Safeguarding Policy & Procedures

Policy last updated: 7th September 2026
Policy reviewed by: Colin Murphy (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Next review date: 7th September 2027

This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions as well as our Safeguarding Procedures. All parties using or working on behalf of Choice Home Tutoring must be aware of this policy and should have familiarised themselves with our Safeguarding Procedures prior to any involvement in the services we offer.

1. Introduction

1.1

Choice Home Tutoring (CHT) is committed to ensuring the highest possible standards of safeguarding; the personal safety and wellbeing of all our learners and tutors are paramount.

1.2

CHT aims to ensure that all lessons, whether they take place in the home of our customers, online or any other venue such as schools, do so in a safe environment. This is supported by a set of procedures which should be followed by all learners, parents/responsible adults and tutors who utilise our services.

1.3

CHT has an appointed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Colin Murphy, who has lead responsibility for child protection and safeguarding and receives appropriate on-going training for the role. He can be contacted at colin@choicehometutoring.co.uk or 07715 661734. Joanne Murphy is an additional DSL and can be contacted at jo@choicehometutoring.co.uk or 07527 377502.

2. Delivering our Safeguarding Priorities

2.1

CHT staff and tutors must always place safeguarding at the forefront of their role and must show consistency in their approach to safeguarding. To facilitate this, our safeguarding priorities are delivered regularly through a variety of mediums.

2.2

Every September, or at any time for new recruits, CHT tutors and staff receive our Annual Safeguarding Declaration which they must sign and return to confirm that they have received, read, and understand the information contained within our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing Policy, The most recent edition of Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education document in full (noting that condensed versions are no longer permitted) and the Prevent Duty.

2.3

CHT tutors and staff must attend our in-house safeguarding webinar which is delivered each September. The webinar is structured around a powerpoint presentation which outlines the key issues and updates around safeguarding and allows for group discussion and questions. Tutors and staff also receive instructions for accessing a Level 1 Safeguarding course provided by the Manchester Safeguarding Partnership in conjunction with the Virtual College.

2.4

All tutors and staff receive an electronic reminder to complete this course and to provide proof of completion by uploading their certificate to their profile. The annual completion of this course is mandatory. All new recruits must complete the course as part of their initial registration.

2.5

Tutors receive electronic safeguarding updates and reminders throughout the year. These can include issues such as ensuring that they always remain vigilant in spotting signs of abuse, that there is a responsible adult present in the home throughout the duration of sessions and ensuring safety when tutoring online. CHT aims to communicate such safeguarding communications on a monthly basis, or whenever issues arise, in order to keep our messaging around safeguarding consistent.

3. Tutor Registration

3.1

All CHT tutors must be thoroughly vetted including a face-to-face interview to ascertain whether they have the desired professionalism and personality to represent CHT in the homes of our customers and the schools we support.

3.2

At interview, all prospective tutors must produce the following documentation: a fully completed tutor registration form, their professional qualifications, two forms of ID (driving license / passport / birth certificate etc.), a recent document (3 months) showing their name and address (e.g. utility bill) and a passport-sized photo.

3.3

For all successful applicants, positive references from two appropriate referees need to be called for and received before the applicant can be fully approved.

3.4

All tutors must sign and agree to the CHT Tutor Agreement which includes our Tutor Code of Conduct.

3.5

All CHT tutors must be subjected to an Enhanced DBS check prior to starting tuition with us. We will refuse to work with any tutor who does not possess an up to date Enhanced DBS certificate. All new tutors must subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

3.6

CHT tutors will only be fully approved on our data management system, TutorCruncher, once we are satisfied that clauses 3.1 to 3.5 have been successfully completed.

3.7

Tutor performance and professionalism is continually monitored; this is partly achieved from customer feedback received via the review process on TutorCruncher.

3.8

CHT will strive to choose a tutor who best suits the needs of the learner; however, we will change a tutor if the customer feels that the ‘match’ isn’t quite right for whatever reason.

4. Data Protection

4.1

The initial communication/conversation takes place between CHT and the customer. If a job is agreed, it is advertised on TutorCruncher but no name or contact details of the customer/learner are evident. The tutor will only receive these details once permission has been given by the customer for the tutor to contact them.

4.2

All personal data of customers, learners and tutors are entered into TutorCruncher and are only visible to CHT admin staff. Such data is held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR. Please refer to CHT’s Data Protection Policy for further information.

5. Safeguarding Indicators

5.1

All tutors must be aware of the below indicators of abuse and neglect (covered in more detail in KCSIE 2023) and must understand that children can be at risk of harm inside and outside of their education setting, inside and outside of their home, and online.

5.2

Physical abuse is a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

5.3

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.

5.4

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.

5.5

Neglect is 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.

6. Safeguarding Issues

6.1

All tutors must have an awareness of the below safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. As with the above indicators, these issues are covered in more detail in KCSIE 2023.

6.2 Child-on-child abuse

Child-on-child abuse involves children abusing other children both inside and outside of school and online. It is most likely to include, but may not be limited to bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying), abuse in intimate personal relationships between children, physical abuse, sexual violence, sexual harassment, causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos, upskirting, initiation violence and rituals.

6.3 Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) are forms of abuse that occur where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into taking part in sexual or criminal activity. Both CSE and CCE include children who have been ‘trafficked’ for the purpose of exploitation.

6.4 Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse encompasses a wide range of abuse behaviours including, but not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional. Children can be victims of domestic abuse by seeing, hearing, or experiencing the effects of abuse at home and/or by suffering domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse).

6.5 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

If a tutor has any concerns about FGM, they should inform the DSL. If a tutor, in the course of their work for CHT, discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18, they must report this to the police.

6.6 Mental Health

In some cases, mental health problems can be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation. If a tutor has a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, they must immediately inform the DSL.

6.7 Serious violence

Tutors should be aware of the indicators which may signal children are at risk from, or are involved with, serious violent crime. These may include increased absence from school or college, a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups, a significant decline in performance, signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing, or unexplained injuries.

6.8 Prevent

All schools and colleges are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have due regard to the need to prevent people, including children, from being drawn into extremist ideology, radicalisation and terrorism. This duty is known as the Prevent duty. Protecting children from this risk must form a part of CHT’s safeguarding approach.

6.9 Extremism

Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces.

6.10 Radicalisation

Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups.

6.11 Terrorism

Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.

6.12 Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)

Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or certain medical or physical health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline. Any reports of abuse involving children with SEND require close liaison with the DSL. Tutors must be aware that additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children. 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.

6.13 Gender-Questioning Children

Tutors must support pupils questioning their gender identity while respecting legal provisions around single-sex spaces and ensuring open communication with the DSL.

6.14 Young Carers & Children with Medical Conditions

Tutors must be alert to the specific safeguarding vulnerabilities and hidden pressures faced by young carers and children managing long-term health conditions.

6.15 Family Help Framework

All references to early multi-agency support are updated to align with local Family Help systems.

7. Roles and Responsibilities of the Tutor

7.1

The tutor shall:

abide by our Tutor Agreement and Tutor Code of Conduct
treat learners fairly and without prejudice or discrimination
always ensure language is appropriate and not offensive or discriminatory
ensure that any contact with the learner is appropriate to their role as a tutor and confined to the relevant work required
not make any improper suggestions to a learner
not send unsolicited communications to the learner or parent/responsible adult
value and take each learner’s contributions seriously
report to the DSL any dispute with a learner or parent/responsible adult as outlined in our Safeguarding Procedures
report to the DSL any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity identified within a tutoring session by the learner or third party
report to the DSL any safeguarding disclosure or concern from a learner as outlined in section 7.2 below
report to the DSL any instances when a parent/responsible adult leaves the home, for however long, during a tutoring session; tutors and parents should be aware that learners should not be left alone in the home with tutors
similarly report to the DSL any instances when a parent/responsible adult is not present at the home for sessions that take place online
report to the DSL instances when students are absent from sessions for prolonged periods and/or on repeat occasions
in all case, communicate through the parent or, for schools, the relevant member of staff when sessions take place online (tutors must not know student email addresses, phone numbers or any other personal information and the student should not know the tutor’s)
ensure that they check in with parents at the start and end of the session via the online platform being used
ensure that the setting in which they conduct their online tuition is suitable for purpose with nothing of a personal or inappropriate nature visible in the background
ensure that their setting is free from interruption and is not observable by other members of the tutor’s household
ensure that the student’s setting is also appropriate and preferably not the student’s bedroom (ideally, the session should take place in a communal area and be within earshot of the parent or member of staff)
leave their camera on for the duration of the session when tutoring online and encourage the student to do the same
maintain appropriate safeguarding standards during online tuition, including the safe use of Generative AI tools, awareness of deepfake risks, and adherence to mobile-phone-free environments during sessions
Never record any part of a tutoring session or take screenshots. Tutors and learners must keep personal mobile phones turned off or put away during the session. Tutors must never use Generative AI tools to create, modify, or process any images or data belonging to a student.
if tutoring online, ensure they read CHT’s online safety guide

7.2 How tutors should report safeguarding concerns

Tutors should take the following steps to report a safeguarding concern:

if a student approaches them, reassure them that they’ve done the right thing
listen carefully to their disclosure and respect their rights
notify the student that only the people who need to know will be informed
do not try to solve the situation themselves or confront anyone
take all claims seriously
write up their narrative, giving as much detail as possible, including date and time, what was said and any names and locations
do not disclose any information to non-relevant parties
contact the DSL immediately at colin@choicehometutoring.co.uk or 07715 661734 and inform him of the situation using the report you made (the DSL will contact children’s services, the police or provide further advice, as appropriate)
if the DSL is unavailable and the tutor believes the situation warrants further action, they should contact children’s services or the police.

Following the disclosure, tutors should complete our Safeguarding Incident Form (located in the documents folder of each tutor’s profile) outlining the details of the disclosure and email the form directly to the DSL as soon as possible.

8. Roles and Responsibilities of the Learner

8.1

Learners can only be registered on TutorCruncher following the formal registration of an appropriate sponsor/parent/carer over the age of 18.

8.2

The learner shall:

treat the tutor with respect and fairness, and not subject them to abusive behaviour or language
not make any improper suggestions to the tutor
have no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the tutoring session
report any dispute with a tutor to a parent/responsible adult
report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a tutoring session

9. Roles and Responsibilities of the Parent/Responsible Adult

9.1

The parent/responsible adult shall:

trust the expertise of CHT in choosing an appropriate tutor for the learner
ensure that the learner is fully aware of the CHT Safeguarding Policy
always be responsible for the welfare of the learner during the session and maintain a presence in the home or relevant venue, including for sessions that take place online
always be responsible for the physical environment of the learner during the session ensuring it is safe and appropriate
ensure that ‘in person’ sessions take place in an appropriate downstairs room, such as the family dining room, and certainly not in the bedroom of the learner
ensure that online sessions also take place in an appropriate downstairs room, such as the family dining room and not in the bedroom of the learner
ensure that tutors are treated with respect and fairness by themselves and the learner and are not subjected to abusive behaviour or language
ensure that the learner has no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the tutoring session
report any unsolicited communications between the tutor and learner to CHT, if appropriate
report any dispute with a tutor to CHT
report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor to CHT

10. Roles and Responsibilities of the School/Sponsor

10.1

For the purpose of this policy, a ‘responsible adult’ includes teachers and school or sponsor representatives. A sponsor could refer to a professional body which has agreed to pay for the tuition fees and may also, but not always, provide the venue in which the tuition takes place.

10.2

The responsible adult(s) who represents the school/sponsor shall:

be responsible for the welfare of the learner during the session
be responsible for the physical environment of the learner during the tutoring session, ensuring that it is safe and appropriate
be responsible for behaviour of the learner during the tutoring session, ensuring that tutors are treated with respect and fairness and are not subjected to abusive behaviour or language
ensure that no improper suggestions are made by either the tutor or learner
be present or available to the learner during the tutoring session so any issues can be addressed
report any dispute with a tutor to CHT
report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a tutoring session

10.3

If it has been agreed with the school/sponsor that the tutoring session is to take place outside of school hours and away from school premises, it is the responsibility of the school/sponsor to make the appropriate parent/responsible adult aware of our Safeguarding Policy and that both parties agree their safeguarding responsibilities.

11. Roles and Responsibilities of Choice Home Tutoring

11.1

The Director of CHT shall:

fully perform their obligations under section 3, ‘Tutor Registration’, of this policy
ensure that any dispute among parties using the services of CHT is handled efficiently and fairly and without discrimination
appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who has ultimate responsibility for dealing with issues of a safeguarding nature and receives specialist training every 2 years
deal with reports of possible illegal activity promptly, ensuring that the safety and wellbeing of the learner and/or tutor are protected
fully cooperate with the police in any serious breaches or matters arising that may require their involvement
if appropriate, employ the services of an independent Child Protection officer in order to facilitate an appropriate course of action in relation to the welfare of a learner
regularly review this policy and the related procedures to ensure that they remain relevant and adequate to safeguard all persons utilising the services of CHT

12. Compliance

12.1

All parties involved in utilising the tuition services of CHT have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with our Safeguarding Policy.

12.2

Any tutor reported for a breach of the Safeguarding Policy will be suspended from providing any further tuition until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority; the reporter may be informed of the resolution if appropriate.

12.3

The final decision on action taken for minor breaches of the Safeguarding Policy will be the responsibility of CHT.

12.4

Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using the services of CHT will be reported to the police and will be barred from future use our services.

12.5

Any person reported for causing harm to a learner or subjecting the learner to sexual abuse will be reported to police and barred from future use our services.

13. Monitoring and Evaluation

13.1

CHT recognises how vital it is not only to have stringent recruitment processes in place but also to monitor/quality assess our tutors on an ongoing basis in relation to their performance, student progress/outcomes and safeguarding.

13.2

We rely heavily on customer feedback to confirm the competences of our tutors and to ensure that appropriate safeguarding practices are followed. Customers receive an automatic internal review request after 6 sessions.

13.3

We always call our families following their first session with us to ensure that expectations, including those of a safeguarding nature were met.

13.4

Tutor lesson reports are monitored both in isolation and over time to glean an indication of the appropriateness of session content – this in turn determines what interventions, if any, are required.

13.5

The DSL monitors our safeguarding practices on an ongoing basis to ensure that standards are being met and any concerns have been appropriately dealt with from end-to-end in line with the expectations of section 3: ‘Management of Safeguarding Allegations’ of our Tutor Code of Conduct and section 2: ‘Safeguarding and Child Protection’.

13.6

This policy is a dynamic document and will be updated as new guidance is produced or in response to research, review and other events that have not previously been covered within the policy.

Choice Home Tutoring Safeguarding Procedures

This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions as well as our Safeguarding Policy. All parties using or working on behalf of Choice Home Tutoring must familiarise themselves with these procedures prior to any involvement in the services we offer.

1. Introduction

1.1

Choice Home Tutoring (CHT) is committed to ensuring the highest possible standards of safeguarding; the personal safety and wellbeing of all our learners and tutors are paramount.

1.2

The following sections set out the procedures that should be followed if an incident of a safeguarding nature occurs.

1.3

The procedures aim to ensure a prompt response and to minimise any potential or further harm to a learner or other person.

1.4

It is important to note that there are a variety of severities of behaviour which may occur during a tutoring session. Some may warrant a report to CHT (directly to the DSL if possible) whereas others may be of such a serious nature that a direct report to the police may be necessary.

1.5

Each section sets out the recommended procedure which should be followed. It is always the responsibility of the person alerted to the incident to take some action to protect the learner or other person. CHT will not be responsible for any non-compliance with the recommended procedure.

1.6

The procedures are not an exhaustive list, therefore if an incident occurs that is not covered in this document you are advised to contact CHT or the police if you believe that it may be a criminal matter.

2. Tutors

If a tutor sees/experiences:

2.1 Inappropriate language or behaviour

The tutor will request, in a polite manner, that the learner or other persons using inappropriate language or behaviour refrains from doing so during the tutoring session. If the language or behaviour continues, the tutor will explain that they will terminate the session and will report the matter to CHT who will decide on any further use of the service by the learner or other person involved. The tutor will have no further contact with the learner unless by mutual agreement with CHT. Any unsolicited contact from the learner or other persons following the termination of the session should be reported to CHT.

2.2 Inappropriate or abusive images

Any display of adult pornographic images whilst in the presence of a learner may constitute an offence under UK law. Any tutor witnessing the display of adult pornographic images by or towards a learner should explain that the images should not be displayed during a tutoring session, should terminate the session and report the matter to CHT.

2.3 Indecent images of children

Any display of child abuse images or indecent images of a child (for these purposes, a ‘child’ is defined as anyone under the age of 18 years) is an offence under UK law. Any tutor witnessing a display of indecent images of a child by or in the presence of a learner should explain that due to the nature of the images they will terminate the session. The tutor should then inform the police and CHT who will fully comply with any police investigation. The tutor should have no further contact with the learner or any other person involved in the incident. Any unsolicited contact from the learner or other persons following the termination of the session should be reported to the police and CHT immediately.

2.3.1

The display of any other images perceived to be inappropriate, either due to the age of the learner or the content of the image shall be reported to CHT at the discretion of the parent/responsible adult.

2.4 Disclosure of/witness to abuse towards or in the presence of a learner

Any physical or sexual abuse of a child is an offence under UK law. If a tutor receives information about such abuse from the learner or other person present they should reassure the person that they can get assistance for them. It is the responsibility of the tutor to contact the police and report what has been witnessed. The tutor should also inform CHT of the disclosure.

2.4.1

If the tutor witnesses any such abuse at first-hand they should immediately contact the police and report the incident. The tutor should also inform CHT who will fully comply with any police investigation. The tutor should have no further contact with the learner or other person involved in the incident. Any unsolicited contact from the learner or other persons following the termination of the session should be reported to the police and CHT immediately.

2.5 Disclosure of inappropriate/sensitive information

During a tutoring session, sensitive information may be offered by a learner or other person present. If the information relates to any kind of abuse the tutor should refer to clause 2.4 above. The learner or other person present should be discouraged from disclosing sensitive information by the tutor. If the information continues to be shared the tutor will determine the impact of the information and decide whether to continue or terminate the session and report the incident to CHT.

2.6

Any information disclosed regarding the safety of a child should always be reported immediately to the UK police.

3. Learners

If a learner sees/experiences:

3.1 Inappropriate language

The learner will inform a parent/responsible adult if the tutor uses inappropriate language. The parent/responsible adult should ask the tutor to refrain from using inappropriate language during the tutoring session. If the language continues the parent/responsible adult should explain that they will terminate the session and will report the matter to CHT, who will investigate and decide on any action to take against the tutor, including no longer using the services of the tutor. The learner and parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the tutor unless by mutual agreement with CHT. Any unsolicited contact from the tutor after termination of the session should be reported to CHT.

3.1.1

If a parent/responsible adult are not present or readily available the learner should report the language as soon as possible to a parent/responsible adult who will take the decision to report the incident.

3.2 Inappropriate behaviour

The learner will inform a parent/responsible adult if the tutor adopts inappropriate behaviour. The parent/responsible adult should ask the tutor to refrain from using inappropriate behaviour during the tutoring session. If the behaviour continues the parent/responsible adult will explain that they will terminate the session due to the behaviour and will report the matter to CHT who will investigate and decide on any action to take against the tutor, including no longer using the services of the tutor. The learner, parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the tutor unless by mutual agreement with CHT. Any unsolicited contact from the tutor after termination of the session should be reported to CHT.

3.2.1

If a parent/responsible adult are not present or readily available the learner should report the behaviour as soon as possible to a parent/responsible adult who will take a decision to report the incident.

3.2.2

If the behaviour is of a sexual nature towards a learner by a tutor, the learner should immediately inform a parent/responsible adult and terminate the session. The parent/responsible adult should inform the UK police and CHT immediately.

3.3 Inappropriate or abusive images

Any display of adult pornographic images whilst in the presence of a learner may constitute an offence under UK law. Any learner witnessing the display of adult pornographic images by a tutor should immediately terminate the session and report this to a parent/responsible adult who should inform the UK police.

3.3.1

Any display of child abuse images or indecent images of a child (for these purposes, a ‘child’ is defined as anyone under the age of 18 years) is an offence under UK law. Any learner witnessing a display of indecent images of a child should immediately terminate the session and report this to a parent/responsible adult, who should inform the UK police.

3.3.2

The parent/responsible adult should also inform CHT who will fully comply with any police investigation. The learner, parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the tutor involved in the incident. Any unsolicited contact from the tutor following the discontinuation of the session should be reported to the police and CHT immediately.

3.3.3

This action should be taken so that the correct authorities can be alerted and can deal appropriately with the incident.

3.3.4

The display of any other images perceived to be inappropriate either due to age of the learner or content of the image shall be reported to CHT at the discretion of the parent/responsible adult.

3.4 Disclosure of/witness to abuse

Any physical or sexual abuse of a person is an offence under UK law. If a learner receives information about such abuse from the tutor or other person present they should immediately inform a parent/responsible adult. It is the responsibility of the parent/responsible adult to contact the UK police and report what was witnessed.

3.4.1

If the learner witnesses any such abuse at first-hand they should immediately contact a parent/responsible adult who should immediately inform the UK police. The parent/responsible adult should also inform CHT who will fully comply with any police investigation. The learner, parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the tutor involved in the incident. Any unsolicited contact from the tutor following the termination of the session should be reported to the parent/responsible adult immediately.

3.4.2

This action should be taken so the correct authorities can be alerted and can deal appropriately with the incident.

3.5 Disclosure of inappropriate/sensitive information

During a tutoring session, sensitive information may be offered by a tutor. If the information relates to any kind of abuse, the learner should refer to clause 2.4. The tutor should be discouraged from disclosing sensitive information by the learner, parent/responsible adult. The parent/responsible adult will determine the impact of the information and decide whether to continue or terminate the session and report the incident to CHT.

3.5.1

Any tutor reported by a parent/responsible adult will be suspended from any further tutoring until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority. The parent/responsible adult may be informed of the resolution if appropriate.

3.6

Any information disclosed regarding the safety of a child should always be immediately reported to the UK police.

4. Parents/Responsible Adults

4.1

As per our Safeguarding Policy, the parent/responsible adult has primary responsibility for the welfare and safety of the learner during a tutoring session and should be present or available to deal with any concerns or incidents reported by the learner.

4.2

It is also the duty of the parent/responsible adult to ensure the wellbeing of the child if they have been affected by anything said or done by the tutor.

4.3

If a parent/responsible adult is alerted by the learner to any inappropriate behaviour/language or information by the learner or they witness any inappropriate behaviour/language or information by the tutor, they should immediately speak to the tutor, state their concern and inform them they are terminating the session. The incident should then be reported to CHT to take appropriate action.

4.4

The parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the tutor involved in the incident. Any unsolicited communication from the tutor should be reported to the police and CHT as soon as possible.

4.5

If a parent/responsible adult is alerted by the learner to any inappropriate or abusive images or they witness any inappropriate or abusive images displayed by the tutor, they should immediately speak to the tutor, state their concern and inform them they are terminating the session. The parent/responsible adult should inform the UK police (if appropriate) and (in all cases) CHT who will fully comply with any police investigation as well as taking any appropriate action of their own against the tutor.

4.6

4.7

5. Schools, Teachers and School Representatives

5.1

The teacher or school representative shall follow the procedures outlined for ‘Parents/Responsible Adults’ in Section 4.

5.2

Additionally the teacher or school representative should inform the parent of the learner about any incidents and, as appropriate, the school’s Child Protection officer.

5.3

For the purpose of these procedures a ‘responsible adult’ includes teachers and school representatives.

6. Director/Management Choice Home Tutoring (CHT)

6.1

The responsibility for writing and reviewing CHT’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures lies with the DSL based at Head Office.

6.2

Any report of a contravention of the Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed by the DSL, who may engage independent Child Protection consultants to ensure that an appropriate course of action is taken.

6.3

Any incident reported to CHT shall be reviewed as soon as possible to ensure a timely resolution.

6.4

If a report concerns a minor breach of the Safeguarding Policy, CHT can make a decision as to appropriate action which may include barring the reported person from using CHT services.

6.5

If a report is received by CHT which concerns the immediate safety of a learner or any illegal activity during a session, the DSL must contact UK police and report the incident immediately.

Procedures reviewed and updated: 7th September 2026
Next review date: 7th September 2027