With more and more systems becoming digital such as tax records, the Childcare Offer (Wales) or 30 hours childcare (England) now is a great time to think about how you can make digital records work for you and even consider becoming a paperless setting. Kelly Alexandre, Development Coordinator for PACEY Cymru looks at how you can approach this in your setting.
Firstly, it is ok for this to be a gradual process. Don’t feel the need to change everything at once. You may decide to change one thing at a time, or you may not wish to become fully digital as this doesn’t suit your setting. Whatever you decide, do it at your own pace and make it work for you. Â
What do we mean by digital record keeping?Â
Digital records refer to any records that you store or share via a digital device. It can include software platforms such as Kinderly, emails, messaging apps, cloud storage, and PACEY digital contracts.Â
 What are the benefits of using digital records?Â
There are a wide variety of benefits from using digital records, some of which can include:Â Â Â
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Reducing waste and the impact on the environment – we all want to do our best to ensure we reduce our carbon footprint, and becoming a digital setting can help with this.  Â
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Saves costs – printer ink and paper aren’t cheap, and because using digital records will mean less printing, you’re sure to see the savings.Â
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Saves time – time spent printing, formatting and sharing paper records all adds up and for some childcare settings can add additional hours to a long working day. Digital records can save you time, meaning more time for the fun stuff!Â
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Documents can be quickly and easily shared – you can share digital records anytime, anywhere without the need to print, post or arrange a meeting. Â
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Easier to access records – records can be stored and accessed from almost any digital device, often with just a couple of clicks, meaning you have quick and easy access to records when out and about as well as at your setting. Â
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Can be more secure – with constant improvements in software security, spyware and malware, you can be confident that your digital records are secure when you have the relevant security in place. Documents can also be password protected and shared with others giving you peace of mind that the information is secure. Â
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Promotes professionalism of your service – having well kept, organised digital records can not only save you time and money, but can provide your service users with a professional looking service giving them the confidence to choose your setting. Â
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Helps you explore other opportunities for communicating with parents/carers – reviewing how you share information, seeking parents/carers feedback, and finding new ways to communicate, can allow you to streamline current procedures and make the most of the benefits a digital setting can bring. Â
So, which records will you keep digitally?Â
When thinking about which records to make digital, consider those times when you need confirmation from a parent/carer that they have received your information. Some examples of this are confirmation they have read your policies and procedures, parental permission forms and receipts of payment.Â
It is up to you how much of your records you digitalise and how quickly you do this. Think about what you have digitally already and how you can best utilise this. For example, do you already use emails, do you share digital photos with families, do you use WhatsApp to give updates and share information? All of these are great ways to share information digitally and mean you have already made a start on becoming a more digital setting. So, what else can you make digital? Childcare settings hold a variety of records that can be made digital. We can group these records into operational records and financial records. Â
Operational records are those that help you run your business and can include your policies and procedures, permission forms, medication administration forms, care plans, accident and incident forms and more. Whereas financial records are those related to the finances of your business such as contracts, payment receipts, insurance documents and expenses.Â
PACEY are working on the development of some FAQ’s linked to insurance requirements for digital records and will share these once available.
What do you need to consider when moving to digital records? Â
Moving to a digital setting can be a gradual process. You should consider how it will impact your business and the families you work with. Below are some points that you may wish to consider when choosing how you will move towards digital record keeping. We recommend you take your time considering each of these and work out how best to apply them to your setting. Â
What will parents and carers think? Â
Working partnerships with parents and carers is a crucial element of any childcare setting so it is important to consider how using digital records will work for them. When deciding which of your operational and financial records you are going to make digital, you will need to think about the preferences of the parents/carers using your service. For some, it may be quicker and easier for them to access a digital record at a time that is convenient for them, but others may prefer face-to-face engagement. You could discuss with current parents/carers about their preferences and outline the reasons why you are looking to do this. Going forward you could discuss this with parent and carers during your welcome meeting. Whichever you chose, you will probably find it easier to have the same method for all families. Â
It is also important to consider the language needs of the families who use your service. Considering the language needs of the parents/carers will ensure that they fully understand important documents and information that you are sharing with them. Visit our factsheet on Supporting Children and Families with English as an Additional Language (EAL) for more information. If you live in Wales and are looking to develop the Welsh language used within your service information about support available can be found on our support in Wales page.
What about the technical bit?  Â
It can feel daunting trying to navigate new systems and ways of doing things. Try one thing at a time until you are confident to try more. Ensuring that you have the digital skills needed to operate digital records is important but there is a wide range of digital literacy support and training available that you can access free of charge. You could speak to your Local Authority and see if they are offering any courses, as well as local colleges, libraries, and community hubs. Digital Communities Wales also offer free digital inclusion training. In England, as part of the National Standards for essential digital skills, qualifications are available for adults with low digital skills. Â
It may be worth exploring a range of methods and software to find the one that suits you and your setting best. For example, you could use software designed specifically for childcare settings such as  Kinderly Together, a PACEY recommended digital learning journey and accounting software, that supports you to run an outstanding childcare setting that can be more sustainable. You may need to provide parents with initial support in accessing and signing these records if they are unfamiliar with your chosen method.Â
However you choose to share and store your digital records, cyber security is important. Cyber security is the ways in which you reduce the chances of becoming a victim of cyber-attack. You can do this by password protecting devices and documents, using anti-virus software on your devices and sharing documents via a secure system such as Kinderly Together. You can read more about cyber security for small & medium sized organisations. Â
What about data protection and CIW or Ofsted requirements?Â
Following good practice in relation to data protection is important to ensure you are complying with legislation and meeting the necessary requirements of The Data Protection Act (2018) which is the UK’s implementation of  GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Those leading or managing a childcare setting, as data controllers, are required to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if they process any personal data electronically for their business. This includes, for example: personal data on computers, tablets, smartphones, digital cameras, in cloud storage, on social media, emails or reports for funders such as Local Authorities.  You will also need to consider the need to keep your registration with ICO should you close your setting, due to the legal and recommended retention period for records. See our guide to record keeping for more information. If you decide to stop providing childcare and are using digital software to store records, you may need to download these before your subscription ends to ensure you continue to have access to them. Â
Next steps
When looking to use digital records, it is important to consider the areas highlighted above as well as the benefits of using digital records. Remember that you only need to change one thing at a time, don’t feel you have to move completely to digital records in one go. Do it at a pace that suits you and your setting. It can take time to build up your digital records and the most important thing is to make it work for you. Â
