Simplex Tutoring Safeguarding Policy
This document outlines Simplex Tutoring’s (“we”, “us”, “our”, “the company”) commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people who use our tutoring services. All tutors and staff are expected to share this commitment.
1. Purpose & Scope
The purpose of this policy is to protect children and young people (under 18 years) who receive tutoring from Simplex Tutoring and to provide a clear framework for responding to any welfare concerns. The welfare of the child is paramount.
This policy applies to all individuals working on behalf of Simplex Tutoring, including:
The company owner (Alex Dent) and any administrative staff.
All self-employed tutors engaged by Simplex Tutoring.
Any volunteers or contractors.
This policy applies to all tutoring delivered via our online platform. Simplex Tutoring does not offer in‑person tuition, and tutors are strictly forbidden from arranging or conducting in‑person lessons with students under any circumstances. Any tutor who does so will have their engagement terminated immediately and may be reported to the relevant authorities.
2. Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up based on current legislation, policy, and guidance that seeks to protect children in the United Kingdom, including:
The Children Act 1989 & 2004
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance
Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance
For the purposes of this policy, a child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday.
Note on data protection: Simplex Tutoring has a separate Privacy Policy that complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. This safeguarding policy does not repeat those provisions; instead, any data protection matters (e.g., how we store personal information) are governed by that separate policy.
3. Definitions of Abuse
Child abuse is 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. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse.
All tutors are expected to be familiar with the four main categories of abuse as defined by Keeping Children Safe in Education:
Physical Abuse: e.g., hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm.
Emotional Abuse: e.g., conveying that a child is worthless, unloved, or inadequate, or imposing age or developmentally inappropriate expectations.
Sexual Abuse: e.g., forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, including grooming, online exploitation, or non‑contact activities (e.g., exposing children to sexual images).
Neglect: e.g., 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.
Tutors should exercise professional curiosity and be alert to the signs and indicators of abuse.
4. Our Commitment
We are committed to keeping children safe by:
Safer Recruitment: All tutors undergo robust safer recruitment checks, including an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with a check of the Children’s Barred List, identity verification, and reference checks.
Training & Awareness: Ensuring all tutors receive safeguarding training, read and agree to this policy and our Code of Conduct, and understand their responsibilities.
Clear Procedures: Implementing clear procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns, managing allegations, and maintaining professional boundaries.
Online Safety: Utilising secure tutoring platforms and enforcing rules for online sessions to mitigate risks.
Listening to Children: Valuing, listening to, and respecting all children and young people.
5. Safer Recruitment
All tutors engaged by Simplex Tutoring will be subject to the following checks before any work with children begins:
Application & Interview: A completed application form and an online interview to assess suitability.
Enhanced DBS Check with Barred Lists: All tutors must have an Enhanced DBS certificate which includes a check of the Children’s Barred List. As self‑employed individuals, tutors can apply for this directly through a registered DBS Umbrella Body. The certificate must be less than 36 months old.
DBS Update Service: Tutors are required to join the DBS Update Service within 30 days of engagement. We will conduct an annual online status check. Failure to maintain Update Service membership may result in suspension from tutoring pending a new DBS certificate.
Identity Verification: Verification of the tutor’s identity using official documentation (e.g., passport, driving licence).
Reference Checks: Two professional references, including one from a recent safeguarding‑regulated role (e.g., a school).
Right to Work: Verification of the tutor’s right to work in the UK.
6. Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) & Deputy
6.1 Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Alex Dent, the company owner, is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Simplex Tutoring. The DSL is responsible for:
Being the first point of contact for all safeguarding concerns from tutors, parents, or students.
Making referrals to Children’s Social Care or the Police as required.
Keeping secure, confidential records of all concerns and actions.
Ensuring all tutors receive appropriate safeguarding training and understand this policy.
Direct contact details for the DSL (for urgent safeguarding concerns):
Email: alexdent@Simplex Tutoring.com
Phone: 07934664108
Response time: The DSL will respond to all safeguarding concerns within 2 working hours during normal operating hours (defined as 9am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays). Concerns received outside these hours will be responded to by 11am the next working day. If a child is at immediate risk, tutors should call 999 without delay.
6.2 Deputy DSL & DSL Unavailability
Due to the size of our organisation, we do not currently have an internal Deputy DSL. In the event that the DSL is unavailable, the following measures apply:
Planned DSL unavailability will be communicated to tutors in advance.
In an emergency, safeguarding concerns should be directed to:
NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000
Childline (for children): 0800 1111
Local authority Children’s Social Care (via search for the child’s local council)
If a child is at immediate risk of harm, call 999.
Escalation if DSL fails to respond: If you have reported a safeguarding concern to the DSL and have not received an acknowledgement within the stated response time (2 working hours during normal operating hours, or by 11am the next working day for out‑of‑hours reports), you must escalate the concern directly to the NSPCC Whistleblowing Helpline (0800 028 0285) or, if the concern is urgent, to the child’s local Children’s Social Care services. You will not face any detriment for escalating in good faith.
7. Responsibilities of All Tutors (Code of Conduct)
All tutors must:
Maintain Professional Boundaries: Keep all communications professional and focused on tutoring. Communicate with parents/guardians, not directly with students outside of sessions, unless explicitly agreed with the parent. Never share personal contact details (e.g., phone number, personal email, social media).
Forbid in‑person lessons: You must not arrange or conduct any in‑person tutoring session with a student or their family, for any reason. This is a zero‑tolerance rule.
Create a Safe Online Environment: Use only approved platforms. Work from a professional, neutral space with a plain background. Ensure they are appropriately dressed and behave professionally at all times. Do not record sessions without prior written parental consent. Do not pressurise a student to have their camera on.
Safeguarding First: If a child makes a disclosure of abuse, listen carefully, do not promise to keep secrets, do not ask leading questions, reassure the child they have done the right thing by telling you, and report the concern immediately to the DSL.
Report Concerns: Immediately report any concern about a child’s safety or well‑being to the DSL, no matter how small.
Confidentiality: Keep all information about students confidential, except where sharing is necessary to protect a child from harm.
Tutors must not:
Engage in any form of physical contact.
Use inappropriate language or share inappropriate material.
Socialise with students or their families outside of the tutoring context.
Meet with a student or their family in person (this repeats the zero‑tolerance rule above).
Offer or accept gifts.
8. Online Tutoring Safety
All tutoring sessions are conducted online. To ensure a safe environment:
Platforms: All sessions will be conducted via Simplex Tutoring’s approved video conferencing platform, which is provided and managed through our tutoring management system, TutorCruncher.
Parental Presence: For students under 12, a parent or responsible adult must be present in the same room and within earshot for the duration of the session. For students aged 12–17, a parent is strongly encouraged to be present or to check in periodically.
Enforcement: If a tutor reasonably believes this requirement is not being met, they must pause the session, politely ask to speak with the parent/carer, and remind them of the policy. If the parent cannot be located or refuses to comply, the tutor must end the session immediately and report the concern to the DSL within one hour.
Session Integrity: Tutors must ensure their session link is secure and not shared.
Recording: The recording of any session is strictly prohibited unless prior, explicit, written consent has been obtained from the parent/guardian. Any authorised recording must be deleted within 30 days unless required for an ongoing safeguarding investigation. Recordings will never be shared externally without legal advice or statutory requirement.
9. Responding to Concerns & Disclosures
9.1 What to do if you are worried about a child
If a tutor has any concern about a child’s welfare, they must:
Do not delay. Report the concern immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at the contact details above.
Provide all available information. Do not investigate the matter yourself.
If a child is at immediate risk of harm, contact the emergency services on 999 before informing the DSL.
9.2 Dealing with a Disclosure
If a child discloses abuse to you:
Listen carefully to what they say. Stay calm and do not show shock or disbelief.
Do not ask leading questions (e.g., avoid “Did he touch you there?”). Use open questions like, “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
Do not promise to keep secrets. Tell the child you cannot keep a secret that could mean they or someone else is being hurt.
Reassure the child that they have done the right thing by telling you.
Report the concern to the DSL immediately, making a factual, contemporaneous note of the conversation.
9.3 Whistleblowing
If a tutor has a concern about the conduct of another tutor, staff member, or the organisation itself, they should raise this with the DSL. Simplex Tutoring will not tolerate any retaliation or victimisation for whistleblowing.
10. Allegations Against a Tutor
If an allegation of abuse is made against a Simplex Tutoring tutor, the DSL will follow the Managing Allegations procedure as set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education:
The DSL will immediately report the allegation to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for the area where the child lives.
The tutor will be immediately removed from all tutoring assignments and their access to our platform will be revoked pending the outcome of the investigation.
Simplex Tutoring will co‑operate fully with the statutory agencies.
Confidentiality will be maintained for all parties throughout the process.
11. Allegations Against the DSL (Alex Dent)
If a concern or allegation is made about the conduct of the DSL (Alex Dent), the individual raising the concern should report the matter directly to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for the area where the child lives, without first informing the DSL. Simplex Tutoring will cooperate fully with any investigation.
How to find your local LADO: Search online for “[Your local council name] LADO” or contact your local authority’s children’s services department (e.g., for a child in Lambeth, search ‘Lambeth LADO’ or call 020 7926 7777).
12. Training
Induction: All tutors will receive a copy of this Safeguarding Policy and our Code of Conduct as part of their onboarding and will be required to confirm their understanding.
Ongoing: The DSL will complete refresher safeguarding training at least every two years. All other tutors will receive annual safeguarding awareness training.
13. Record Keeping
All safeguarding concerns, referrals, and actions will be kept in a secure, confidential file by the DSL. These records will be stored separately from general client records. Access is restricted to the DSL and, where necessary, statutory authorities. Retention and deletion of records follow the principles set out in Simplex Tutoring’s separate Privacy Policy.
14. Insurance
Simplex Tutoring does not mandate specific insurance cover for its self‑employed tutors. Tutors are responsible for assessing their own professional and business needs. However, tutors are strongly encouraged to consider appropriate Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance, and must comply with any legal or professional requirements that apply to their individual circumstances. Simplex Tutoring accepts no liability for a tutor’s failure to hold suitable insurance.
15. Self‑Referral by Tutors
If a tutor has any concern about their own conduct, behaviour, or fitness to work with children – including but not limited to allegations made against them outside of Simplex Tutoring, or mental health issues affecting their practice – they must self‑refer to the DSL immediately. Such referrals will be handled supportively and confidentially, and will not automatically result in disciplinary action.
16. Review
This policy will be reviewed in full by the DSL at least annually, or sooner if there are significant changes in legislation, guidance, or the nature of our operations.
17. Contact
For any safeguarding concern, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Name: Alex Dent
Email: alexdent@simplextutoring.com
Phone: 07934664108
External contacts:
NSPCC Helpline (for adults): 0808 800 5000
NSPCC Whistleblowing Helpline (for staff/tutor concerns): 0800 028 0285
Childline (for children): 0800 1111
Emergency (immediate risk): 999