Information Technology and Communications

Office computers are for Staff access only. Each home will have a desktop for the use of the staff within the home, with Managers and Deputy Managers having their own user space. Each space must be password protected and the passwords kept secret within the staffing team.

Managers and Deputy Managers have ‘administer’ access and are therefore the only persons authorised to install new software.

All Staff have the responsibility to help reduce the possibility of theft of computer and the information they contain. This should be done by either locking the office in which the computer is situated, or where workstations are left running or used by other Staff then they are to be logged off. Computers should not be left unattended when files are open, nor shall computers be left logged on if they are unattended for long periods of time.

The company e-mail system and staff e-mail addresses are for business use and work related use only. Personal use is not acceptable.

All e-mails should be written carefully, using correct English, without slang or abbreviations. E-mails must also contain the name of the individual responsible for sending the e-mail and not signed as if sent from the whole staffing team. E-mails should be written with the same degree of formality as sending a business letter to recipients outside the company or memo to recipients inside the company.

The distribution of chain mail, inappropriate humour, explicit language or offensive images is not allowed via company e-mail. E-mails should not discriminate against, bully, harass individuals nor be used to libel or slander anyone.

No e-mail messages, composed, received or sent on the company network should be considered for private viewing only. The company reserves the right to monitor e-mail messages in accordance with its monitoring procedure.

Use of company computers for Internet access is limited to company business only. The use of the internet for the following is forbidden:

1. Private use;
2. Freelance work;
3. Purchasing or selling of goods unrelated to Crystal Care;
4. Gambling;
5. Contributing to internet news groups or blogs;
6. Playing games;
7. Conducting political activities;
8. Accessing personal social networking sites or blogs;
9. Accessing pornography.

Downloading information should only be done so if it is related to Crystal Care business or of education value to the young people or Staff. Use of any material downloaded should be in line with the laws of copyright.

Staff are only permitted to use company telephones for company use. Private calls may only be made with the permission of the staff member’s line-manager.

Employees are forbidden to access, view, download, display or distribute any material that constitutes pornography or content which is sexually explicit, sexist, racist or otherwise offensive. This will include transmitting any such material by e-mail or e-mail attachment to colleagues or people outside of the Crystal Care Solutions organisation.

Young People are permitted to use the company telephones in accordance with their guidance notes or the procedures of the home.

Managers and Deputy Managers should ensure that all staff are shown how to answer the telephone in a professional manner stating Crystal Care Solutions and the employee’s name. Managers and Deputy Managers should also ensure Staff are aware of how the take messages and deal with enquiries.

Employees should be aware that Crystal Care Solutions reserve the right to monitor e-mails and internet usage under existing laws. Monitoring is done to protect Crystal Care Solutions business interests and any questions or concerns about monitoring should be addressed to your Line Manager.

No software should be installed onto the company computers unless it is properly licensed and its installation has been agreed and/or installed by the homes Manager. This includes any software found on free CD’s or brought from home computers.

Where possible, computers should be situated in a clean and clutter free area with space to sit and work. All computers equipment should be regularly dusted and cleaned this includes monitors, keyboards, printers.

Food and Drink should be kept well away from equipment.

When dealing with computer related problems, only staff who are confident and competent around computers should attempt to solve or fix issues. If employees are unsure on how to resolve issues then they are to contact the home Manager or the Head Office for support. Any recurring problems relating to computers or their peripherals should be notified to the homes Manager.

New Folders should be created on computers to keep files relating to the same topics together, for example YP Folders, Monthly Summaries, DPR’s. This helps to find the files more efficiently and can be easily backed up. Once a Young Person leaves Crystal Care Solutions all files stored on the computers should be deleted once it has been checked that there are hard copies in the Young Persons files.

All Managers are responsible for ensuring all important files are backed up either onto data disks or external hard drives.