© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 PROFESSIONAL IMAGE

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 A serious profession Working with children and young people is a profession which requires practitioners to demonstrate a high level of responsibility. Parents trust you to care for their children and to have a mature and sensible attitude to your work. Recent high profile cases have drawn attention to childcare practitioners and raised concerns about their behaviour in and away from the workplace.

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 A private life While practitioners are entitled to have a private life, it is inevitable that aspects of that life will spill over into the working environment. Practitioners should therefore consider what impact their “off- duty” behaviour may have on their reputation as a childcare professional and the judgements people may (rightly or wrongly) make about them.

© Laser Learning Ltd Most people have and the address you choose for yourself can say a lot about you. Some may be silly e.g. but others may have sexual or discriminatory references and these are surely inappropriate for a childcare professional. Practitioners who feel the need to have an address other than their name might consider setting up a second address for their professional correspondence?

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 Social networking It has been well documented that social networking sites such as Bebo, Facebook, etc. are used by people searching for information about individuals. Despite the restrictions that users can put on their page, often these are inadequate and information about drinking habits, love life and behaviour can be accessed by those choosing to look for it. Twitter is a relatively new phenomenon but which also reveals much about you to anyone who might care to look.

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 Just a joke Jokes are often made at the expense of minority groups and if you pass such material on it could be concluded that you agree with such discrimination. Many are simply in bad taste and might be better kept private. Most of us have seen or heard jokes and passed them on, you should however consider what might be inferred by this.

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 Relationship with parents The EYFS Principle into Practice card 2.1 Respecting Each Other states that: Professional relationships are based on friendliness towards, but not necessarily friendship with parents, and identifies the challenge and dilemma of: maintaining a professional distance from parents while working closely in partnership with them.

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 Pandora’s box Like Pandora’s box, once you have released information to the world it cannot be withdrawn. While no one expects practitioners to be perfect, they are expected to maintain standards and consider the consequences of what they say, do and think, so that their relationship with colleagues parents, children, and others remains professional.

© Laser Learning Ltd 2009 Activity In groups or individually look at your address, social network page (Bebo, Facebook etc.) and try putting your name into a search engine. Consider what an employer might assume about you from what can be found. What impressions might a parent get if they did the same search? Discuss your thoughts with your tutor.