Safeguarding Policy

All children have a right to a childhood free from abuse, neglect or exploitation. Brightminds Tuition believes that in all matters concerning child protection and safeguarding, the welfare and protection of the young people we work with is of paramount consideration. All adults involved in Brightminds Tuition activities and who come into contact with children have a duty of care to safeguard and promote their welfare. This policy and the procedures contained within it exist not to discourage adults from being involved in the work of Brightminds Tuition, but to ensure, as far as possible, that people who may abuse children do not get the opportunity to do so.

 

There is a duty placed upon us to ensure that all adults who work with or on behalf of our young people are competent, confident and safe to do so. Adults working for Brightminds Tuition are responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any conduct that would lead a reasonable person to question their motivation or intention.   

The Director of Brightminds Tuition will :

• Offer support and training to all staff and volunteers involved in Brightminds Tuition work.

• Ensure that all Brightminds Tuition staff and volunteers are sufficiently vetted and have the correct level of qualifications or experience to work with children.  

• Act as the main point of contact in the event of any allegation or disclosure.  

Director of Brightminds Tuition 

Hannah Lucas

Email: info@brightmindstuition.co.uk

For the purpose of this policy, a young person is defined as any person under the age of eighteen. 

 

Definitions of Abuse  

Physical Abuse: physical injury to a child where there is knowledge or reasonable suspicion that their injury was inflicted or knowingly not prevented.  

Neglect: the persistent or severe neglect of a child that results in serious impairment of the child’s health or development (both physical and mental).  

Emotional Abuse: the persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment of a child which has a severe adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of that child.  

Sexual Abuse: the involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent.  

Extremism: A vocal or active opposition to fundamental human values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.  

Grooming: When someone builds an emotional connection with a child or a young person to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation.  

Self Abuse: Any means by which a child or young person seeks to harm themselves. This can take lots of physical forms, including cutting, bruising, scratching, hair-pulling, poisoning, overdosing and eating disorders.  

Procedures

In all cases related to child protection and safeguarding, the main procedure is to treat the allegation seriously, in strict confidence and immediately contact Brightminds Tuition Director Hannah Lucas.  In the event of the director being contacted, the following protocol will be followed:  

1. The information will immediately be passed on to the parent and the school’s child protection and safeguarding lead/s.  

2. The school shall follow the school’s procedure for contacting the local Police Child Protection Unit or the Social Services Department of the relevant Local Authority. Brightminds Tuition director and tutors shall support the parent and school with any action that the parent or school deems appropriate and shall undertake reasonable endeavours to provide the parent and school with any assistance or documents.  

3. Brightminds Tuition director and tutors shall not, under any circumstances, undertake any independent investigation or questioning (as this may jeopardise any enquiry) unless or until Brightminds Tuition director or tutor is given authorisation by the parent or school or the Authorities. Following authorisation, Brightminds Tuition director and tutors may independently follow up on the allegation.  

4. All allegations or suspicions shall be referred to the parent or school no matter how insignificant they seem to be or when they occur. Any information about suspicious behaviour or circumstances will be passed to the local Police Child Protection Unit or the local Social Services within 24 hours or as soon as shall be reasonably practicable. 

 

In the event that a young person discloses abuse to a tutor of Brightminds Tuition they shall:  

1. Allow the young person to speak without interruption, encouraging them to tell you only what they feel comfortable telling you, and be accepting and be non-judgemental about what is said. Do not ask investigative or leading questions of any kind. 

2. Advise the young person that you will offer support, but that you MUST pass what they tell you and are not able to keep anything they tell you confidential.  

3. If they refuse to tell you anything unless you promise to keep it a secret, inform them that you want to help and that there is one person you have to tell. If they then refuse to tell you any more, please respect their decision and report this incident.  

4. Ensure that the young person is not immediately at risk of any further abuse.  

5. Immediately after a disclosure, contact the Director at Brightminds Tuition.  

6. Report the facts as you know them/ or understand them, including the pupil’s name and the account given to you by the young person using the words that they used as well as including any other information you feel is relevant.  

7. Provide this detailed information to the Director at Brightminds Tuition as soon as you are able.  

8. Brightminds Tuition shall retain a copy of all such notifications in accordance with GDPR guidelines.  

 

In the event that a tutor suspects abuse, but it has not been disclosed by the young person the tutor shall:  

1. Not discuss your suspicions with the young person in question or conduct any form of investigative work.  

2. Report the facts as you know them/ or understand them, including the pupil’s name and any other information you feel is relevant.  

3. Provide this detailed information to the Director of Brightminds Tuition as soon as you are able. 

4. Brightminds Tuition director shall retain a copy of all such notifications in accordance with GDPR guidelines. 

  

Recruitment and Training 

Brightminds Tuition maintains a high standard in recruiting tutors. All Brightminds Tuition  tutors must have an enhanced Disclosure check before they can begin working with pupils. Every tutor must be able to fulfil one of the following:  

• Have an existing enhanced DBS check not more than 5 years old verified by Brightminds Tuition director, with the disclosure number included in their contract. 

• Arrange with Brightminds Tuition to have a new enhanced DBS check processed by Brightminds Tuition should their check be more than 5 years old. 

Brightminds Tuition tutors will receive training on the contents of this policy as part of their induction.  Brightminds Tuition tutors will be aware that by receiving such training they are confirming that they understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. 

 

The Code of Conduct  

All adults coming into contact with children and young people through Brightminds Tuition work must comply with this Safeguarding Policy and our Code of Conduct. 

Our Code of Conduct states you must:  

• Treat all young people with respect.  

• Be aware that social networking sites are in the public domain if not protected by privacy settings. Strongly consider strengthening any privacy settings so that young people would not be able to access your online profiles and be privy to any information you would not want in the public domain.  

• Block any young people that approach you online.  

• Recognise that special caution is required when discussing sensitive issues with young people.  

• Challenge unacceptable behaviour and report all allegations/suspicions of abuse to the Brightminds Tuition Director. 

• Operate within Brightminds Tuition procedures in the event of any disclosure/concern.  

• Raise any questions or concerns about child protection and safeguarding with Brightminds Tuition Director.

• Conduct yourself in an appropriate manner at all times when delivering sessions online or in person. 

 

You must not; 

• Seek out or add young people on any social networking site.  

• Respond to any online communication from a young person, for example on a social networking site.  

• Share any personal contact details with young people, or, seek out their personal contact details.  

• Arrange to meet a young person outside of the allocated tutoring time.  

• Act in a manner that excludes the young people you are working with.  

• Make suggestive or derogatory remarks in front of young people.  

• Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with young people.  

• Show favouritism to any individual.  

• Be under the influence of alcohol or other substances when working on activities involving young people.  

• Take photographs of young people unless for the purpose of sharing on Brightminds Tuition website and social media platforms for promotional purposes. This is only  with parents’ prior knowledge and written consent.  

 

This policy will be formally reviewed every year. 

 

Last updated : 24th February 2022