CareSpace rules - please read!

CareSpace rules

The forums are designed for use by social care professionals and are set up into various areas of discussion to allow visitors/members to quickly and easily find topics of direct interest to themselves. 

Threads accidentally posted in the incorrect forum may be moved.

Multiple topics on one subject do not benefit anyone, if you wish to make a comment on a topic, see if there is a thread already existing on that subject first.

In order to keep the forums easily accessible we reserve the right to request that posts are made in an existing thread and remove/lock new threads on a subject.

Discussion allows all members to participate and learn from each other, intense debate on issues is positively encouraged, however please only discuss the argument, not the person making the opposing point of view.

Similarly topics that degenerate into nothing more than mud slinging will also be watched and if the participation does not return to a more civil discussion will be locked.

We reserve the right to moderate comments before or after they are published. We generally will not edit your comments in any way, unless there is an exceptional reason to do so. We, however reserve the right to edit them if we deem it necessary.

You may be banned from commenting on our site if you habitually break our posting rules.

Removal of comments: Commenting Guidelines

We’ll remove your comments if they:

• Are positioned to disrupt the healthy and constructive flow of chat around the story or article.
• Are off-topic
• Harass or are abusive to other members of the community or Community Care staff
• Are libellous, offensive, or contain prejudice against any individual or group
• Encourage or condone unlawful activity, or break the law
• Contain personal contact details (other than a URL) or advertisements
• Attempt to circumvent the house rules by linking to other websites
• Are repetitious or spam
• Contain blanket attacks on social workers or other social care staff

Community Care reserves the right to edit, move or delete any message, or terminate membership, at any time, for any reason.

The editor's decision about the suitability of all comments is final.

Links to external websites

Reed Business Information and Community Care do not endorse the content of any website linked to from this service and are not responsible for the content or actions of those sites.


RULE ONE - LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR POSTS 

You are legally responsible for the accuracy of your posts. CareSpace will not accept any responsibility for any consequences which arise from information posted by a member which turns out to be incorrect.

If we are faced with any action against us - legal or otherwise – as a result of a post then we will have no option but to pass on relevant information we may have about the culprit.

By the law of the land, you are forbidden from (among other things):
•    Saying things about people which are not true (libel, defamation)
•    Using words, images or anything else which you do not own (copyright)
•    Using threatening behaviour
•    Inciting hatred
•    Discriminatory behaviour (based on sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability etc)
•    Promoting terrorism
•    Conducting any other criminal activity

RULE TWO - COMPLAINTS ABOUT A TOPIC OR POST 

If you are convinced a post breaks the forum rules you should use the “Report Abuse” button to draw attention to it: please don’t post your objections on the actual thread.

CareSpace does not moderate these forums, so only reports of abuse from users in this way can result in us being able to respond. We will endeavour to act on these reports as quickly as possible.

RULE THREE – MIND YOUR MANNERS

Legal obligations aside, there are things that are just good manners and can not be allowed on CareSpace :

False and/or defamatory posts. If you know it's a lie or untrue, then don't post it. Indeed, if you don’t know that it’s true, don’t post it.

Abusive, vulgar, hateful, threatening or harassing posts.  If you disagree with someone, that's fine. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and that's what makes for good debate. But do not make your response personal, insulting or abusive.

Phrases such as "In my humble opinion..." (or "IMHO..."); "With all due respect..."; and "The way I look on it.." are fine. (So long as you don't then put "you are talking out of your backside..."  )

Phrases like "I hate all civil servants, they are all b******s..."; "You are an utter idiot"; are not. Attacks on particular sections of society because of race or sexuality are also covered by this rule.

Comments that are an invasion of a person's privacy. Don’t post things about people on the forums which they may not want made public ie name, address, pictures. If people want to share that information it is fine, but it is their decision.

RULE FOUR – NO ADVERTS

CareSpace has provided this space free of charge for you to discuss, communicate and express yourself. In return, all we ask is that you do not use CareSpace as a place to conduct business – please don’t advertise machinery or products or job vacancies which belong elsewhere on CareSpace.

RULE FIVE – HOW MATERIAL FROM CareSpace MAY BE USED

Community Care and CommunityCare.co.uk reserve the right to re-use content from CareSpace, with due credit made to the content originator.

RULE SIX - BASIC DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

To ensure that CareSpace remains a pleasant environment for all users:
•    Threads which break the rules may get deleted in their entirety
•    Persistent rule-breakers will be warned
•    Even more persistent rule-breakers will be formally warned.
•    Then comes the final warning.
•    Then suspension from the site.

Rule breakers may also be placed under moderation. Contributors who do not work in social care must bear in mind that this forum is designed for those who do and must take part in the discussions constructively and not make sweeping criticisms of social work or social care.

Although any or all of the steps above may be leap-frogged if the offence is serious enough to demand it..

RULE SEVEN - SUSPENSIONS AND BANS

Suspensions - If a member is suspended, then they will be informed by e-mail (to the address you registered with). The suspension will be lifted once a written apology has been received by CareSpace along with a written undertaking to abide by the rules.

Bans - If a member breaches the rules again once a suspension has been lifted, they will be permanently banned from posting on the site. Again, the member will be informed by e-mail which will be sent to the e-mail address you registered with. Permanent bans may only be lifted at the Community Care's discretion, and under whatever conditions they choose to impose. There is no guarantee that they will be lifted at all.

RULE EIGHT - UPDATES TO THESE RULES.

We will update these rules from time to time and retain the right to delete anything that is deemed unacceptable but isn’t covered by one of the other rules.