Issue - meetings

To provide the policy and procedure regarding the accessing of social networking sites by CiC in their placements.

The Committee were advised that all children’s homes and foster carer households were provided with computers, albeit with restrictions on accessing certain sites. Children in care were requesting access to social network sites. Following research it was proposed that the restrictions on social networking sites be lifted to allow access to My Space and Facebook sites within the proposed framework.

Foster carers and residential staff had been provided with training and support to monitor children’s usage of the internet. In addition to restricting use of Facebook to those over the age of 11, guidance had been provided for young people, foster carers and staff to support safe use. Furthermore the service proposed that children and young people be encouraged to allow a trusted adult friend to be accepted as a friend on their Facebook page to enable the “friend” to monitor and provide guidance where appropriate, although it was noted that this could not be enforced.

Members expressed some concern over the tone and language used in the guidance to young people and attention was drawn to suitable guidance on this matter published by the police and by NSPCC. Officers advised that the guidance would be proof read by a young person and would be written in a user friendly language. It was noted that the service would be able to interrogate what sites were being accessed and foster carers and social workers would be fully trained in supporting the young person to use the internet safely.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.