Photos at toddler groups

GobbledyGook

It's not just adopted or cared for children that she could be talking about. It could be an estranged father, violent Dad etc.

You should really draw up a policy, not necessarily one saying "do you agree with photos being taken?". The Playscheme my elder daughter attends has a line on their form which says "At Scheme events photographs may be taken by staff or other parents, do you wish your child to participate in such events?". This means that it is there on paper if anyone complains. It also means that if a parent comes to you and the committee with a genuine reason for their child not to be included in photographs you can develop a plan for that depending on the reason.

At her school you cannot take photographs anymore at events, the school often get someone to do it if they have the resources. This is because the school is now the place for children from the local Women's refuge to go to. Parents are all totally accepting of the reasons for the ban now.

DevilsAdvocate1

pipkin71 wrote: »

Not a toddler group, but same situation.

My DDs belong to a young carer's group, and we have had notification of their christmas outing, with a form asking for consent to allow the youth workers to take photos.

It does state that if one person refuses consent, then photos will not be taken of anyone in the group.

This could be the outcome if you send out letters asking parents to sign for consent.

Do you fall under ofsted checks? Could you ask for advice from your local social services or sure start at all, see what they think you should do? Or, you could do what you feel is the best thing. It's how you feel about it, really.

Its a hard one though, as not all parents come every week. Photos could be stopped because one person objects and then they might not come for weeks or even move onto nursery without informing me.

We don't fall under Ofsted checks. And I think it is different from schools as the parents are actually present, so could object when its happening if they felt that their child was in a photo. For example, sometimes the children were posing in small groups with their friends. Its also the parents taking the photos - not a youth worker or teacher etc.

I hate conflcit.

D.

DevilsAdvocate1

GobbledyGook wrote: »

It's not just adopted or cared for children that she could be talking about. It could be an estranged father, violent Dad etc.

You should really draw up a policy, not necessarily one saying "do you agree with photos being taken?". The Playscheme my elder daughter attends has a line on their form which says "At Scheme events photographs may be taken by staff or other parents, do you wish your child to participate in such events?". This means that it is there on paper if anyone complains. It also means that if a parent comes to you and the committee with a genuine reason for their child not to be included in photographs you can develop a plan for that depending on the reason.

At her school you cannot take photographs anymore at events, the school often get someone to do it if they have the resources. This is because the school is now the place for children from the local Women's refuge to go to. Parents are all totally accepting of the reasons for the ban now.

I can't understand not allowing parents to take photos but then getting someone in to do it so that parents can buy them. Seems a bit of a double standard to me. My sons school does not allow parents to camcorder events, but then sells DVDs for £5. Think this is a money spinner! However, they do allow photos.

I do like the way the line on your form is worded. I need to do the registration forms again as I have only got parents to fill them in when they first start coming. Some have been coming for years with various children, so I think it might be a good time to add something like this on and get everyone to fill one out.

D.

GobbledyGook

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

I can't understand not allowing parents to take photos but then getting someone in to do it so that parents can buy them. Seems a bit of a double standard to me. My sons school does not allow parents to camcorder events, but then sells DVDs for £5. Think this is a money spinner! However, they do allow photos.

I do like the way the line on your form is worded. I need to do the registration forms again as I have only got parents to fill them in when they first start coming. Some have been coming for years with various children, so I think it might be a good time to add something like this on and get everyone to fill one out.

D.

I can see why the DVD's are a money spinner, however having seen how various guests got in the way of the video guy at my wedding a few years back, it could also be because some people would just get in the way while they try to film (you know the type, only interested in their viewing of their child). The way my daughter's school does it with the photos is so that they can vet which children are in the photos each parent can buy. So, for example, no-one will ever get a photo with one of the children from the refuge in it except their parent.

The other thing with putting it on the form and at the start of the year is you can blame "the rules" and bureaucracy if needs be for it to save yourself the flack.

PolishBigSpender

Such a sad, sad world we live in...

[Deleted User]

pipkin71 wrote: »

It does state that if one person refuses consent, then photos will not be taken of anyone in the group.

This could be the outcome if you send out letters asking parents to sign for consent.

I work in a Nursery and this is our Policy for events such as our Christmas Nativity.

A sad state of affairs but due to the uproar a few years ago and massive media attention it received, about people placing their childrens photo's on the internet and other children being in them, and the possibility of pedophiles getting their hands on them from nativity plays and other group plays this is now a very common occurrance

Millie's_Mum

Can't you just state in your newsletter that parents/carers are allowed to bring cameras and take photographs and just wait and see if anybody challenges that?

bestpud

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

Can't you just state in your newsletter that parents/carers are allowed to bring cameras and take photographs and just wait and see if anybody challenges that?

I was just thinking that - it seems a good way of testing the water...

Personally I think the grandmother is being way OTT and has swallowed all the media hype.

If she was that bothered, she could just have taken her grandchild from the room. Sorry if I have missed this in the post, but where were the parents of that particular child?

I think it wrong that sensible parents be prevented from taking photos because of one neurotic grandparent so I'd be very reluctant to stop it, personally.

My_Fathers_Daughter

Do you have a sign-in sheet?

At the mother and baby groups that I go to with my son (surestart centre ones) there is a box to tick for photo consent. That's all it says - photo consent and everyone just ticks it...



What strikes me most about your original post is your comments about how upset and agitated the grandmother was. Is there an underlying reason for her concerns?


I may be in the minority here but I would be upset if someone took pictures of my son (or with my son in them) and used them either on the internet or in print without my consent. I would be unlikely to say no if asked (dependant upon circumstances) but I would still like to be asked.

Equally, I would never post a picture of another persons child on the internet without their consent.

nottslass_2

!!!!!! !!!! How ridiculous.

I can understand if there are child protection issues - but as its a "parent & toddler" group there would be no unaccompanied children there anyway & all that would be required is for the parent/carer of such a child would have to do is say"would you mind not taking a photo of my little johnny please".