Diocese of Lichfield
Social Media and Youth People
Guidance
This document forms guidance, and is designed to help and support PCCs in promoting good
practice. If you need the policy of the Diocese of Lichfield in online communications, it is set out
in the Email Signature Policy and Social Media Policy for LBDF employees, clergy and church
workers.
These guidelines are designed to guide and help churches in:
…as we engage with others via Social Media
1. Context
a.
Social Media are an integral part to how the majority of young people live and
interact. The majority of young people have grown-up with access to this technology,
and rely on it as a substantial method of communication and engaging with the
world. For many young people, social media are ubiquitous, accessible from all their
other arenas (home, school, youth club, etc). Social media have a significant impact on
their social development.
b. In areas of significant deprivation, only 40% of households have internet access. Social
Media exclude young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds and cannot
be the sole form of communication while internet access is not open to all.
c.
Just like other means of engagement and interaction (face-to-face conversation,
phone calls, group meetings, written letters, banter, gossip in the local shop) it is a
neutral environment with good and bad potential: relationships can be strengthened;
encouragement, empathy, friendship, inspiration and joy shared; hasty and hurtful
words regretted; bullying and crime committed; deceptions created. It has particular
hazards and precautions which are the main concerns of this document.
d. Social Media give scope for projecting image and presentation. Users choose who
they want to be, and which parts of themselves they want to show to the world.
Identity in the Social Media domain is inevitably a partial reflection of users. This has a
knock-on effect in pressure to carefully manage one’s image, appearance and
behaviour. Social Media is even used by some to fabricate new identities or
impersonate others.
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e.
Online Etiquette is a developing and ever-changing culture. Social Media brings into
question private/public boundaries and values. Due to its nature, social media is both
open to, and a forum for, abuse and bullying (including ‘fraping’ & ‘trolling’)
2. Safeguarding
a.
With acknowledgement to the document, “’Protecting All God’s Children’ The Policy
for Safeguarding Children in the Church of England”, and in accordance with good
Safeguarding practise, we are committed to take all possible steps to protect young
people from significant harm or risk when using the internet or any other form of
technology.
b. We also recognise the importance of establishing and updating procedures to ensure
those engaged in this ministry are protected whilst they work with children and young
people. These Diocese of Lichfield Guidelines on Social Networking in Youth Work will
be reviewed every two years under the guidance of the Diocesan Safeguarding
Committee.
c.
While these guidelines are a starting point, all youth workers are responsible for
reading any policies approved by Diocesan Synod and their PCC regarding
safeguarding and communication matters and must adhere to current policies.
d. At the end of this document is a References section which relates to specific parts of
these guidelines.
e. While this document refers on the whole to youth workers, this is a broad
definition that is equally useful to all leaders in churches who involve young
people in their activities – music groups/choirs, sides-people, sacristy teams,
flower rotas, bell ringers…
3. Social Media & Youth Work
The Social Media environment is one context among many in which
young people spend time; and one among many that is suitable for
youth work engagement.
a.
Look Who’s Talking: As there is no guarantee about who
will receive any communication, youth workers should
assume that everything they write/post is in the public
domain (even if it is through a private platform such as
direct messaging, text or email). Young People aren’t always
Native or Naïve?
While our youngest
generations are are
sometimes described as
‘digital natives’, we are
all born computer
illiterate and need to be
taught to use social
media well.
savvy about protecting their privacy settings or using
passwords on their devices. Private and confidential information is not suitable for any
electronic or online communication.
b. A youth worker should always consider their role when engaging young people,
especially in the virtual environment. In the main, Social Media can be used for
promoting project profiles and events and/or as a setting for maintaining and
developing existing youth work relationships. Projects and workers must be clear
about the purpose of their Social Media interactions in order to discern best practice.
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c.
A youth worker should consider their personal/professional boundaries when
engaging with young people. What impact will information they share about
themselves in the public domain have on the professional relationship, and how will
this impact upon role-modelling? Professionals must also consider the opposite effect
on integrity and holistic relationships when crafting or separating their public image.
It may be helpful to have separate accounts for personal and work use - even if a
youth worker is a perfect role model online, some of their friends may post unsuitable
material on his/her personal profile.
d. It is not appropriate for youth workers to have private non-work related contact with
children and young people with whom they are engaged in ministry via Social Media.
4. Safeguarding Relationships
Social Media raises ethical issues about the ways in which
youth work engages young people. Youth workers should
be clear about their intentions and their methods.
a.
A youth worker should decide on the
appropriateness of actively following young
people on Social Media, especially if access is
available from the home environment either for
worker or young person. Other adults within
churches are advised not to make friend-requests
of young people: let young people initiate online
relationships of their choosing. There are benefits
for young people in having trustworthy adult
Many have noted the power and
gentle guidance that trusted adults
can have on teenagers by
occasionally asking:
“are you happy
that your mum
may see that?!
friends who may watch out for them, especially when friending a parent is
‘uncool’.
b. If following/friending young people on Social Media, a youth worker should consider
what to do with information they find. They may wish to confront online issues in the
real world; but youth workers should be aware of the impact of observing and
policing the Social Media environment may have on relationships and engagement.
c.
Youth workers (like all internet users) should be aware of and alert for situations
that require (without alerting online parties) referral to Parish or Diocesan
Safeguarding officers, social services, CEOP or the police.
d. A youth worker should consider the environment in which communication occurs.
Recorded and/or public communication is considerably safer than unrecorded/private
conversations (both online and in the ‘real world’). Most Social Media tools have the
capacity to save direct/private messages, although they should be stored carefully (in
line with Data Storage policies).
e.
Youth workers should make their line manager, youth group leader or supervisor
aware that they are using electronic communication, and ideally this must be set up
as part of a group communication and not on an individual basis.
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Practical Implications
1.
Social Media, because of the innate archival of messages in many services, has some useful
benefits in terms of Safeguarding as it often affords a better record of communications than a
letter or phone call. Depending on the sensitivity of an issue, always consider if a face-to-face
meeting might, if practicable, be better.
2.
It is preferable that texts and emails from workers to individual young people should be
discouraged and that all such communications should be made on a group basis to
communicate specific information. (e.g. times and dates of events). Consider when it is
appropriate to cc: parents/carers. It should not be used as a specific relationship building tool.
Workers should encourage appropriate ‘face to face’ contact where ever possible.
Conversation - the repeated sending of emails between two individuals via text or email is
discouraged.
3.
While text messages are always saved by the service provider and could be retrieved in a
court-case, effort may be required to find suitable tools that will enable accurate records to be
held by the individual worker. If direct, private messaging is necessary to on-going
relationship building, then written consent should be sought.
4.
Generally, instant chat sites such as MSN and any other similar media should not be used to
communicate with young people by workers. Neither is the use of Skype and any other web
camera or visual communication that cannot be recorded.
5.
Skype may be used for conference calls and is considered appropriate if a project or group
uses a web camera/Skype in a group environment for project purposes, and has clear aims
and objectives for its use. Youth workers should always seek to inform a line manager or
group leader when this is taking place and keep a record of it.
6.
Any worker using a mobile phone for the purpose of communicating with children and young
people by email, text or verbally should be prepared to make that mobile phone available for
inspection by the parish safeguarding officer, their line manager or other appropriate
supervisor.
5.
Parental
awareness and consent
7. As much as possible workers should not give children or young people their personal number.
a. Parental consent for using electronic forms of communication is essential and should
It is preferable that a dedicated ‘official’ or ‘works’ phone should be used for such
be included in annual consent forms or by letter with a return slip agreeing to the use
communications; or an online texting service that only allows outward communication to a
of specific forms of communication. The consent form must outline what means will
group and
which
managed online.
be used
foriscommunication
and what you will be communicating.
b. It is important to explain this policy and practice to parents and carers and seek to
ensure they are aware and are happy with the use electronic communication and
what types of electronic communication are being used.
6. Language
All language should be appropriate and where possible ‘standard responses’ should be used.
(if you have sent an email out containing event details and receive a reply asking for further
details, create a standard response with additional details so that all young people receive the
same information). Workers and volunteers should take great care over the language used so
as to reduce any scope for misinterpretation. When sending communications such as text
messages or emails workers should not use inappropriately informal language as this can
often be misunderstood and lead to further complications.
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7. Hours of communication
Other than for exceptional reasons, youth workers should not contact children or young
people using any form of social media outside normal daytime hours; be sensitive to avoid
communicating with young people during the normal hours of the school day.
8. Facebook and similar social networking sites
a.
Youth workers should NOT have children or young people for whom they have ministerial
responsibility added as ‘friends’ to their personal social networking page. A dedicated
Facebook Group, or other similar medium, should be established, with at least two
authorised administrators who should also be authorised workers, specifically for the use
of a project or youth group: to which only recognised members of that group can be
admitted; and only if they are over the required minimum age limit for such a group. (The
minimum age for Facebook is 13 years.)
b. Youth workers should only use this agreed social networking account for contact with
children and young people with whom they are working. This should be an account that is
set up specifically for this purpose on behalf of a group rather than an individual (i.e. use
project accounts, never personal accounts). The security setting for which should be of the
highest appropriate level and the group closed to membership of all but those for whom
the group is intended.
c. It is possible to set up a group via your personal Facebook account but ensure that your
personal settings are secure and have limited viewing. It is possible also to set the
Facebook group privacy settings so they can’t see the profiles of others who have joined.
(Look under Account, Privacy settings on Facebook). Youth workers should not use their
personal social networking or instant messaging accounts for contact with children and
young people.
d. Youth workers should seek to ensure that their personal profiles on any social networking
sites should be set to the highest form of security to avoid young people accessing
personal information or seeing any pictures of a personal nature.
e. Each social networking platform needs understanding before engaging with young
people using it. For example, the Snapchat platform is becoming very popular among
students allowing instant messaging and photos to be shared while partying while saving
embarrassment the following morning as the platform deletes content as soon as it is
viewed. This immediate deletion of content makes it unsuitable for Youth Work and
professional contexts as it removes all means of accountability and protection.
9. Definitions and notes relating to this document
a.
A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 years old and designated as a
minor under statute law.
b. A worker, children’s and or youth worker, youth pastor, youth minister, church officer or
other minister is anyone appointed by or on behalf of the Church or parish to a post or
role, whether they are ordained or lay, paid or unpaid. As defined in paragraph 1.27 of
Protecting All God’s Children:
i. ‘Internet’ communication specifically refers to the use of: Social networking
sites such as Facebook, Twitter and any other web sites of a similar nature.
ii. ‘Email’ communication specifically refers to the use of: Emails including
written text and/or pictures sent from personal or work accounts.
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iii. ‘Text’ communications relate to SMS messages sent between mobile phones
and online group messaging programs.
c. Where consultation with a worker’s line manager is advised in this document, it may be
more appropriate to inform another colleague as well as the line Manager. It is good
practice to have a communication policy that all are aware of and adhere to.
d. With regards to young people who have left the group or are now over the age of 18 yrs,
please use discretion with regards to this policy and seek advice where necessary.
10. References
a.
This Policy works in conjunction with the document “Protecting All God’s Children” The
Policy for Safeguarding Children in the Church of England; and also with the safeguarding
policy for children and vulnerable adults approved by the Parochial Church Council of the
Parish of Bushbury.
b. In addition this document was formulated from the following supporting documents:
Methodist Children Youth – Internet, email, texting communication guidelines. The
Methodist Church
Social Networking Services & Social Media. Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
Using Social Networking Services and Social Media. Children Protection in Sport Unit.
Best Practice: Social Media and Electronic Communication with Young People. Netball
England.
Streetspace Social Media & Electronic Communication document. Frontier Youth
Trust
Parish of Bushbury Social Networking Policy
c.
There are numerous resources online and in print about about safe use of the internet
including Dr Bex Lewis’ Raising Children in a Digital Age (Lion Books 2014)
d. Many local councils / police are delighted to lead seminars on e-safety for parents.
e. There are sources that say more about photos & social media (see
http://bigbible.org.uk/2013/04/how-should-churches-handle-photos-online/ for example)
Last updated: 11/3/2014 SCJ
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