Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Last updated: 29 July 2026

1. Purpose

Joyful Tutors Ltd is committed to safeguarding children and young people who use our tutoring, workshops, digital services and related educational support.

This policy applies to directors, staff, tutors, contractors, volunteers and anyone acting on behalf of Joyful Tutors Ltd.

The welfare of the child is our primary consideration.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Erika Moreno
Founder and Director
Email: hello@joyfultutors.com
Telephone: +44 7441 442617

There is currently no permanent Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Before each group workshop or event, Joyful Tutors Ltd will confirm who is responsible for safeguarding during the session and what escalation route should be used if the Designated Safeguarding Lead is unavailable or directly involved in the concern.

If a concern relates to the Designated Safeguarding Lead personally, it must not be referred to her for investigation. It should be reported to the relevant local authority children’s services, the police, the Local Authority Designated Officer where applicable, or another appropriate safeguarding authority.

3. Our safeguarding principles

We believe:

the welfare of the child is paramount;

every child has the right to be safe and treated with dignity;

safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility;

concerns must be taken seriously;

information should be shared lawfully and proportionately where necessary to protect a child; and

online tutoring requires clear professional boundaries.

4. Scope

This policy applies to:

one to one online tutoring;

group tutoring;

online and in person workshops and events;

video calls;

WhatsApp, email and other communications;

TutorCruncher records;

digital learning platforms; and

any interaction arranged through Joyful Tutors Ltd.

5. Safer recruitment and checks

Before a tutor becomes active or delivers any live child facing activity, Joyful Tutors Ltd will complete and record checks appropriate to the role.

These will normally include:

identity checks;

right to work checks where applicable;

qualification and experience checks;

references;

a DBS check at the appropriate level where the role is legally eligible;

use of the DBS Update Service where available;

overseas criminal record checks where relevant; and

safeguarding training.

The level of DBS check requested will depend on the legal eligibility and nature of the role.

Joyful Tutors Ltd will record the checks completed and the decision that the tutor is suitable to begin working with students.

A check does not remove the need for professional boundaries, supervision, reporting and ongoing vigilance.

6. Safeguarding training

Tutors must complete safeguarding training before becoming active or having live contact with children through Joyful Tutors Ltd.

Training must be refreshed at least every two years, or sooner where:

law or guidance changes;

the tutor’s role changes;

a tutor returns after a significant period of inactivity;

a concern identifies a training need; or

Joyful Tutors Ltd requires an earlier update.

Tutors must also read this policy and follow any safeguarding instructions provided for a particular student, lesson, workshop or event.

7. Code of conduct

Tutors must:

maintain professional boundaries;

communicate respectfully;

use approved platforms;

keep parents or guardians informed;

report safeguarding concerns immediately;

protect confidential information;

avoid favouritism or dependency;

follow reasonable safeguarding instructions; and

act in a way that protects the reputation, safety and trust of Joyful Tutors Ltd.

Tutors must never:

engage in private or secret communication with a child;

exchange personal social media accounts with a child;

meet a child privately in person without formal approval;

transport a student;

give personal gifts to a student without approval;

photograph or film a student without proper authorisation;

record a lesson without written authorisation;

use sexualised, humiliating or discriminatory language;

seek or maintain an inappropriate personal relationship;

ask a child to conceal communication;

share private student information without authority; or

continue an interaction that feels unsafe or inappropriate.

8. Communication with children

Communication involving a child should normally take place through a parent inclusive group chat, TutorCruncher or another approved channel.

A parent, guardian or Joyful Tutors Ltd representative should be included in communications where reasonably practicable.

Tutors must not move conversations to personal, private or secret channels.

Tutors must not request or store a child’s personal social media details.

Any direct communication that is necessary for lesson delivery must remain professional, limited to the educational purpose and visible to the parent or Joyful Tutors Ltd where reasonably practicable.

9. Online lesson expectations

For online lessons:

tutors and students must dress appropriately;

backgrounds should be neutral or appropriate;

participants should use a suitable shared or study space where practical;

parents should know the lesson time and platform;

younger students should have an adult nearby;

doors should be left open for younger students where practical;

bedrooms should be avoided unless there is no reasonable alternative;

personal information visible in the background should be minimised;

lessons must not be recorded without written authorisation;

tutors must not take screenshots without written authorisation;

participant permissions should be limited to what is needed for the lesson; and

tutors should end or pause a lesson if the environment becomes unsafe or inappropriate.

10. Online group workshops and events

For online group workshops and events:

parent or guardian registration and consent must be obtained;

access details must be sent privately to the registered parent or guardian;

public meeting links must not be used;

only registered participants may be admitted;

waiting room and meeting passcode controls must be used where available;

children should use first names only or approved random usernames;

surnames, school names, addresses, telephone numbers and social media details must not be shared;

participant screen sharing, private messaging and file sharing should be restricted;

sessions must not be recorded unless separate written authorisation and a clear safeguarding reason have been approved;

screenshots must not be taken by tutors, students or parents;

parents or guardians of younger children must remain nearby and reasonably contactable;

breakout rooms must not be used unless separately risk assessed;

tutors must not contact children outside the parent approved communication route;

a second responsible adult should normally be present for live group events involving children;

the host must control admission, participant permissions and removal from the session; and

the host may mute, pause, place in the waiting room or remove any participant where this is necessary to protect safety or appropriate behaviour.

Before each group event, Joyful Tutors Ltd will confirm:

the lead tutor;

the safeguarding host;

the emergency contact process;

the participant registration list;

the behaviour expectations; and

the procedure for responding to a safeguarding concern.

11. Parent and guardian responsibilities

Parents or guardians should:

provide accurate emergency contact details;

provide the student’s current location where reasonably required for safeguarding during online lessons or events;

remain reasonably contactable;

ensure an appropriate learning environment;

supervise younger children nearby;

tell us about relevant safeguarding, health or additional needs;

report concerns promptly;

not share private session links;

not record lessons or events without written authorisation; and

not ask tutors to communicate secretly or outside approved arrangements.

12. Recognising concerns

Safeguarding concerns may include:

disclosure of abuse or neglect;

unexplained injury;

sexualised behaviour;

threats of self harm or suicide;

severe emotional distress;

exploitation;

grooming;

domestic abuse;

online abuse;

radicalisation;

bullying;

unsafe home conditions;

inappropriate conduct by an adult; or

concerning changes in behaviour.

A tutor is not expected to investigate.

The tutor’s role is to listen, preserve information and report.

13. Responding to a disclosure

If a child discloses a concern, the tutor should:

stay calm;

listen carefully;

take the child seriously;

avoid expressing shock or disbelief;

not promise confidentiality;

not ask leading or investigative questions;

explain that information may need to be shared to help keep them safe;

record the child’s words as accurately as possible;

note the date, time, context and people present; and

report immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

The tutor should not contact the alleged person responsible or attempt to resolve the matter personally.

14. Immediate danger

If a child or another person is in immediate danger:

call emergency services on 999 where appropriate;

contact the parent or guardian unless doing so may increase the risk;

contact the relevant local authority or police;

inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as safely possible; and

preserve relevant records.

Where a child is outside the United Kingdom, the appropriate emergency service and safeguarding authority for the child’s current location should be contacted.

For online lessons and events, the student’s current location may be essential for emergency action.

15. Reporting concerns

Tutors must report concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately, preferably on the same day.

Reports should include:

student name;

date and time;

lesson or event context;

what was seen, heard or disclosed;

the child’s exact words where possible;

immediate action taken;

known location and emergency contacts; and

any relevant supporting evidence.

The report should be sent securely to hello@joyfultutors.com and recorded in the approved safeguarding record.

Safeguarding information must not be recorded in ordinary lesson notes, marketing trackers, lead trackers or general sales records.

TutorCruncher may be used only where access is appropriately restricted and the record is suitable for confidential safeguarding information.

Access to safeguarding records must be limited to authorised individuals with a genuine need to know.

16. Referrals and external reporting

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will consider whether to refer to:

the relevant local authority children’s services based on the child’s location;

the police;

emergency services;

the Local Authority Designated Officer;

the Disclosure and Barring Service;

a school or education setting;

healthcare services; or

another appropriate safeguarding authority.

Consent is not always required to share information where a child may be at risk.

Information will be shared lawfully, proportionately and only with those who need it to protect the child.

17. Allegations against tutors or adults

An allegation that a tutor or adult has harmed, may have harmed or behaved inappropriately towards a child must be reported immediately.

The person receiving the allegation must not investigate it personally.

Joyful Tutors Ltd may:

suspend contact or lesson allocation;

remove the adult from a workshop or event;

preserve records;

refer to the Local Authority Designated Officer, police, Disclosure and Barring Service or another authority;

cooperate with external investigations;

take contractual or disciplinary action; and

provide appropriate information to the family.

Where the allegation concerns the Designated Safeguarding Lead, the matter must be referred externally and must not be investigated by her.

18. Confidentiality and record keeping

Safeguarding information is confidential but not secret.

It should be:

accurate;

factual;

dated;

stored securely;

accessible only to those with a genuine need to know;

kept separately from sales and marketing information;

retained according to the nature of the concern and applicable guidance; and

shared lawfully and proportionately.

Safeguarding messages received through the general business inbox must be moved into the restricted safeguarding record as soon as reasonably possible.

Joyful Tutors Ltd will use appropriate account security, access controls and two factor authentication where available.

19. In person workshops and events

Before an in person event, Joyful Tutors Ltd will consider:

venue safety;

emergency procedures;

supervision ratios;

registration and collection arrangements;

medical or accessibility needs;

photography permissions;

staff and contractor checks;

first aid arrangements;

insurance requirements; and

the suitability of any external provider or venue.

No tutor may arrange a private in person meeting with a child outside an approved and risk assessed arrangement.

20. Whistleblowing

Tutors, staff and contractors should report concerns about:

unsafe practice;

concealment of safeguarding information;

retaliation against a person who raises a concern;

poor professional boundaries; or

failures to follow this policy.

A person who reports a genuine concern in good faith should not be penalised for doing so.

If the concern cannot appropriately be raised within Joyful Tutors Ltd, it should be reported to the relevant external safeguarding authority.

21. Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner following:

a safeguarding incident;

legal or guidance changes;

a change in services;

a serious complaint; or

an identified weakness.

Joyful Tutors Ltd may also issue additional safeguarding procedures for particular lessons, workshops, platforms or events.