Safeguarding Policy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this document is to outline KC Tutoring’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and set out the ways of working we use as a business to show our commitment to ensuring our safeguarding practices reflect our statutory responsibilities, government guidance and best practice.

This policy establishes a framework to support all those who come into contact with KC Tutoring, protect them from abuse and maltreatment of any kind and clarifies the organisation’s expectations.

We will apply robust risk management processes for the identification of situations which may require the organisation to make professional judgements to protect students from harm.

The organisation will collectively manage risks and reduce the likelihood of abuse by:

● The provision of up-to-date safeguarding policies and procedures that reflect current safeguarding legislation and guidance

● Have robust safer recruitment, selection and appointment procedures for staff   and tutors

● Promote and use safer working practices for tutors and students

● Ongoing training for tutors

● Developing and maintaining a culture of vigilance within all areas of the organisation’s work

● Protecting students from harm

● Making sure people can raise safeguarding concerns

● Handling allegations or incidents in accordance with policies and procedures

● Report any allegations or incidents to the relevant authorities

It is the responsibility of all tutors to read this policy and supporting procedures and know what to do in the event of a safeguarding concern.

WHO IS THIS POLICY FOR?

This policy applies to anyone who comes into contact with KC Tutoring, including tutors, students and parents.

CONTENTS

DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE

1.1 Abuse

1.2 Types of abuse and neglect

1.2.1 Physical abuse

1.2.2 Emotional abuse

1.2.3 Sexual abuse

1.2.4 Neglect

1.2.5 Child Exploitation

1.2.6 Child on Child Abuse

1.2.7 So-called 'honour'-based abuse

1.2.7.1 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

1.2.7.2 Forced Marriage

SAFER RECRUITMENT

2.1 Criminal Background Checks

2.2 Tutor Training (including Prevent and Online Safety training)

ONLINE SAFETY

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCEPTABLE USE

4.1 Acceptable Use

SAFEGUARDING STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT AGES

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN

6.1 Reporting

6.2 Disclosure

6.3 Emergency responses

6.4 Allegations against staff

6.5 DBS Requirement and Duty to Report

ANTI-BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

7.1 Offence

7.2 Definitions of Bribery and Corruption

7.3 Gifts and Hospitality

7.4 Policy

SAFEGUARDING GOVERNANCE

8.1 KC Tutoring’s Named Designated Safeguarding Officer

8.2 KC Tutoring’s Tutors

COMPLAINTS

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND REVIEW

UNDERPINNING LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE

11.1 Legislation

11.2 Guidance

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE

All staff are aware of indicators of abuse and neglect and understand that children can be at risk of harm inside and outside of their school/college, inside and outside of home, and online. Exercising professional curiosity and knowing what to look for is  vital for the early identification of abuse and neglect so that staff are able to identify cases of children who may be in need of help or protection.

All staff are prepared to identify children who may benefit from early help. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years.

All staff are aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events and cannot be covered by one definition or one label alone. In most cases, multiple issues will overlap with one another.

Knowing what to look for is vital to the early identification of abuse and neglect. All staff are aware of indicators of abuse and neglect through their experience and training to enable them to be able to identify cases where children may be in need of help or protection. If staff are unsure, they understand they should always speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), or deputy.

All staff are aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful. For example, children may feel embarrassed, humiliated, or may face threats not to report what is happening to them. This could be due to their vulnerability, disability and/or sexual orientation or language barriers. This should not prevent staff from having a professional curiosity and speaking to the DSL or deputy if they have concerns about a child. It is also important that staff determine how best to build trusted relationships with children and young people which facilitate communication.

All staff are aware that technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing issues and that children are at risk of abuse and other risks online as well as face to face. In many cases abuse and other risks will take place concurrently both online and offline. Children can also abuse other children online, this can take the form of abusive, harassing, and misogynistic/misandrist messages, the non-consensual sharing of indecent images, especially around chat groups, and the sharing of abusive images and pornography to those who do not want to receive such content.

All staff have an awareness of wider safeguarding issues that can put children at risk  of harm and that behaviours linked to issues such as drug taking and/or alcohol misuse, deliberately missing education, serious violence (including that linked to county lines), radicalisation and consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as youth produced sexual imagery) put children in danger.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is defined as:

● Protecting children from maltreatment.

● Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development.

● Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.

● Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

The term ‘children’ refers to any person under the age of 18. (Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), DfE, September 2023).

Whilst all children should be protected, KC Tutoring recognises that some groups of children are potentially at greater risk of harm than others (both online and offline). The list below is not exhaustive, but highlights some of those groups:

● Children who need a social worker

● Electively Home Educated (EHE) children

● Children requiring mental health support

● Looked after children and care leavers

● Children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) or with health issues - children with SEND or certain medical or physical health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline. These can include:

○ Assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child's condition without further exploration

○ These children being more prone to peer group isolation or bullying (including prejudice-based bullying) than other children

○ The potential for children with SEND or certain medical conditions being disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs .

○ Communication barriers and difficulties in managing or reporting these challenges

○ Cognitive understanding - being unable to understand the difference between fact and fiction in online content and then repeating the content/behaviours in schools or colleges or the consequences of doing so.

KC Tutoring requires all schools to send a redacted summary of a child's EHCP needs so that this can be shared with the tutor to enable them to understand the individual needs of the child and any safeguarding concerns in relation to their disability or learning difficulty.

1.1 Abuse

A form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Harm can include ill treatment that is not physical as well as the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others. This can be particularly relevant, for example, in relation to the impact on children of all forms of domestic abuse. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children. (KCSIE, 2023, para 26).

If abuse of a child is reported, KC Tutoring’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will follow the process laid out in the 1989 Children Act with reference to whether a child is suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm (section 47) or if they are a ’child in need’ (section 17). This may involve a referral into Children’s Social Care and/or the police, or a referral into early help services, depending on the severity of the risk posed.

1.2 Types of Abuse and Neglect

1.2.1 Physical Abuse

A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child (KCSIE, 2023, para 27).

1.2.2 Emotional Abuse

The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ’making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction.

It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person (KCSIE 2023, para 28).

1.2.3 Sexual Abuse

Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing, and touching outside of clothing.

They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse.

Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue in education and all staff are aware of it and of their organisation’s policy and procedures for dealing with it (KCSIE 2023, para 29)

1.2.4 Neglect

The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

1.2.5 Child Exploitation

All staff are trained to understand that both child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation are forms of child abuse, and in how to recognise the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child could be at risk of exploitation, reporting any concerns in line with KC Tutoring’s safeguarding procedures.

1.2.6 Child on Child Abuse

All staff are aware that children can abuse other children at any age (often referred to as child-on-child abuse) and that it can happen both inside and outside of their school or college and online.

All staff are trained to recognise the indicators and signs of abuse and know how to identify it and respond to reports, in line with KC Tutoring’s safeguarding procedures.

Child-on-child abuse is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:

1.2.6.1 Bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)

1.2.6.2 Abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (sometimes known as ’teenage relationship abuse’)

1.2.6.3 Physical abuse which can include hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm

1.2.6.4 Sexual violence - for the purposes of this policy and procedures when referring to sexual violence we are referring to sexual offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 specifically, rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault and causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent (KSCIE 2023 Part 5: para 451)

1.2.6.5 Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment

Child on child sexual violence and sexual harassment can happen both inside and outside of education settings. KC Tutoring are clear that there is a zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence and sexual harassment, that it is never acceptable, and it will not be tolerated.

1.2.7 Honour-Based Abuse (HBA)

So-called ’honour’-based abuse (HBA) encompasses incidents or crimes which have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or the community, including female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing. Abuse committed in the context of preserving ’honour’ often involves a wider network of family or community pressure and can include multiple perpetrators.

All forms of HBA are abuse (regardless of the motivation) and should be handled and escalated as such. All staff are trained in spotting the signs of HBA and in how to report this.

1.2.7.1 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

All staff have a legal obligation to report to the Police any cases where it is known that FGM has been carried out on a child, in line with our safeguarding procedures.

1.2.7.2 Forced Marriage

A forced marriage is one entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties and where violence, threats or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person to enter into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological. A lack of full and free consent can be where a person does not consent or where they cannot consent (if they have learning disabilities, for example). Nevertheless, some perpetrators use perceived cultural practices to coerce a person into marriage. (KCSIE, 2023).

Since February 2023, it has become illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to marry, or for anyone to conduct the marriage or be complicit in enabling the marriage to take place. As with the existing forced marriage law, this applies to non-binding, unofficial ’marriages’ as well as legal marriages (KCSIE, 2023)

SAFER RECRUITMENT

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 requires KC Tutoring to carry out specific vetting (enhanced DBS and barred list checks) on tutors if they work with anyone under the age of 18. 

As KC Tutoring is run by a sole trader and has no employees, therefore no safer recruitment procedures are required. However, the owner of KC Tutoring must have all the relevant background checks as detailed below.

2.1 Criminal Background Checks

We require all tutors to have a valid enhanced Criminal Background check to tutor at KC Tutoring.

KC Tutoring considers a criminal background record check to be valid if it:

● Is an up-to-date enhanced DBS check

● Is issued in the UK

● Details Children’s Barred List Information

● Is relevant to the tutor’s place of work and previous address history

● In line with safeguarding requirements tutors need to have a valid, enhanced  DBS check, which is renewed every 3 years.

An enhanced DBS check can be updated by applying for a new enhanced DBS Certificate.

2.2 Safeguarding Training (including Prevent and Online Safety training) 

KC Tutoring believes that training and raising awareness of safeguarding  issues, policies and procedures is fundamental to the development and maintenance  of a safer environment, safer organisation and safer tutors.

We ensure that appropriate safeguarding training is provided to all tutors to   assist them in:

2.2.1 Preventing abuse

2.2.2 Recognising abuse

2.2.3 Recording concerns

2.2.4 Responding appropriately to allegations of abuse

2.2.5 Knowing who to tell, and

2.2.6 When information can be shared.

Safeguarding training at the appropriate level to the role and responsibilities held is a mandatory element of all inductions for tutors and this knowledge is refreshed on an annual basis. Furthermore, safeguarding training is not regarded as a 'once only' activity, but as an ongoing development of skills and knowledge of safeguarding practices, via awareness training. KC Tutoring takes their duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 seriously, and has due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. Annual mandatory Prevent training is required for tutors, and is to be refreshed each September ahead of the new academic year.

KC Tutoring also understands that the online world is intrinsic to young people’s lives and, whilst the internet can be an incredibly positive experience for young people, there is potential for it to be a cause of harm. As such, all staff are trained to recognise online harms and how to report these concerns to the DSL.

KC Tutoring keeps a record of all training completed.

ONLINE SAFETY

KC Tutoring takes a holistic approach to online safety that aims to protect tutors and students in their use of technology. 

As outlined in KCSIE 2023 (para 136) KC Tutoring recognises the considerable breadth of issues classified within online safety, which have been categorised into the following four areas:

● content: being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, for example: pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, islamaphobia, anti-Semitism, radicalisation and extremism

● contact: being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users; for example: peer to peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes’

● conduct: personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm; for example, making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g., consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography, sharing other explicit images and online bullying)

● commerce: risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and or financial scams

KC Tutoring ensures online safety is a constant running and interrelated theme through the development and implementation of all our services, policies and procedures.

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCEPTABLE USE

Social media is a broad term for any kind of online platform which enables people to directly interact with each other. It allows people to share information, ideas and views, and can be considered both mainstream and non-mainstream. Examples of mainstream social media include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, which are all moderated to prevent extremist material being uploaded. Non-mainstream social media however, such as Bitchute, 4chan, and Reddit do not have much, if any, moderation and this can lead to young people being  exposed to extremist material and susceptible to being radicalised.

4.1 Acceptable Use

KC Tutoring’s tutors should be aware that content uploaded to social media is not private. Even if you restrict it to ‘friends’, there is still capacity for it to be re-posted or distributed beyond the intended recipients. Therefore, tutors using social media should conduct themselves with professionalism and respect.

Tutors should not upload any content on to social media sites that:

● Is confidential to the Company

● Amounts to bullying

● Amounts to unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation

● Brings the Company into disrepute

● Contains lewd, sexually explicit, threatening or similarly inappropriate or offensive comments, images or video clips

● Undermines the reputation of the school and/or individuals

● Is defamatory or knowingly false

● Breaches copyright

● Is in any other way unlawful.

Tutors should be aware of both professional and social boundaries and should not accept or invite ‘friend’ requests from students or ex-students under the age of 18, or from parents on their personal social media accounts such as Facebook or Instagram.  All communication with parents should be via the KC Tutoring social media platforms or email. 

Any content or online activity which raises a safeguarding concern must be reported to the KC Tutoring’s safeguarding team through contacting the DSL within 24 hours.

SAFEGUARDING STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT AGES

KC Tutoring recognises that it provides tuition across a wide range of age groups. KC Tutoring is committed to ensuring tutors are adequately trained and prepared to recognise the different types of abuse that can impact the different age groups.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN

6.1 Reporting

It’s vital that any safeguarding concerns are reported to KC Tutoring so the DSL can investigate fully. All Safeguarding concerns will be investigated within 24 hours of the incident.

● When the child is disclosing this information, take detailed notes. This should include:

o the child’s name, age and address

o what the child said or did that gave you cause for concern e.g. if they made a verbal disclosure, write down their exact words

o any information the child has given you about the alleged abuser

● Sharing information:

o timely information is key to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we may need to share information about the children or families we are involved with for a number of reasons, such as:

▪ making a referral to arrange additional support for someone

▪ someone from another agency has asked for information

▪ someone in the family has asked to be referred for further help

▪ a statutory duty or court order requires information to be shared

▪ you are concerned that a child or member of their family is at risk of significant harm

▪ you think a serious crime may have been committed or is about to committed which involves someone in the family

o We must have a clear and legitimate purpose for sharing a child’s personal  information and must keep a record of the reasons why we are sharing information about them

o Always seek consent to share information about a child and their family.

o If consent isn’t given, you can still share information with relevant professionals under certain circumstances e.g. when protecting a child from significant harm. The Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR do not affect this  principle.

● If a child is suffering or at risk of suffering serious harm, you can share information with appropriate agencies or professionals without the child’s or their parent’s consent:

o If the child is in immediate danger, call 999. 

● Process for reporting a concern:

o Take notes whilst the child is disclosing or report your concerns at the end of a lesson/contact with the child.

o Be as detailed as possible when reporting this to the DSL.

To report a safeguarding concern to KC Tutoring:

Tutors – via the internal use safeguarding form.

Parents/carers/schools – please email katy.conlon@kctutoring.co.ukwith your concern.

6.2 Disclosure

Once a disclosure has been made or a concern has been shared, the DSL will consider the information, if necessary, taking advice, and will make a decision to either:

6.2.1 Keep detailed records of the concern with no further action at this time

6.2.2 Liaise with the student’s school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.

6.2.3 Make a child protection referral to Children’s Social Care

6.2.4 Make a police referral

6.2.5 Make a referral into an Early Help service (consent from the child/family will always be sought before any referral into an Early Help service is made)

Where a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer from harm, it is important that a referral to children’s social care (and if appropriate the police) is made immediately.

Once the decision is made to make a referral, the DSL will contact the  relevant Children’s Social Care Team and make a telephone referral. This must be followed up in writing within 24 hours.

6.3 Emergency Responses

Where a child is identified at immediate risk of harm the tutor will immediately contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will in turn contact the Police for the areas where the risk is located using 999. 

Within one working day of a referral being made, a local authority social worker should acknowledge receipt to the referrer and make a decision about the next steps  and the type of response that is required.

Where tutors are delivering tuition to children and young people in a school or college, the KC Tutoring DSL must inform the school’s DSL of any safeguarding concern.

6.4 Allegations against staff

KC Tutoring recognises its duty to report concerns or allegations against its tutors. All tutors must promote safer working practices.

Allegations of abuse against tutors can be made by either a child or an adult and are made immediately to the DSL. Where the allegation is about the DSL, concerns can be made to Nottingham City Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) (www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/lado), and they will decide on any action required.

This guidance should be followed when any KC Tutoring representative has:

6.4.1 behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child and/or

6.4.2 possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child, and/or

6.4.3 behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children, and/or

6.4.4 behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children. This includes behaviour that may have occurred inside or outside of KC Tutoring.

(KCSIE 2023 para 355-356)

KC Tutoring will deal appropriately and promptly with all allegations or concerns and refer all safeguarding concerns or allegations about its tutors immediately to the appropriate local authority designated officer (LADO) in accordance with local safeguarding procedures and practical guidance, in accordance with the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018.

6.5 DBS Requirement and Duty to Report

Under legal duties to make referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service, KC Tutoring will report any concerns about unsafe practice by any of its tutors to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This applies where an individual has engaged in conduct that has either harmed (or is likely to harm) a  child; or if a person otherwise poses a risk of harm to a child. (KCSIE 2023, para 403).

ANTI-BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

Bribery is, in the conduct of the Company’s business, the offering or accepting of any  gift, loan, payment, reward or advantage for personal gain as an encouragement to do something which is dishonest, illegal or a breach of trust. Bribery is a criminal offence.

The Company prohibits any form of bribery. We require compliance from everyone connected with our business, with the highest ethical standards and anti-bribery laws applicable. Integrity and transparency are of utmost importance to us and we have a zero tolerance attitude towards corrupt activities of any kind.

7.1 Offence

It is a criminal offence to:

● offer a bribe

● accept a bribe

● bribe a foreign official

● as a commercial organisation,

● to fail to prevent a bribe

You should be aware that if you are found guilty by a court of committing bribery, you could face up to 10 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine. The Company could also  face prosecution and be liable to pay a fine.

7.2 Definitions of Bribery and Corruption

Corruption is the misuse of office or power for private gain. Bribery is a form of corruption which means in the course of business giving or receiving money, gifts, meals, entertainment or anything else of value as an inducement to a person to do something which is dishonest or illegal.

7.3 Gifts and Hospitality

We realise that the giving and receiving of gifts and hospitality where nothing is expected in return helps form positive relationships with third parties where it is proportionate and properly recorded. This does not constitute bribery and consequently such actions are not considered a breach of this policy.

Gifts include money; goods (flowers, vouchers, food, drink, event tickets when not used in a hosted business context); services or loans given or received as a mark of friendship or appreciation.

Hospitality includes entertaining; meals or event tickets (when used in a hosted business context) given or received to initiate or develop relations. Hospitality will become a gift if the host is not present.

7.4 Policy

It is prohibited, directly or indirectly, to offer, give, request or accept any bribe i.e. gift, loan, payment, reward or advantage, either in cash or any other form of inducement, to or from any person or company in order to gain commercial, contractual or regulatory advantage for the Company, or in order to gain any personal advantage  for an individual or anyone connected with the individual in a way that is unethical. If you are offered a bribe, or a bribe is solicited from you, you should not agree to it unless your immediate safety is in jeopardy. 

SAFEGUARDING GOVERANCE

KC Tutoring will ensure it has arrangements in place to fulfil its commitment and duty to safeguard children and young people in accordance with legislation and statutory guidance.

8.1 KC Tutoring’s Named Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Named Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will be provided with the appropriate level of training to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities on leading  safeguarding matters. Their training is updated every two years. They are responsible for responding to initial concerns or disclosures.

The Named Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputies will:

● Approving all safeguarding policies and supporting procedures

● Provide ready and accessible support and guidance to all staff, tutors and directors on safeguarding matters

● Manage all safeguarding reports and act as liaison for statutory services during any criminal or safeguarding investigation

● Ensure that serious incidents relating to safeguarding are reported immediately and managed effectively

● Report allegations against tutors to the relevant Local Authority and Disclosure and Barring Service as appropriate

● Ensure accurate records of all safeguarding concerns and the secure storage  of all safeguarding records

● Provide a quality assurance and review function for all safeguarding concerns

● Work with all the above governance bodies to inform of serious or untoward safeguarding incidents as appropriate

● Ensure the adoption, implementation and auditing of all policies and strategies in relation to safeguarding

● Liaise with school Designated Safeguarding Leads on matters of safety and safeguarding, in particular online and digital safety involving KC Tutoring tutors, when deciding whether to make a referral to the relevant agencies

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Name: Katy Conlon

Phone: 07758416209

Email: katy.conlon@kctutoring.co.uk

8.2 KC Tutoring Tutors

All KC Tutoring tutors have a shared responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. They should know how to recognise, respond to, report and record any safeguarding concerns.

All tutors are responsible for following the organisation’s safeguarding procedures for reporting any concerns relating to abuse or neglect or suspected abuse or neglect of any child or young person immediately.

In an emergency, tutors will be expected to report urgent concerns directly to the relevant statutory agency.

COMPLAINTS

If a complaint is identified as a potential safeguarding concern, then the Safeguarding Procedures will be followed.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND REVIEW

KC Tutoring is committed to striving for excellence in the provision of all its services. We do this by actively reviewing the safeguarding systems in place.

We use an electronic recording system to capture all relevant data that supports the evidencing and monitoring of compliance in safeguarding. This quality assurance mechanism is a crucial and integral part of the governance structure.

The DSL will review the safeguarding policy and supporting procedures annually to ensure they continue to reflect legislation and guidance.

UNDERPINNING LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE

11.1 Legislation

Children Act 1989

Human Rights Act 1998

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1991 Sexual Offences Act 2003

Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 Children Act 2004

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 The The Mental Capacity Act 2005

The Equality Act 2010

Children and Families Act 2014

Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 Modern Slavery Act 2015

Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 Children and Social Work Act 2017

Data Protection Act 2018 Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019 Domestic Abuse Act 2021

Children’s Code (issued under S125 DPA 2018, effective Oct 2021) The Marriage and Civil Partnerships Act 2022

11.2 Guidance

Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners 2018

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 places a general duty on schools to work and cooperate with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. KC Tutoring is committed to do this by having an open, honest and transparent line of communication.

Children’s Code is a statutory code of practice that articulates how online services likely to be accessed by children should comply with the UK GDPR when using children’s data. The code was prepared under s121 of the DPA 2018 and issued under s125 of DPA 2018, coming into effect on 5 October 2021.

 Guidance for Safer Working Practice for those working with children and young people in education settings , February 2022 - this document is an update by the Safer Recruitment Consortium of a document previously published for schools by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). It was initially issued as those working with children had expressed concern about their vulnerability and requested clearer advice about what constitutes illegal behaviour and what might be considered as misconduct. Education staff asked for practical guidance about which behaviours constitute safe practice and which behaviours are avoided. This safe working practice document is NOT statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE); it is for employers, local authorities and/or the Three Safeguarding Partners to decide whether to use this as the basis for their code of conduct / staff behaviour guidelines.

 Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 (KCSIE) is statutory guidance issued from the Department for Education under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002. Schools and colleges must have regard to this when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children.

APPENDIX A

Safeguarding Concern Form

APPENDIX B

Guidance on completing the safeguarding concern form:

It is important that this concern form is fully completed in a timely manner. The details are important. To help the Designated Safeguarding Lead respond and refer appropriately you should follow the guidance below.

● Only write about one child on each form

● Remember that concern forms are used in court cases and inquests as evidence.

● Make sure you use the KC Tutoring Safeguarding Concern Form to record your concerns/disclosure.