ECEC settings that practice and display a high-level of care around the digital safeguarding of children, often consider three core areas of management: Risk, technology (devices and software) and people.
While each area has its own complexities and considerations, managing people can be significantly strengthened by bringing them on the journey as willing partners, rather than relying on top-down solutions only. In a community-led approach to children’s digital safety, everyone in their community has a valid role and safeguarding is not just the responsibility of IT teams or ‘tech savvy’ people.
A collaborative way to bring educators and teaching teams on this journey is the creation and implementation of a ‘use agreement.’
What is an educator use agreement (EUA)?
Sometimes also known as an Acceptable Use Agreement (AUA), and similar to a code of conduct, an educator use agreement describes the programs and processes an organisation has in place to support educators to be safe, ethical and responsible users of digital technologies. It also covers the expected behaviour of educators and seeks their informed and ongoing agreement to its content.
As a guide to both current and future behaviour, EUAs should be regularly reviewed and evolve in step with changing technology and organisational circumstances. Some services may find that they make the most changes in the period during initial implementation as educators apply the programs and processes ‘off the page.’ Going forward, they may also be included in staff induction processes to signal your organisation’s culture and commitment to children’s digital safety.
EUAs, to be most effective, should always be developed with the organisation’s unique setting and circumstances in mind. It is also important to note that they are not legally binding.
The power of agreement and ownership, and the cost of disengagement
Both the NQF Child Safe Culture Guide and National Principles for Child Safe Organisations place a strong emphasis on embedding child safety and wellbeing into organisational culture. This should come in part from leadership championing and modelling compliance, however, EUAs done well demonstrate the power of collective agreement and ownership. Research consistently shows that both making commitments and stating explicit consent have a significant positive effect on our future actions and behavior. The reduction of uncertainty plays a part (as expected behaviour is set down and clear) but participants’ active involvement and agency is central. That is, involvement at each stage from creating, to reading, signing and applying an EUA.
Early childhood educators by nature of their work are better placed than most to understand how it’s human nature to bristle at being instructed to ‘just do’ something (try telling that to a young child!) When educators themselves get to discuss and identify best practice use and management of the digital technology they work with every day, EUAs can get excellent uptake. The benefits of following the agreement will also be much more apparent.
We must also ask ourselves, what is the cost of disengagement with children’s digital safety? If programs and processes cannot get buy-in or are considered to be too onerous or too technical, gaps between policy and practice are inevitable. These gaps are where children’s digital safety can be compromised, even if unintentionally.
Guidelines for creation in ECE settings
Storypark’s pedagogical team have created a starting point for services wanting to create their own EUA. Attached here is a downloadable word document, it’s designed to be edited, and become wholly unique to your setting and environment.
Some thoughts that could shape your process:
- Begin with shared values towards digital safety – this will ensure your EUA doesn’t boil down to a mere list of do’s and don’ts. If everyone can agree they want to protect children’s safety, how will you do that together?
- Regulations will guide a lot of what you cover in your agreement. Consider also adding in the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ so that the impacts and benefits of behaviour are clear.
- List all the devices and software everyone has access to in your service. Discuss the various ways you keep children’s information safe in each one.
- Think about the practices and behaviours that are currently common at your organisation – are there any you want to stop or don’t align with child safety best practice? How might changing them be a part of your EUA?
Download the template: Educator Use Agreement for Children’s Digital Safety
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