by Aimee Cartwright
Social media is an extension of the real world, and your school staff’s digital presence is an extension of how they may behave in the classroom.
By looking beyond DBS checks, both independent and state schools are acknowledging the importance of digital safeguarding for their students this year. They are confident that Professional Social Media Checks are the way forward for recruiting safe, suitable school staff whose values align with safeguarding responsibilities.
What is Digital Safeguarding & Why Does it Matter for Schools?
Digital safeguarding involves using technology to protect individuals from harm. In the education industry, this looks like prioritising student safety by implementing preventative tools and strategies for the online world.
Many of the risks facing students today are also present online and may even be amplified in the digital space. Bullying, harassment and exposure to explicit content can infiltrate pupils’ homes, making it crucial for schools to take responsibility and adopt a proactive approach to digital safeguarding.
Ofsted’s new proposals for reports include a separate category for safeguarding, further emphasising the importance of maintaining solid safeguarding standards.
Why Schools Must Look Beyond DBS Checks
Make no mistake; DBS checks are vital for the safety of your students. However, as with many forms of vetting, they provide a specific insight into a teaching applicant’s suitability, rather than presenting an overall picture of their character.
While DBS checks can confirm a teacher may have never been in trouble with the law, they cannot confirm that the teacher’s online behaviours align with Teachers’ Standards. Risks such as sexism/racism, bullying/harassment and explicit content can go undetected with the use of DBS checks alone.
The Importance of Social Media Checks for Safeguarding
Education Social Media Checks are easy, ethical, and effective. They offer a unique set of benefits to schools, including in-depth, contextualised research, evidence-based reports, and full compliance with:
- UK GDPR
- Equality Act 2010 (including Protected Characteristics)
- Data Protection Act 2018
Schools that implement Social Media Checks alongside DBS checks are demonstrating that their commitment to digital safeguarding is unwavering. They appreciate that these innovative background checks offer something that DBS checks cannot, which is a powerful insight into an applicant’s professionalism and values.
If your applicants are complaining about their career, discriminating against groups of people, or sharing content that is harmful to children online, the risk is twofold. Not only is there a risk of students and parents accessing such content, but there is also an increased risk of the teacher bringing these attitudes into your classrooms.
Investigating these risks using professional Social Intelligence Officers ensures digital safeguarding is prioritised at all times, preventing harm to students, staff, and your school’s reputation.
Conclusion
Digital safeguarding requires more than DBS checks, which only scratch the surface of a candidate’s suitability.
Objective and compliant Social Media Checks are the answer to a comprehensive risk mitigation approach, representing an essential step forward for your students’ safety.
Contact us
Get in touch with us to learn more about our expert Social Media Checks:
Telephone: +44 333 210 1688
Email: info@sp-index.com
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