Not each of us can spend enough time with his child, and therefore takes him to kindergarten. But how to make sure that the child is safe there, that he is well treated and not offended? Video surveillance in kindergarten will help - a popular service today, which is chosen by both parents and educators themselves.
What goals and objectives does the installation of video surveillance meet?
Video surveillance has several advantages:
- You will be able to observe your child and how he interacts with other children.
- Get the opportunity to see the actions of kindergarten staff: teachers, nannies, cooks.
- You will be sure that no stranger will get into the building, and nothing will threaten the children from without.
- Video surveillance can be installed in a kindergarten not only in a group, but also in the surrounding area. Thus, she will be under vigilant control.
Where are CCTV cameras usually installed?
Most often, of course, video surveillance is performed in a kindergarten group. Parents are also interested in other rooms where their child is: a dining room, a hall, a gym, a playground, a central entrance. Moreover, if a video surveillance system is installed in the kindergarten, the parent has the full right to request records at any time in order to view them. Or you can track the activities of children and educators online, on the site.
Video surveillance and legal requirements
Since the main task of an educational institution is to ensure the well-being and safety of children in its territory, it is not prohibited by law to install video cameras. Moreover, the installation of video surveillance in kindergarten is the responsibility of the leaders of kindergartens to prevent illegal activities and reduce the risk of terrorist threats. With the help of video cameras at any time you can get information about what is happening on the territory. At the same time, local officials should be responsible for the financial side, carrying out all procedures for the funds from their budget. True, in practice, parents often have to pay out of pocket.
On the ground floor of the kindergarten, video surveillance is rather a mandatory measure. To do this, you don’t even need to get consent from the employees and parents to process the data and make video recordings.
As for the interior, where children eat, play and sleep, the provision on video surveillance in kindergarten does not prohibit the installation of cameras here. However, when it comes to viewing and using the information received, problems may arise.
Do I need consent to data processing?
Opinions of experts on this issue differ. Nor does it add clarity that these nuances are not specified in the law clearly. There are several different approaches that formulate the criteria for obtaining consent to the processing of information:
- First: the pre-school educational institution is a public place, and privacy here recedes into the background, so consent should not be required from either the parents or the employees themselves.
- Second: consent to view videos and process the information received must be requested only from parents.
- Third: both parents and kindergarten employees have the right to challenge and approve video surveillance in kindergarten.
In any case, before installing video surveillance, you should notify all interested parties, and in the premises with cameras to post appropriate announcements.
Human factor
Often, preschool workers do not want to be under vigilant parental control, which can complicate the installation of video cameras. Sometimes it is the human factor that is the main obstacle, but not the lack of funds or the complexity of installation, as it might seem at first glance.
On the other hand, there are practically no such parents who are not interested in the activity of the child in kindergarten. Any person whose child spends eight hours every day outside the house will be happy to watch him from a computer screen or phone.
Yes, and to resolve all kinds of conflicts is much easier when at hand there is undeniable evidence in the form of recording on tape. Agree that we hear about the dishonesty and negligence of educators here and there. Of course, the parent cannot be wary.
Official documentation
Before proceeding with the design and installation of the system, it is necessary to issue an order for video surveillance in kindergarten. This is a serious document, and it is necessary to approach its preparation with all responsibility. Here are some points to be reflected here:
- List of persons responsible for the operation of the video surveillance system.
- A list of those people who are familiar with the official documentation and are required to pass on its requirements to the parents and staff of the kindergarten.
- An approved act reflecting video surveillance issues.
- Relevant changes in the internal rules of the institution.
Since video surveillance in kindergarten is not legal in all indoor premises, you should take written consent to implement this measure from parents or legal representatives. After the order for the installation of the system is issued, in all the rooms where the cameras are installed, corresponding announcements are posted.
An important nuance: all the information collected during video surveillance can only be used to guarantee the safety of pupils and employees of the kindergarten. There can be no talk about any uploading of these video materials, so management should take the necessary measures to protect this information.
Technical solutions
From a technical point of view, video surveillance in kindergarten is a camera system that covers the entire perimeter of the building, as well as its interior. Without fail, cameras are installed at the entrances, so that they could be seen on the faces of people entering the room.
Advantages of CCTV
CCTV has a lot of advantages. Here are just a few of them:
- Recording on the territory can be conducted both around the clock, and according to a given schedule. For example, during non-working hours, recording what is happening in groups is irrational, while round-the-clock surveillance of the surrounding area will be only a plus.
- Outdoor cameras are directed to the entrance zone and are equipped with a backlight for optimal shooting quality even in the dark.
- Internal chambers are installed not only in groups, but also in other rooms, as well as on the landing. Thus, you can see who is located where from staff or visitors.
- The image from the cameras goes to the responsible person - a guard or a guard.
- All equipment is easy to operate, user-friendly interface and flexible settings. For example, just by entering a password, you can access to view or download archive files to external media.
Video surveillance: is it really necessary?
The video surveillance system in kindergarten is not a whim or a whim. In some cases, it helps to resolve disputes and get rid of many troubles. Here are just a few real world examples.
In one kindergarten, a pupil accidentally fell and injured her hand. The result is a fracture, a complicated operation and a violent reaction of parents. They literally bombarded the staff with accusations of oversight and negligence, up to and including intimidation by court procedures. Allegedly, the teachers are guilty of allowing the child to play in the area where it is easy to stumble and get injured.
When they began to view the recordings from CCTV cameras, it turned out: the girl fell on a flat territory where there were no foreign objects. Just a second later, the teacher approached her, and after a few minutes, the doctor examined the victim. Thus, the conflict was settled, and the calmed parents had no choice but to make a public apology to the staff.
Another example of outdoor video surveillance. It's no secret that especially in the warm season, playgrounds are used, to put it mildly, for other purposes. Young people and older people gather here, drink alcohol and take drugs. Such a contingent can damage the property of the kindergarten, harm the swing, sandboxes and gazebos. Not to mention the abandoned garbage, which carries a potential danger to children. Cameras installed in the surrounding area will help prevent such incidents.
In addition, cameras in a kindergarten can record a crime committed near its perimeter. In this case, the video will be very useful for law enforcement.
What determines the price
The final cost of installing a video surveillance system in a kindergarten depends on the quantity and quality of equipment. There are several options:
- The most economical. The cameras capture the entrance, capturing a small area of the adjacent territory. Image quality cannot boast of high detail, but the cost of this system is also low.
- Standard. On cameras, everyone who enters the kindergarten is clearly visible: guests, parents, staff. Moreover, even in the absence of the main power supply, recording will be carried out at the expense of additional sources.
- Ideal. High-resolution cameras are placed not only at the entrances, but also in the interior. All details are visible on them, and there is also the possibility of non-volatility.
The requirements of each preschool institution are individual, therefore, for each individual case, its own system is suitable.
In addition, there may be a difference in whether the monitoring is carried out around the clock or according to the given hours, whether the cameras have a backlight, what kind of rewriting cycle they have (that is, how long the recording will be stored in the archive), etc.
Video surveillance in kindergarten is a modern, easy to implement and inexpensive way to children's safety. That is why more and more domestic preschool institutions choose it.