, if families do not want their child’s image shared, or their photo taken, EarlyWorks automatically restricts access.
- Each time documentation that may include images (observations, journals, child comments, room documents) are shared with families, administrators on EarlyWorks receive notifications, allowing the management team to keep informed of what is being shared with each family and ensure the National Model Code is being adhered to.
While we know that images can play an important role in sharing the children’s learning journeys with families and developing partnerships with families, particularly when English is not a first language, we also know that we need to keep children safe. EarlyWorks has and will always make this a priority.
To request a demonstration of EarlyWorks visit https://getearlyworks.com.au/get-started.
