How practitioners' use of social media can be detrimental

when working with children and young people and their families, practitioners do not use social media to communicate with them. This is because it blurs the line between personal and professional relationships. As social media is unrestricted, it also means that inappropriate comments or behaviour online are not monitored by the setting and so are difficult to detect.

Most settings have a policy around the use of social media, and all staff will need to be aware of this. It is particularly detrimental to these following areas:

+ professional boundaries

+ effective partnership working

+ confidentiality

+ safeguarding

professional boundaries - Social media is often based around the sharing of personal information or opinions, social situations and photos. Sharing this information with children and their families will reduce the ability to remain professional.

effective partnership working - effective partnership working may be less likely - professionals could lose the trust of children and their families, who will be less likely to share information.

confidentiality - confidentiality is a vital part of a practitioner's work with children and young people. The use of social media would make it more difficult to remain confidential.

safeguarding - Using social media with children and young people has serious implications for safeguarding, and it is inappropriate to use it with them. It can also put the member of staff at risk of accusations of abuse.