Electronic Communication Policy (2017)
There are dangers associated with electronic communication that call for vigilance:
- electronic communication is often an extremely informal mode of communication which can create the potential for communication to be misunderstood;
- because of the informal style of electronic communication, workers can easily cross appropriate boundaries in their relationships with children and young people;
- some adults who are intent on harming children and young people choose to use electronic communication as a way to meet and ‘groom’ children and young people.
These guidelines regarding the safe use of electronic communication are designed to maintain healthy and safe relationships between adults and children. They acknowledge electronic communication as a legitimate means of communicating with children and young people only as long as strict protocols are followed concerning the nature of the communication.
Electronic communication must never become a substitute for face-to-face contact with young people. With the world of electronic communication changing so rapidly, it is not possible to issue guidance that covers all eventualities. However, there are some general principles that can help to ensure that the church’s overriding concern is for the well-being of the children and young people.
- parents or carers and children and young people themselves have the right to decide if a worker is to have email addresses or mobile phone numbers etc.;
- workers should only use electronic means of communication with those children and young people from whom appropriate consent has been given;
- workers should not put any pressure on children or young people to reveal their email address, mobile phone number etc.;
- direct electronic communication with children of primary school age is inappropriate and should be avoided;
- only workers who have been appointed under the church’s agreed safeguarding procedures should use any electronic means of communication to contact children or young people on behalf of the church or one of the church’s organisations;
- contact with children and young people by electronic communication should generally be for information-giving purposes only and not for general chatter;
- where a young person in need or at a point of crisis uses this as a way of communicating with a worker:
- significant conversations should be saved as a text file if possible, and
- a log kept of who and when they communicated and who was involved.
- workers should not share any personal information with children and young people, and should not request or respond to any personal information from the child or young person other than that which is necessary and appropriate as part of their role;
- workers should be careful in their communications with children and young people so as to avoid any possible misinterpretation of their motives;
- clear, unambiguous language should be used, avoiding the use of unnecessary abbreviations;
- electronic communication should only be used between the hours of 8.00 am and 10.00 pm;
- e-mails to young people should include a church header and footer showing this to be an official communication from a youth team member.
Mobile phones
- mobile phone usage should be primarily about information-giving
- ‘text language’ should be avoided so that there is no misunderstanding of what is being communicated
- ‘text conversations’ should usually be avoided (that is a series of text messages/emails being sent to and fro between mobile phones)
- the use of the phone camera should comply with the church’s policy on photos/videos
- workers should not retain images of children and young people on their mobile phone
Instant Messaging Services (IMS)
- the use of instant messenger services should be kept to a minimum
- where a child or young person in need or at a point of crisis uses this as a way of communicating with a worker:
- significant conversations should be saved as a text file if possible, and
- a log kept of when they communicated and who was involved Social Networking sites
- if youth leaders are going to communicate via social networking sites consideration should be given to creating a separate profile for the church group
- alternatively youth leaders should consider having a site that is used solely for youth work communications which is totally separate from their own personal site
- if youth leaders are going to use their own personal site they should ensure that all of its content is appropriate for young people to see
- lower age limits of social networking sites should be adhered to (this varies for each site)
- be aware of the content of photos that may be uploaded on to your site
- be aware that children and young people could view photos and communications of other people linked to that social networking site
- all communication with young people should be kept within public domains
- workers should ensure that all communications are transparent and open to scrutiny
- copies of communications should be retained and where possible other workers should be copied in on communication