Bookbug Session Leader Agreement

Bookbug is a universal programme that aims to help every child across Scotland to develop a love of stories, songs and rhymes while spending quality time with their mums, dads and carers.

When a Bookbug Session Leader leads a Bookbug Session, they are representing the Bookbug programme and Scottish Book Trust. We therefore require all Bookbug Session Leaders to abide by the following values and rules for Bookbug Sessions, as well as our official Code of Conduct.

Bookbug Session Leader values

Bookbug Session Leaders should:

• Be enthusiastic, encouraging and welcoming to all families who attend Bookbug Sessions
• Be inclusive by making Bookbug Sessions as accessible as possible to all families
• Empower mums, dads and carers to develop their knowledge and confidence to share stories, songs and rhymes with their children
• Make Sessions fun! Joy is at the heart of sharing stories, songs and rhymes, and all Bookbug activities should give families a safe space to relax and engage in a fun activity together
• Take responsibility to check all songs, stories and rhymes have no racist or offensive origins. We offer information and advice on this on our Copyright and song and rhyme origins(this link will open in a new window) webpage.

Rules for running Bookbug Sessions

• Bookbug Sessions should only be run by those who have received Bookbug Session Leader training and have the support of an organisation.
• Bookbug Sessions cannot be charged for and must not be held in places which are only accessible by parents paying a fee or making a donation. They cannot be included as part of an activity, play group, or fun day that has a charge or requests or recommends a donation from families. Even the smallest fee, or the suggestion of a donation, would mean that some families would not be able to take part. For example, if there is a charge/donation to attend a playgroup or parent and toddler group, the Bookbug Session must be run at the end of the session and families must be able to access this without a fee. See why Bookbug Sessions are free for details of why this is important.
• If you are running a Bookbug Session at a Nursery or other Early Years Setting, please read our guidance.
• The Bookbug brand should never be used to promote religious, political or commercial groups or ideas.
• Bookbug Session Leaders should wear a Bookbug t-shirt or high-vis vest so they can immediately be identified as the Bookbug Session Leader.
• Bookbug Session Leaders are required to record and report on the number of Bookbug Sessions run and the attendance of children and adults at each session to their local Bookbug Co-ordinator and/or Scottish Book Trust.
• Bookbug Session Leaders should keep their contact details up to date with Scottish Book Trust – email [email protected](this link will open in a new window) about any changes.

Photography and filming at Bookbug Sessions

We want Bookbug Sessions to be a safe place for children and families and we ask you to think about what this means for your sessions. This includes digital safety. The use of phones within the session should be discouraged as this is an opportunity for parents/carers to bond with their children and focus on what is happening in the session.

Our guidance is that photos and films are not taken at Bookbug Sessions, unless appropriate permissions have been received from all of the parents/carers of children attending the session. Parents/carers should be made aware of where the photographs and films will be used e.g. if on a website or social media. Please remember that children might be attending with an adult who is not their primary caregiver e.g. childminder or nursery group.

If parents/carers take photos and films of their own children they should be careful to avoid other children featuring. You may wish to consider providing an opportunity at the end for parents/carers to photograph their children with the Bookbug doll, to ensure no other children appear accidentally in people's photographs.

Parents/carers do not need to give a reason why their child should not be photographed or filmed. It could be for a range of reasons including situations where there is a legal protection in place for a child or that the carer does not hold the right to grant media consent.

Child Protection requirements

Scottish Book Trust is committed to ensuring Child Protection and Safeguarding good practice is applied consistently. Please read our Child Protection Policy. We believe that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe, and we are committed to carrying out our activities in a way that protects them.

Bookbug Session Leaders should:

• Have read and understood their own organisation’s Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and procedures
• Know who their organisation’s Designated Child Protection Officer (DCPO) is
• Understand their organisation’s guidelines and procedures for raising a Child Protection concern

Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG Scheme)

As of 1 April 2025 it is a legal requirement for those carrying out regulated work to be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme managed by Disclosure Scotland. Regulated work(this link will open in a new window) is defined as working directly with children or protected adults. A person's employer must make the PVG application. Scottish Book Trust cannot do this on behalf of a local authority as it does not employ Bookbug session leaders.

For more advice, please contact your organisation’s Designated Child Protection Officer. Your organisation’s DCPO can contact Scottish Book Trust’s DCPO if they have further questions.

If you have any questions about the Bookbug Session Leader Agreement, please get in touch with [email protected](this link will open in a new window) or phone 0131 524 0160 (Press option 1 for Early Years and Bookbug).