DPDP for Playschools: Why Early-Age Institutions Need Extra Care

Protect Your Playschool With Privacy-First Practices

Playschools are often a child’s first experience outside home. They are built on trust — parents trust educators not only with their child’s learning, but with their safety, emotions, and dignity. In today’s digital environment, that trust extends to how a child’s data and images are handled.

Under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023, playschools occupy a uniquely sensitive position. They handle the personal data of very young children — a category that demands the highest level of protection under the law. For playschools, DPDP is not just compliance; it is an extension of care.

Why Playschools Handle the Most Sensitive Data

Unlike older students, children in playschools cannot understand or consent to how their data is used. Every decision is made entirely on their behalf. At the same time, playschools collect deeply personal information, often without realising its sensitivity.

This includes photographs, videos, daily activity updates, parent contact details, medical notes, behaviour observations, and even emotional development records. When combined, this data creates a highly intimate profile of a child’s early life.

DPDP recognises this vulnerability. That is why the law places stricter expectations on institutions handling data of children under 18 — and especially those dealing with early-age learners.

Photo Sharing, Daily Updates, and Parent Groups: The Hidden Risk

Daily updates are the heart of playschool communication. Parents love seeing their child paint for the first time, participate in circle time, or smile during a classroom activity. To meet this expectation, many playschools rely on WhatsApp groups, shared drives, or bulk photo albums.

While well-intentioned, these practices create real risks:

Photos of children are visible to multiple parents, links can be forwarded beyond the school community, and images often remain stored indefinitely without purpose or control. Over time, this exposes a child’s digital identity in ways parents never intended.

Under DPDP, even accidental exposure is a serious issue. Playschools must now ensure that joyful sharing does not turn into unintended data misuse.

Consent Challenges in Early Childhood Education

Consent in playschools is fundamentally different from other educational settings. Children cannot give consent themselves, and parents must be fully informed, empowered, and respected in every data-related decision.

DPDP requires verifiable parental consent, meaning consent must be clear, specific, revocable, and properly recorded. Generic admission forms or verbal approvals are no longer sufficient.

Playschools must think carefully about what they ask consent for — photos, videos, daily updates, social media use, apps, and communication platforms — and ensure parents understand exactly how their child’s data will be used.

Handled well, consent becomes a trust-building tool. Handled poorly, it becomes a source of confusion and concern.

How Playschools Can Lead in Privacy, Not Lag Behind

Playschools have an opportunity to lead by example. Because of their smaller size and close parent relationships, early-age institutions can adopt privacy-first practices more easily than larger schools.

Leading playschools are beginning to:

Use secure, purpose-built platforms instead of open messaging apps, share photos only with the relevant family rather than in bulk groups, keep clear records of parental consent, train staff on privacy-safe communication, and regularly review how long data is stored.

These steps don’t make operations harder, they make them more professional, more trustworthy, and more future-ready.

Parents notice when a playschool takes privacy seriously. It reassures them that their child is being cared for thoughtfully, both offline and online.

Why Privacy-First Practices Build Stronger Parent Relationships

For parents of very young children, trust is everything. A playschool that demonstrates respect for privacy sends a powerful message: your child matters to us.

Privacy-first practices reduce parent anxiety, prevent misunderstandings, and strengthen communication. They also protect the institution from complaints, reputational damage, and future regulatory scrutiny.

Most importantly, they align the school’s digital behaviour with the values it teaches, respect, responsibility, and care.

Early Care Includes Digital Care

Playschools shape the earliest experiences of learning and trust. In the DPDP era, that responsibility includes protecting a child’s digital identity from the very beginning.

By adopting thoughtful consent practices, secure media sharing, trained staff behaviour, and transparent communication, playschools can create environments where children are protected, parents feel confident, and institutions lead with integrity.

Privacy in early education is not an obstacle. It is a mark of quality.

Protect Your Playschool With Privacy-First Practices. Build parent trust and safeguard young learners with DPDP-ready systems designed for early-age institutions. Book a Free Privacy Consultation for Your Playschool