Social Media Toolkit 2021-2022

This toolkit will support educational settings consider their strategic safeguarding responsibilities for using social media as an official communication means.

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In today’s modern society, social media is considered to be an everyday part of life and is how most people stay in touch with friends and family, as well as accessing local and national news or events. Because of this, educational settings are turning to popular social media tools to help increase engagement with their wider community, for example, to celebrate successes, share news and events with parents and carers and to communicate with students and/or staff.

The positive use of social media and technology within educational settings for collaboration, communication and learning should be recognised and supported. However, it is essential that its use is carefully considered by leaders in advance to ensure all members of the community are kept safe.

The Education Safeguarding Service has developed this Social Media Toolkit to help educational setting leaders make informed and appropriate choices about using social media tools, within the classroom or as official communication channels. It includes considerations about safe practice in order to protect staff, learners and the wider community, specific guidance regarding some popular social media channels, as well as editable tools and templates.

We have recently (August 21) revised our content for 2021-22 and updated documents are ready for you to purchase and use in preparation for the new school year. If you have already purchased this resource, the updated content is ready in your account area for you to download. Please remember you are purchasing access to this content for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase.

Please note, access to this Social Media Toolkit is included as part of our Safeguarding Support Package for Schools.

What's included? >>

The core guidance document explores a range of frequently asked questions and contains supporting material to enable education leaders to consider the best approach for their setting and to ensure safe and appropriate use of social media.

These questions include:

“Why do educational settings need to consider using social media tools?”
“How can my educational setting make the use of social media safer?”
“What should I do if a member of the community posts something negative online about my setting?”
"How can leaders and managers work with parents/carers running unofficial social media communication channels?"

The Social Media Toolkit contains advice which can be shared with staff if they are using social media professionally, as well as a useful checklist for official and tools which can be adapted by educational settings to identity and explore potential benefits and risks.

The toolkit also contains the following resources which can be used and adapted by settings:

template letters for parental engagement and awareness
template disclaimers for use on Social Media sites
template Acceptable Use Policies for staff and parent run official social media channels
FAQ guides relating to help leaders consider safe use of popular social media websites (Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter).

How will this help? >>

The Social Media Toolkit contains a range of practical suggestions for settings to consider as part of their long term safeguarding and engagement approaches and will provide leaders with guidance and tools which can scaffold and evidence their decision making with regards to the official use of social media within their setting.

The resources within the toolkit are in line with national education safeguarding requirements and recommended best practice and signposts to a variety of national support available.

The resources can and should be adapted by settings to reflect their own local context and will enable leaders to provide appropriate information to staff, children and parents/carers which should help ensure that safeguarding their community online remains a key priority.

Got a question? Contact Us

Read full description

What's included? >>

These questions include:

“Why do educational settings need to consider using social media tools?”
“How can my educational setting make the use of social media safer?”
“What should I do if a member of the community posts something negative online about my setting?”
"How can leaders and managers work with parents/carers running unofficial social media communication channels?"

The toolkit also contains the following resources which can be used and adapted by settings:

template letters for parental engagement and awareness
template disclaimers for use on Social Media sites
template Acceptable Use Policies for staff and parent run official social media channels
FAQ guides relating to help leaders consider safe use of popular social media websites (Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter).