Education authority policy framework
Full details of the role of the education authority is given in that section of this document. In summary, this is that education authorities have a responsibility to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to minimise the risk associated with access to the internet and other communications technologies, especially when such access is facilitated by schools and other local authority establishments.
Education authorities should therefore:
- provide a policy framework for ICT use, including a statement of need for, aims of, and commitment to, safe use of the internet and electronic communications
- arrange appropriate training for staff to raise awareness and understanding of the issues
- provide appropriate guidance for schools, including addressing the key issues identified in the advice to schools.
Education authorities will also wish to consider a variety of communication issues, including the possibility of translating information into languages other than English.
To allow education authority staff to access policy information from this website, each authority should also email the appropriate reference information to doubleclickthinking@LTScotland.org.uk This information could consist of a link to a publicly available web page, an internally available page, a reference to an internal circular or any other appropriate resource. The information provided will be used to create a link from this national advice to the advice issued by each education authority.
It is hoped that the approach outlined will give maximum support to authorities requiring to develop policy in this area, while providing maximum flexibility to authorities that have already implemented good practice.
E-mail comments to DoubleClickThinking@LTScotland.org.uk