Rotary Club of Forfar

Data Protection and Privacy Statement

This is an interim document which will be updated as and when required.

Online Safety Policy & Procedure - Communicating online with children and vulnerable people Introduction This policy has been created by Rotary GB&I to ensure the safety of all people involved in online calls with children and vulnerable people. Rotarians must not have one-to-one calls with young and/or vulnerable people – at least one parent/guardian/carer must be in the presence of the child/vulnerable adult during the call at all times. The guidance below is for group calls involving multiple Rotarians, young and/or vulnerable people. The advice contained within is based on Rotary GB&I safeguarding policy, the current GDPR and also information provided by the NSPCC. For the purposes of this policy, the definition of a ‘young person’ is 17 years or younger. The definition of an ‘adult’ is 18 years or older. For the definition of a ‘vulnerable adult’, see Rotary GB&I Safeguarding Guidance Manual. Policies It is expected that the Safeguarding Policy for Children and the Safeguarding Policy for Vulnerable Adults have both been read, understood and adopted. Both policies are available in the Member’s Area of the Rotary GB&I website: Safeguarding Please also read the NSPCC information available here: NSPCC – Undertaking Remote Teaching Safely Every member of Rotary must ensure that they follow the guidance contained in this document and the guidance provided by the school or other institution if required e.g. speaking to a class of pupils where the school will have its own policies. Issue Date: 27 August 2020 (V1) Page 2 of 4 Creating a call 1. Inform the club safeguarding officer and club president of the intention to hold a video call and explain why it is needed. This may be for an Interact club meeting or informing children and parents of an upcoming competition. There must be a reasonable explanation for using the method as opposed to using an alternative method of communication e.g. email to parents etc. 2. Read all of the terms and conditions of the communications platform being used before arranging the call. It must be certain that the chosen platform is suitable for the purpose. Does it track internet usage? Do you need to advise callers to clear their browsing history before and after the call? Are any recordings saved by the platform? Is it secure? Do accounts have to be created? This latter one is of concern as no child should have to create an account to join a call. Inviting the guests 1. All arrangements must be made via the parents or carers. There must never be any direct contact with the young people. Their responsible adults will make the decision whether or not their child attends and should be able to direct any questions to you. 2. Provide the responsible adults with a contact name and email of your club president. This is in case they have any concerns or questions which they may prefer to send to someone other than you. This is perfectly reasonable and increases trust in Rotary. 3. Some communication platforms allow the recording of calls. The host MUST have a reasonable explanation as to why the call is being recorded and must make a copy available to the parents and carers of children who attended. How long do you plan to store the recording and where? Is it secure? Some video websites allow videos to be viewed without being downloaded. They can be set to private, allowing only those with the link to see the video. This allows transparency regarding the call and privacy to protect participants. 4. The call should only be accessible to those who are invited to attend. Unwelcome guests can be disruptive. Ensure the platform you are using has a ‘waiting room’ and participants are given entry by the host and not automatic entry direct into the call. 5. The date and time must be reasonable. Too late at night or too early in the day or during school hours, unless the school has given permission to hold the call in the classroom, will not be acceptable as this limits participation resulting in exclusion of children. 6. Only the first name of the child or just the first initials should be on show. Again, this is up to the parent or carer. This requirement should be notified in advance and included in the online call joining details email. Issue Date: 27 August 2020 (V1) Page 3 of 4 On the call 1. Etiquette should be explained and observed at the start of the call: a. Explain the expected behaviour of anyone on the call. No swearing, no impolite gestures, no bullying and no interrupting. b. Assure the participants that the call is about a particular topic, who you are and why you are there. c. Check all callers have a parent/responsible adult with them. If they do not, the call with that particular person cannot continue and must be disconnected. The parent/responsible adult should make themselves known to the host at the start of the call and it should not be left to the child to confirm that a parent/responsible adult is present. d. Participants should be advised to use the ‘hands up’ function on the video conference call. This is present on Zoom and enables the presenter to see if someone has a query. The presenter can unmute the person and allow them to speak. e. Ask if any participants intend to take screen shots. This can only be done with the full permission of everyone present and for a reasonable purpose. Ask why, and ask what will be done with the images and how long they will be stored for. If people do not agree to having their picture taken, the options are to switch off their cameras or you can say no to any picture being taken. 2. Your presentation: a. Ensure your background is tidy. There should not be any inappropriate material e.g. alcohol, cigarettes, pictures depicting violence, books of an adult nature, ornaments which represent violence etc, on display. b. You must dress modestly and smartly. Any other people in your home who are likely to appear on the video must also dress and behave in an appropriate manner. 3. Have a second adult on the call with you. This could be a nominated Rotary member or a parent. 4. There is a text function on Zoom whereby people can pose questions to all those present or just to individuals. This should only be used in the ‘everyone’ function. There must not be any direct messages to individuals. 5. Be happy! This call should be engaging and enjoyable for all. Ending the call 1. Thank everyone for their attendance and offer a final opportunity for participants to use the text to all function to send a question. 2. The host and the second adult should stay on the call until all other callers have gone. This prevents the host being left alone with a child or vulnerable person. Issue Date: 27 August 2020 (V1) Page 4 of 4 Concerns about the young people or vulnerable adults If you have concerns for the health and safety of a young person on the call, please refer back to the Rotary GB&I Safeguarding Policy and Procedure. You may have: 1. Observed some concerning behaviour on the call. 2. Heard inappropriate comments. 3. Spotted that the participant is trying to tell you that something is wrong. Do not 1. Connect with young people or vulnerable adults directly via email, text, social media or any other communication method. All contact must be through the parents and carers and within the context of Rotary service. 2. Accept friendship requests from children or vulnerable adults. 3. Make personal comments about the participants on the call. You must maintain a professional demeanor that is appropriate for the age and abilities of the participants. 4. Swear, talk about contentious topics, talk about subjects which are not relevant to the call. 5. Ask for any personal details or arrange to meet the participants on their own, even through a video call. Every contact must be through parents and carers who must be on the call or provide a responsible adult. And finally When your call is finished, please inform your president and club safeguarding officer. They will want to know if everything went smoothly

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND (ROTARY GB&I) PROTECTION OF CHILDREN POLICY

Applicable to all Clubs and Districts in Rotary GB&I Policy Statement The Clubs recognise that the services it provides are used by children in both a physical and online environment. The Clubs believe that children have the right to be secure from abuse, and Rotary GB&I are committed to protecting all the children in their care from harm. The Clubs will appoint a Rotarian as the Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Officer. This Officer will have suitable experience, training and expertise, and will be responsible for liaising with appropriate outside agencies and Rotary GB&I in any child protection matter. The Clubs have a duty to ensure the welfare of all children who may be at risk, including when engaging with children in online Rotary activities. This duty involves reporting the risk to an appropriate agency and Rotary GB&I and by promoting a safe environment within the Club. The Clubs will take every possible action to prevent abuse and to deal with it as promptly and effectively as possible if it occurs. Aim of the Policy The central aim of Rotary GB&I’s Safeguarding Policy is to inform all Rotarians of: • Rotary GB&I’s approach to the Safeguarding of children • ways in which the Clubs do this, both in a physical and online environment • the steps taken to avoid abuse taking place • the actions that will be taken by the Clubs to deal with abuse if it occurs Definition of Abuse Abuse of children may take any of the following forms: • physical abuse • sexual abuse • emotional abuse • neglect Responsibility Rotary GB&I has a duty to ensure that all Clubs working with children adopt safe practices. The Clubs will undertake Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)* checks where regulations deem it necessary for the activities being undertaken and will undertake regular education of its members to minimise any risks to children posed by Rotarians or others who may be supporting Rotary activity involving children. The Clubs have a duty to report serious concerns relating to abuse to appropriate agencies including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)* and the Rotary GB&I Compliance Officer. ©Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland (Reviewed March 2021) Rotary GB&I will: • Set out and inform Rotarians of the procedures for responding to suspicions or evidence of abuse • Incorporate material relevant to issues of abuse on the Rotary GB&I website • Maintain vigilance concerning the possibility of abuse of children from whatever source • Encourage a climate of openness which enables Rotarians to pass on concerns about behaviour that might be abusive • Produce and regularly revise policies and procedures to minimise the risk of abuse • Ensure that all Rotarians are aware of the main indicators of child abuse • Investigate any allegations of abuse quickly and thoroughly in conjunction with appropriate agencies • Implement improvements to procedures if an investigation reveals deficiencies in the way in which Rotary GB&I operates • Collaborate with other relevant agencies in combating abuse and improving the protection of children Districts will: Appoint a Rotarian as the Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Officer. This Officer will have suitable experience, training and expertise. Ensure that all Club Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Officers within their District receive regular education to minimise any risks to children posed by Rotarians in their District The Clubs expect its members to: • Refrain from any abusive action in relation to children • Report to the Club anything they witness which is or might be abusive • Co-operate in any investigation into alleged abuse • Refer to the Rotary ‘Safeguarding Manual’ and ‘Communicating Online with Children’ guidance documents Rotarians should be aware of who they may turn to for advice if they become aware or suspect that abuse is occurring. Failure by Rotarians to report incidents or suspicions of abuse may lead to disciplinary and/or legal action. * or relevant state authority

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND (ROTARY GB&I) PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE ADULTS POLICY

applicable to all Clubs and Districts in Rotary GB&I Policy Statement The Clubs recognize that the services they provide are used by adults who are vulnerable or may be vulnerable at certain times. The Clubs have a duty to ensure the welfare of vulnerable adults who may be at risk. This duty involves reporting the risk to an appropriate agency and Rotary GB&I, and by promoting a safe environment within the organisation. The Clubs believe that vulnerable adults must be safeguarded from all forms of abuse. It recognises that it must at all times protect vulnerable adults from the risk of abuse and identify and deal with specific instances of abuse if they occur. The Clubs will take every possible action to prevent abuse and to deal with it as promptly and effectively as possible if it occurs. Aim of the Policy The central aim of Rotary GB&I’s Safeguarding Policy is to inform all Rotarians of: • Rotary GB&I’s approach to the Safeguarding of vulnerable adults • ways in which the Clubs do this • the steps taken to avoid abuse taking place • the actions that will be taken by the Clubs to deal with abuse if it occurs Definition of Abuse Abuse of clients may take any of the following forms: • physical abuse • financial or material abuse • psychological abuse • sexual abuse • neglect • discriminatory abuse • inhuman or degrading treatment • inappropriate or excessive restraint. Responsibility The Clubs have a duty to report serious concerns relating to abuse to appropriate agencies including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)* as well as the Rotary GB&I Compliance Officer. The Clubs have a duty to ensure that Rotarians or others who may be supporting Rotary activities that include working with vulnerable adults adopt safe practices, including referring to the Rotary ‘Safeguarding Manual’ and ‘Communicating Online’ guidance documents. ©Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland (Reviewed March 2021) The Clubs will undertake DBS* checks checks where regulations deem it necessary for the activities being undertaken and will undertake regular education of its members to minimise any risks to vulnerable adults posed by Rotarians. Rotary GB&I will: • Set out and inform Rotarians of the procedures for responding to suspicions or evidence of abuse • Incorporate material relevant to issues of abuse on the Rotary GB&I website • Maintain vigilance concerning the possibility of abuse of vulnerable adults from whatever source • Encourage a climate of openness which enables Rotarians to pass on concerns about behaviour that might be abusive • Produce and regularly revise policies and procedures to minimise the risk of abuse • Investigate any allegations of abuse quickly and thoroughly • Implement improvements to procedures if an investigation reveals deficiencies in the way in which Rotary GB&I operates • Collaborate with other relevant agencies in combating abuse and improving the protection of vulnerable adults Districts will: Appoint a Rotarian as the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adult(s) Protection Officer. This Officer will have suitable experience, training and expertise. Ensure that all Club Safeguarding/Protection Officers within their District receive regular education to minimise any risks to vulnerable adults posed by Rotarians in their District The Clubs expect its members to: • Refrain from any abusive action in relation to vulnerable adults • Report to the Club anything they witness which is or might be abusive • Co-operate in any investigation into alleged abuse. • Refer to the Rotary ‘Safeguarding Manual’ and ‘Communicating Online’ guidance documents Rotarians should be aware of who they may turn to for advice if they become aware or suspect that abuse is occurring. Failure by Rotarians to report incidents or suspicions of abuse may lead to disciplinary action. * or relevant state authority