Pros and Cons of Allowing Camera Access in Your Child Care Center
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As a child care director or owner, you may be considering whether or not to allow parents camera access in your child care center or daycare. Allowing access to cameras has been a very controversial topic with various opinions. Here are some things to consider when making your decision. Does allowing camera access decrease or increase our liability? And what are the potential benefits and challenges of doing so? Here, we'll explore the pros and cons of allowing camera access in your preschool, daycare, or child care center. Then, I'll tell you whether we enable parents to view the cameras in our center and why or why not.
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Let’s first talk about liability.
Some may argue that allowing parents camera access could decrease liability. If parents are able to see what's going on in the classroom at all times, they may be less likely to file a lawsuit if something were to happen. Camera footage could also help clear up any misunderstandings or disputes that may arise.
On the other hand, others may argue that camera access could increase liability. For example, if something happened and parents had access to the footage, they could sue for negligence. Additionally, if parents are constantly watching the footage, they may be more likely to find fault with the way things are being done in the classroom.
Now let's discuss the benefits and challenges
First, there are benefits to allowing parents to access their child's classroom camera.
It allows parents to feel more secure and involved in their child's education. They can see how their child is interacting with other children and adults and get a sense of how the classroom runs daily. Additionally, it may help build trust between parents and teachers since it allows transparency.
There are also challenges that come with allowing parents to access their child's classroom camera.
For example, if a parent is constantly watching the footage, they may be more likely to find fault with the way things are being done in the classroom. In some instances, parents record and screenshot footage in hopes of incriminating someone or supporting their complaints. It also takes away the privacy of the teachers and students in the classroom. Teachers often feel uncomfortable knowing that they are being watched.
So, what's the decision our child care center made?
You may be surprised to hear that our parents can choose if they want camera access. The ones who request it pay a monthly viewing fee, download an app and get access to the camera in their child's classroom and the playground cameras. We use LTS Security and the LTS Connect app that enables parents the ability to see in the class but not hear. We have also disabled the recording function for parents. We have a strict policy that states that screenshots are not allowed, and that camera access is a privilege and can be revoked at any time. If we have a parent who "stalks" and constantly complains or harasses the teachers, we remove their access.
We find that most parents start off viewing the cameras regularly when first enrolling but soon stop watching shortly after once they feel comfortable and know their little ones are taken care of.
Conclusion:
We have been using cameras and allowing access for over 20 years. Allowing parents access gives parents peace of mind and sets us apart from other centers in our area. Parents often join a year-long or more waitlist in hopes of enrolling their child in our program. We believe that the benefits outweigh the challenges.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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