Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
At Copper Tutoring, the welfare and safety of every child we teach is our paramount responsibility. This policy outlines how we protect children from harm, abuse, and neglect, in alignment with UK statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).
All staff, directors, and tutors working via Copper Tutoring are required to read, understand, and fully implement this policy.
1. Key Principles (Aligned with KCSIE)
We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. In line with KCSIE Part 1, we operate under the following core tenets:
Child-Centred Approach: We always put the best interests of the child first.
A Culture of Vigilance: All staff and tutors are trained to maintain an attitude of “it could happen here.” No concern is too small to report.
Equality of Protection: All children, regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, or religious beliefs, have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse.
2. Tutor Vetting and Safer Recruitment
To ensure that only safe, suitable professionals interact with children on our platform:
Enhanced DBS Checks: Every tutor working with Copper Tutoring must hold an active, clean Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a check against the Children’s Barred List. These details are securely verified upon onboarding.
Identity and Qualification Verification: We strictly verify photographic identity, right to work in the UK, and teaching qualifications before any tutor is permitted to use the TutorCore platform.
3. Safeguarding in the Online Environment
Online tutoring presents unique safeguarding challenges. Our TutorCore platform and lessons are governed by strict digital safety protocols:
Copper Tutoring does not routinely record online lessons. Safeguarding is instead supported by use of an approved private video platform, a parent or responsible adult being available throughout the lesson, clear professional-boundary rules, straightforward reporting routes, and platform/account logs.
The tutor and student must remain visible on camera for the lesson. Where disability, sensory need, anxiety or another substantial reason makes full camera use unsuitable, the tutor will agree a reasonable, individually risk-assessed adjustment with the parent or guardian rather than improvising one. Any such adjustment must be agreed in advance.
A parent, guardian or responsible adult aged 18 or over must remain at the student’s location and be reasonably contactable throughout an online lesson.
If an agency has expressly instructed Copper Tutoring to record a particular session for its own stated purpose, the tutor must follow that agency’s documented instructions and must not create, retain or reuse the recording for any other purpose.
Camera Policy: Both the tutor and the student must keep their webcams turned on for the entire duration of the lesson, unless an adjustment has been agreed as described above. Tutors will immediately terminate a session if a student’s camera is purposefully disabled or obscured.
Appropriate Settings: Lessons must take place in an appropriate environment. Tutors and students should be located in a neutral room (such as a living room, dining room, or study) — never in a bedroom. Both parties must be fully and appropriately dressed for a school environment.
4. Communication & Professional Boundaries
We recognise that fast, friction-free communication is essential for managing busy family and school schedules. To ensure safety while maintaining practical workflows, we enforce the following communication rules:
Authorised Business Channels: All professional, administrative, and scheduling communications must take place using our official business channels:
The secure TutorCore parent portal or official email.
Our dedicated company mobile lines and our verified business WhatsApp channel.
Direct Student Communication Rules: We recognise that older students (such as GCSE and A-Level candidates) may occasionally need to coordinate session times or ask quick academic questions directly via mobile text or WhatsApp. This is permitted strictly under the following conditions:
Parental Consent: Direct mobile contact with a minor is only allowed if the parent/guardian has explicitly opted in and given consent via their TutorCore account configuration or via e-mail.
Professional Scope Only: Any message between a tutor and a student must be strictly restricted to scheduling, logistics (e.g., “I’m running 5 minutes late”), or direct homework queries.
No Private Chat: Informal, personal, or non-educational messaging is strictly prohibited. Tutors must never communicate with students via personal, non-business social media accounts or private messaging apps.
Transparency & Audit Trail: All text or WhatsApp correspondence via business lines is subject to review by the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) if a concern is raised.
5. In-Person / Home Tuition Safeguarding
For any face-to-face tuition sessions, we enforce clear boundaries to keep everyone safe:
Mandatory Adult Presence: A parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult over the age of 18 must remain on the property for the entire duration of the lesson. A tutor will never enter a home or conduct a lesson if a child is home alone.
Visible Learning Environment: Lessons should take place in a communal or visible area of the home (e.g., at the dining table), rather than behind closed bedroom doors.
6. Recognising Signs of Abuse and Vulnerability
In accordance with KCSIE Part 1, our tutors are trained to spot indicators of harm, which may include:
Physical Abuse: Unexplained bruises, marks, or injuries.
Emotional Abuse: Severe changes in behavior, extreme anxiety, or a sudden drop in academic confidence.
Neglect: Persistent poor hygiene, unseasonal clothing, or a student appearing consistently tired or hungry.
Sexual Abuse or Exploitation: Inappropriate sexual knowledge, behavior, or language.
Online Exploitation & Radicalisation: Rapid changes in ideology or signs of online grooming/bullying.
7. Procedures for Raising a Concern
If a tutor observes a sign of abuse, notices a significant change in a student’s wellbeing, or if a child makes a direct disclosure, the following action sequence must be executed:
1.Listen and Reassure:.
If a child discloses abuse, the tutor will listen calmly, take them seriously, and reassure them that they did the right thing by speaking up. The tutor will never promise absolute secrecy, explaining gently that they must tell someone who can help.
2.Document Exactly:
The tutor will write a factual, objective report of exactly what was seen or said, using the child’s precise words where possible. No assumptions, personal opinions, or leading questions are allowed.
3.Escalate to the DSL:
The concern is immediately escalated to the Copper Tutoring Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
4.External Referral:
If the DSL determines the child is at risk of significant harm, an immediate referral will be made to the relevant local authority Children’s Social Care team, MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub), or the police if the child is in immediate danger.
8. Allegations Against a Tutor
We take any complaint or allegation against a tutor with the utmost seriousness.
If a parent or student raises a safeguarding concern regarding a tutor’s conduct, the tutor’s access to TutorCore and all active students will be suspended immediately as a neutral, protective measure.
Copper Tutoring will immediately cooperate fully with the local Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) to investigate the matter thoroughly before any service is resumed.
9. Policy Review
This policy is dynamic and is reviewed annually to ensure it incorporates any new updates released in future iterations of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Lewis Copper
- Contact: [email protected]
- Last Updated: October 2026