CCTV LAW

[jtoland]

Hi guys

I was wondering what the law is if a parent asks for cctv footage when other children are on the footage

Thanks

[synaesthesia]

Other people being present has no bearing on it, anyone can request footage of themselves and I imagine that extends to parents/legal guardians over their children.

 

** addition : This should also be covered in the school's CCTV policy.

Edited July 2, 2015 by synaesthesia

[jtoland]

Even when it was of someone fighting couldent it be a safeguarding issue

[plexer]

As long as the request is done in the correct way rather than just I want some footage of my kid.

 

Ben

[jtoland]

Ok thanks

[Pyroman]

Also, has the parent come to you directly? Make sure the bosses know and have authorised it!

[jtoland]

I have created a request form nor one for internal and external so i can keep track aswell andno the parent did not

[mb2k01]

This is the definitive advice all CCTV operators need to follow: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/cctv/

Other useful info: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1132/report_dp_guidance_for_schools.pdf

Edited July 3, 2015 by mb2k01
Can't spell!

[PotNoodleTech]

As mb2k01 is smack on the money. It falls under data protection. IMHO you should only be giving CCCTV footage to sanctioned bodies that have a business to see it (LEA?) and the Police. You could invite the parents in to watch the footage in school but I would not give it out as once you do you lose control of that data and you may(will) then have a breech - e.g that footage appears on facebook/youtube as part of inter-parental arguments - the information commissioner is going to have a field day with why you're footage has been publically released.

[JJonas]

I would say that if the footage involved a fight between two students I would be cautious about allowing any parents to view it. As this could also lead to inter-parental arguments.

If we were to have that type of request here I would be seeking the advice of the LEA and our local PCSO

[localzuk]

Anyone on CCTV footage has the right to a "Subject Access Request" under the DPA. However, this request does not extend to other people. If there are others on the footage, they would need blanking out other people unless they specifically had permission to release the images of those other people to you. If you can't export the footage for whatever reason, then you should offer to show it in person to them instead. Your school can charge £10 for the request also.

 

Finally, you have 40 days from receiving the request to provide it.

 

As it is a child they want footage about, it then depends on the child. The child either would either need to give permission also, or be "unable" to make their own request (so, wouldn't understand what it was).

 

All of this should be handled by the school's "Data Controller" anyway!

[fiza]

Anyone on CCTV footage has the right to a "Subject Access Request" under the DPA. However, this request does not extend to other people. If there are others on the footage, they would need blanking out other people unless they specifically had permission to release the images of those other people to you. If you can't export the footage for whatever reason, then you should offer to show it in person to them instead. Your school can charge £10 for the request also.

 

Finally, you have 40 days from receiving the request to provide it.

 

As it is a child they want footage about, it then depends on the child. The child either would either need to give permission also, or be "unable" to make their own request (so, wouldn't understand what it was).

 

All of this should be handled by the school's "Data Controller" anyway!

 

We have just had a request from a parent to view the cctv footage of an incident involving their child. Obviously the footage involves another student and many bystanders. Does the parent of one of the students have the right to request to view it? students are 15.

[Garacesh]

Parents and guardians here are allowed to view footage of incidents if they request it, but the footage is not permitted to leave the network unless it is being handed to the police. Even when P/G's do view it, it has to be signed off by the boss, and a member of management has to be here with them.

 

This has, in the past, included fights, where (as you correctly mention) it involves other pupils.

 

Students are made aware (via warning stickers on walls etc) that they are being recorded, CCTV footage is collected extremely overtly. (I don't know the law for covert, I just know it's blatant here)

[bossman]

We only have 3 members of Staff who have been on the CCTV course and gained certification and these members of Staff and no-one else have access to the CCTV footage, there is an access control log which is recorded by the software and also manually recorded in a written log.

 

I think students parents are invited in to watch footage and if there are any other children involved in the footage this is covered by our school viewing policy of Photographs and video content which is signed by the parents when the student starts at the school, this information is held in the Sims.

 

Only the police are given footage on a secure pendrive for their perusal which is documented and given back to us when they have finished with it.

 

Our Data Protection Officer handles all outside requests.