Using Social Media in Education Settings Posted on 25 February 2017 by Rebecca Avery - Education Safeguarding Adviser in Schools Kent County Council are pleased to announce that the “Using Social Media and Technology in Educational Settings” guidance has been updated.In today’s modern society, social media is often considered to be an everyday communication tool. For many members of educational setting communities, social media is the most commonly used communication channel; it’s how people stay in touch with friends and family, but also how many people access local and national news or events. Schools, nurseries, playgroups and youth groups are increasingly turning to popular social media tools to increase their engagement with their wider community, for example, to communicate news and events with parents/carers.The guidance (originally published in 2011-2) has been developed to help educational setting leaders consider their strategic responsibilities and safeguarding approaches when using social media. It should be read in conjunction with the Kent Online Safety Policy Template and the Acceptable Use Policy Templates and guidance.The core guidance document explores a range of frequently asked questions and contains supporting material to enable leaders to make informed decisions regarding safe and appropriate use of social media and support their staff if they are using social media professionally.The guidance also contains the following resources:Template letters for parental engagement and awarenessTemplate disclaimers for Social Media sitesTools to help leaders explore potential risks and document their decision makingFAQ guides to help leaders consider safe use of popular social media websites (Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, YouTube Channels and Twitter accounts).These documents are all contained within the core guidance but are also available separately for ease of use.The documents are all available on Kelsi or can be accessed via the links below.Using Social Media in Education Settings (February 2017) – core guidanceSocial Media FAQs for Educational Setting Leaders Using Social Media in Education Settings – Annex Resources What to consider when setting up an Official Facebook Page What to consider when setting up an Official Facebook Group What to consider when setting up an Official Twitter AccountWhat to consider when setting up an Official YouTube Channel Additional material has been used and developed with thanks to the following organisations:South West Grid for LearningLondon Grid for LearningSomerset eLiMUK Safer Internet CentreChildnetCEOPKent Educational Settings are encouraged to contact the Education Safeguarding Team if they require further information or have any questions or queries relating to official use of social media.Learn about 10 things to do in Kent this March.