WEM CRICKET CLUB : 3 LEAD POLICY SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES POLICY

Adopted 2021 awaiting committee approval

POLICY KNOWLEDGE

‘Child’ applies to anyone under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults

‘Adult Members’ applies to any adult involved in cricket in any capacity

Technologies = all digital devices, including; smart phones, tablets, filming devices and consoles

Social media = all platforms, including; Websites, twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Apps

Video conferencing = software applications such as Skype, Facetime and Zoom

Communications = mobile phones/other digital technology: communication by voice, video or text (texting, email and instant messaging such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger)

Intro The guidelines set out in this policy (ECB and NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit JANUARY 2021) should be adhered to in order that social media and technologies are used safely as both, a positive promotional tool for cricket and a means of communication. Wem Cricket Club are committed to implementing this policy and addressing any online concerns within the guidelines set out within it.

Aims To protect all users of social media and new technologies while in our care and to provide members with policy and procedure information regarding online safety, informing them how to respond to incidents

1. Putting things in place

1.1 WARNING In law, retweeting is the same as writing the tweet yourself.

If posted wrongly, social media messages may be liable through the defamation law

1.2 SAFE HANDS When using technologies and Social Media the club will apply ECB’s Safe Hands

1.3 CHILDREN/U18

a) CONTACT Children should be contacted via their parent; inc. text and email messages (in the case of over 16’s text or email the parent and copy it to the 16 or 17 years old/or seek parent’s consent. Adult members should not engage in individual text or email conversations with 16 or 17 years old without their parent receiving the same messages

b) PHOTOGRAPHS of children should not be published together with their name, school, age group or other personal information. Do not ‘tag’ photographs with children.

1.4 CONSENT

a) Seek consent and/or check Junior Registration Forms before posting personal information, esp. photographs.

b) Video conferencing with children requires parent supervision

1.5 PHOTOGRAPHY

This is a particular Safeguarding concern, especially in sport and as such the club has a distinct IMAGES POLICY

1.6 EQUALITY

· Ensure that your communications do not cause distress/offence, esp. to children

· If it can’t go on a notice board - it shouldn’t go on the club’s social media pages either

· Diversity is celebrated and everyone is valued - SEE our Equality Policy

1.7 REVIEW and UPDATE

a) Regular reviewing of this policy (per annum) and our safeguarding policies and procedures will ensure that our online safeguarding issues are fully integrated e.g. concerns of abuse/disclosures online are written into our reporting procedures

b) Regular updates mean that the club stays abreast of new technological developments

Puttg things ipl

2. Having the right people in place

2.1 The club will create a designated member* who manages our online presence and oversee the members responsible for managing the clubs’ online presence

2.2 Social Media and Technologies Policy ESSENTIAL CONTACTS

West Mercia Police 0300 333 3000

Club Safeguarding Officer(s)

Graham Furber 01939 290649/ 07885 599889 graham.furber@yahoo.com

Becky Bowen 07507 746577 beckybroomhall1988@gmail.com

Paul Strefford 07840 702338 streffis@btinternet.com

County Officer Tracey Pyke 07542 455276 safeguarding@shropshirecricketboard.co.uk

ECB Safeguarding Team 020 7432 1200 www.safeguarding@ecb.co.uk

2.3 Wem Cricket Club has a Whistle blowing policy

2.4 Wem Cricket Club has an email wem.cricket@gmail.com

2.5 Club Officers and coaches will promote this policy and members will know the policy

2.6 USEFUL LINK NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit www.thecpsu.org.uk

3. What do you do if you have a concern?

Reporting is essential: If you suspect that someone is using online platforms in an inappropriate or unsafe manner or have any social media and new technologies concern (in no particular order)

3.1 report concerns using ESSENTIAL CONTACTS, preferably via email

3.2 If social media is placing a child at risk of harm, please inform the police immediately - West Mercia Police 0300 333 3000

3.3 Email concerns to wemcricket@gmail.com

3.4 Complete an ACCIDENT, CONCERN, INCIDENT EASY REPORTING FORM

3.5 Follow our Whistleblowing policy

3.6 Allegations regarding alleged breaches of this policy will be treated in confidence, shared with only ‘those who need to know’ and investigated in accordance with the appropriate procedure

4. Cricket specific advice

4.1 TEXT AND EMAIL All contact with children must be in relation to coaching, matches and cricket

4.2 CLUB WEBSITE and SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

· All accounts will be password-protected

· At least 2 members will have access to each account and password

· Club ‘pages’, should include only useful information

4.3 OPEN AGE TEAMS Adult players in Open Age Teams, know this policy and be mindful of who has access to your social media

4.4 Do not use social media to comment on other players, coaches, officials, volunteers or spectators

4.5 SANCTIONS

Actions can be taken by Wem Cricket Club, Shropshire Board of Cricket, the ECB and the Police/

Warnings fixed ban, bans to particular venues, buildings and/or events, permanent exclusion from Wem Cricket Club

Legal proceedings under the Malicious Communications Act

Civil action under libel law.

Appendices

FURTHER ADVICE

Coaches /Managers /Club Officials

Know this policy

DO Have separate social media accounts - cricket related and personal use. Keep photos/personal information private. Adjust your personal privacy settings to protect your personal account(s)

DO maintain a professionalism to your behaviour online, especially written (text and email)

DO have Face to face conversations with children are preferred to messaging

DO NOT ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ children

DO NOT text children or have their mobile numbers – instead make arrangements via their parents

DO NOT Send private messages to children and young people via social media

DO NOT Invite or accept children and young people to become ‘friends’

DO NOT delete texts/emails - messaging must be transparent

Avoid kisses (X’s), emojis, slang or inappropriate language

TRIPS Advice to be updated

Parent/Carer

Know this policy

The current generation is growing up with the internet as part of their everyday lives and we have a responsibility to make it as safe as possible.

Think carefully about what you may share about your own child online

An under 13 should not have a Facebook or Pinterest account. Find out about keeping teens safe on Facebook at www.facebook.com/safety/parents

Put your family computer is in a main living area so that you can see/share what is going on www.google.co.uk/familysafety/advice.html

Talk about using social media. Can your child talk to you if they are being bullied online? or if they’ve been exposed to something wrong? Have you asked them? Check out www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Do you know your children’s online ‘friends’? www.saferinternet.org.uk

Ask your children to leave their mobile at home: If you are not watching the cricket, in an emergency, you can contact them on the pavilion phone and they can contact you on 01939 234 680

U 18s - making sure that you are safe

If someone isn’t your friend in real life, they probably aren’t your friend on the internet

Don’t take risks. Sometimes people on the internet aren’t who they say they are

Be choosey about accepting friend requests

Change your privacy settings - only your friends should see information about you

Don’t tag your photos and keep private stuff private

If you are worried about anything – share it with an adult you trust

Cyber bullying is wrong – report it

Conduct yourself well - If in doubt, leave it out! Online is never anonymous and stuff can be traced

If you wouldn’t like it, don’t post it - How would you feel if someone wrote this about you?

More info www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Children and coaches are encouraged to leave their phones off the field

Your coach is a professional too. They don’t need to be your friend on Facebook, and will not need to text/message you. They can make arrangements for cricket via your parents.

3 LEAD POLICY SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

POLICY KNOWLEDGE

‘Child’ applies to anyone under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults

1.2 SAFE HANDS When using technologies and Social Media the club will apply ECB’s Safe Hands

1.3 CHILDREN/U18

b) PHOTOGRAPHS of children should not be published together with their name, school, age group or other personal information. Do not ‘tag’ photographs with children.

1.4 CONSENT

a) Seek consent and/or check Junior Registration Forms before posting personal information, esp. photographs.

1.6 EQUALITY

· Ensure that your communications do not cause distress/offence, esp. to children

· If it can’t go on a notice board - it shouldn’t go on the club’s social media pages either

· Diversity is celebrated and everyone is valued - SEE our Equality Policy

3. What do you do if you have a concern?

Reporting is essential: If you suspect that someone is using online platforms in an inappropriate or unsafe manner or have any social media and new technologies concern (in no particular order)

4. Cricket specific advice

4.1 TEXT AND EMAIL All contact with children must be in relation to coaching, matches and cricket

4.3 OPEN AGE TEAMS Adult players in Open Age Teams, know this policy and be mindful of who has access to your social media

Appendices

FURTHER ADVICE

Coaches /Managers /Club Officials

Know this policy

DO Have separate social media accounts - cricket related and personal use. Keep photos/personal information private. Adjust your personal privacy settings to protect your personal account(s)

DO NOT text children or have their mobile numbers – instead make arrangements via their parents

DO NOT Send private messages to children and young people via social media

DO NOT Invite or accept children and young people to become ‘friends’

Parent/Carer

Know this policy

The current generation is growing up with the internet as part of their everyday lives and we have a responsibility to make it as safe as possible.

An under 13 should not have a Facebook or Pinterest account. Find out about keeping teens safe on Facebook at www.facebook.com/safety/parents

Put your family computer is in a main living area so that you can see/share what is going on www.google.co.uk/familysafety/advice.html

Talk about using social media. Can your child talk to you if they are being bullied online? or if they’ve been exposed to something wrong? Have you asked them? Check out www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Do you know your children’s online ‘friends’? www.saferinternet.org.uk

U 18s - making sure that you are safe

If someone isn’t your friend in real life, they probably aren’t your friend on the internet

Don’t take risks. Sometimes people on the internet aren’t who they say they are

Be choosey about accepting friend requests

Change your privacy settings - only your friends should see information about you

Don’t tag your photos and keep private stuff private

If you are worried about anything – share it with an adult you trust

Cyber bullying is wrong – report it

More info www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Your coach is a professional too. They don’t need to be your friend on Facebook, and will not need to text/message you. They can make arrangements for cricket via your parents.

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