Child Care Employees and Social Media Policies

What employees post on various social media platforms can significantly impact the childcare business for which they work. Why? Parents often visit the childcare business’ social media pages and website as a common part of researching a child care business when seeking care. They read the posts, comments, note the number of followers, likes, and reviews and look at the pictures. This can form a parent’s favorable or not-so-favorable impression, and this impression can also determine if the parent enrolls their child or continues their search for care.

As a child care business owner–employer, you should consider appropriate policies and guidelines for your employees’ social media posts, comments, and other engagement. There are undoubtedly certain legal things to consider, and you should seek legal advice regarding such policies covering what employees can post on company websites, company social media pages, and postings that are done while an employee is on the job or off the clock, as well as employees posting to their own personal social media accounts.

Some basic guidelines for social media policies and childcare employees.

1. The guidelines should be in writing (and approved by your legal counsel) and included in your Employee Handbook. What is acceptable and unacceptable should be clearly defined. Examples of acceptable and unacceptable sample posts help educate and increase an employee’s understanding of your expectations. For example, posting a photo of any employee, child, parent, or guest on the childcare business social media page/profile or your personal social media page is prohibited. Only designated employees, such as the director and assistant director, can post on the child care business’ social media pages and profiles.
2. Protecting the confidentiality of children, parents, co-workers, and others is very important. A seemingly innocent post or image can cause substantial harm to others.
3. A simple but very effective policy is NO cell phone use at work. This strictly enforced policy will go a long way toward lessening employee social media posting problems and many other problems associated with employee cellphone use while working.
4. NO cellphone use while at work – will help eliminate social media posting while working.
5. NO cellphone use while at work – will lessen inappropriate photos of children, co-workers, and activities within the child care center being posted on social media
6. No cellphone use at work – creates a safer environment for children and everyone. Even a small distraction—looking at a text message, laughing at a Facebook post or video, or sending funny pictures to friends—means the employees’ full attention is not on caring for the children.

Many insurance companies recommend that child care employees be prohibited from using their cell phones at work. Some suggest that the employee be required to leave their phone in a locked locker or personal vehicle with other personal belongings. Given the increase in licensing infractions, injuries to children are associated with a lack of supervision due to employees talking, texting, or using their phones to visit social media sites. At the same time, they are supposed to be watching and teaching the children.

1. Social media guidelines regarding what is acceptable when not at work and when posting on personal social media accounts must also be addressed. It is essential to have clearly defined guidelines of what is acceptable for employees to post on any of their personal social media accounts. Provide examples of acceptable and unacceptable post content.
2. Clear, detailed written information about the disciplinary consequences of inappropriate social media content posts. Enforcement must be consistent with all applicable employment policies and laws and consistent enforcement across all employees.
3. Besides having written social media guidelines in the Employee Handbook (that requires the employee’s signature), detailed conversations with each employee during onboarding are essential to understanding and compliance.
4. Include a review of social media policies during staff meetings and allow time to discuss the importance of all employees following social media policies. Collecting examples of inappropriate social media postings by employees of other child care businesses can provide excellent opportunities for discussion and help employees understand how damaging inappropriate social media postings can be to the child care business, the children, parents, co-workers, and others.

• A quick Google search, such as “child care employee social media policy,” will provide several examples of employee social media policies used by other child care businesses. Review several, draft your policy, and work with an HR consultant and legal advisor to develop an excellent social media policy for your child care employees.