Safeguarding

Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

Version 1.0 · Last updated 30 June 2026 · Next review 30 June 2027 · Person responsible: Cathleen Sagisi

The safety and wellbeing of every child is at the heart of ThatTutor. Cathleen Sagisi is committed to providing a caring, positive learning environment in which children are protected from harm, and treats safeguarding as everyone's responsibility and the welfare of the child as paramount.

1. Introduction, guidance and aims

ThatTutor (the tutoring practice of Cathleen Sagisi) is committed to the wellbeing and safeguarding of all children who attend tuition. This policy gives children and families a clear commitment to safeguarding and a framework to keep children protected from harm. Under no circumstances is physical force ever used.

This policy has been written with regard to the following statutory and non-statutory guidance, and is reviewed against the current versions:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2024)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
• Prevent Duty Guidance (HM Government, 2023)
• Information Sharing: advice for practitioners (2024)
• After-school clubs, community activities and tuition: safeguarding guidance for providers (DfE, 2023)
• What to do if you're worried a child is being abused (2015)

Definitions of "significant harm" are taken from Section 47 of the Children Act 1989. We operate in partnership with the relevant local authority to keep children safe (see section 11). Where a criminal offence has been or may have been committed, it is reported to the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

For the purpose of this policy, "children" means any student under the age of 18; "parent" includes a guardian or other responsible adult acting for the child. This policy should be read alongside our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

As a sole tutor, Cathleen Sagisi is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, with overall responsibility for safeguarding (this responsibility is not delegated). You can reach the DSL at cathleen@thattutor.uk. The role of the DSL is to:

• be the point of contact for any safeguarding or welfare concern;
• raise awareness of safeguarding with the families we work with;
• make and manage referrals to the local authority;
• keep accurate, secure and up-to-date records of any safeguarding concern; and
• keep safeguarding, online-safety and Prevent training current.

3. The safeguarding issues we are alert to

We are aware of, and vigilant to, the following types of abuse and safeguarding issues. Definitions follow the guidance listed in section 1.

• Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect;
• Child-on-child abuse (including bullying and cyberbullying, and harmful sexual behaviour);
• Extremism and radicalisation (Prevent), and online exploitation and abuse;
• Domestic abuse, substance abuse, sexual harassment and bullying.

We are also alert to wider "contextual" safeguarding risks that can arise outside the home, including child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, female genital mutilation (FGM), honour-based abuse, knife crime, and children missing from education.

Children with additional needs and other vulnerabilities

We recognise that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), health conditions or other vulnerabilities can face additional safeguarding risks, and that signs of abuse may be masked by, or mistaken for, a child's additional needs. We pay particular attention to communication barriers, and to groups who are statistically more vulnerable to abuse.

4. Recognising and responding to a concern or disclosure

A child may not feel ready or able to tell someone they are being harmed, so we never assume someone else has noticed or reported a concern. If a child discloses, or we become concerned, we:

• stop and listen straight away, calmly and without judgement;
• do not promise confidentiality, because we may need to pass the information on;
• use "TED" — Tell me, Explain to me, Describe to me — and avoid leading questions;
• do not investigate ourselves; that is for the statutory agencies;
• write a factual note as soon as possible afterwards (what was said or seen, not our interpretation), with date, time and who was present; and
• keep the child's wellbeing the priority at all times.

5. Reporting and referrals

Where we have a concern that a child is, or may be, at risk of harm, the DSL decides whether to refer to the local authority and does so promptly — within two hours of the concern arising, and immediately where there is a risk of significant harm.

• In-person tuition (near Upminster): referrals are made to the London Borough of Havering (see contacts in section 11).
• Online tuition elsewhere in the UK: referrals are made to the local authority where the child lives, alongside the police where there is an immediate risk.

It is usually best practice to share a concern with the child's parents first; however, where doing so could increase the risk to the child (for example where a parent may be the source of harm), we may contact the authorities without telling the parent, guided by the Government's information-sharing advice. Wherever there is reasonable cause to suspect significant harm, the matter is referred under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and we do not carry out our own investigation. Every decision is documented: who raised the concern, who it concerns, what was decided and why, who was consulted, what action was taken, and whether parents were informed.

6. Online safety and lesson recordings

• Lessons are recorded. Online lessons are recorded as a matter of course, for the safety and protection of both the student and the tutor and to support learning. Our lawful basis is our legitimate interest in safeguarding, supported by the agreement you give when you accept our Terms & Conditions before lessons begin. We make families aware of recording in advance.
• You can opt out. If you would prefer your child's lessons not to be recorded, please tell us in writing before lessons begin and we will discuss the options with you.
• How recordings are handled. Recordings are stored securely, are not shared with third parties, are made available to you on request, and are deleted on request and within a reasonable period otherwise (see our Privacy Policy).
• Devices and contact. A personal phone or camera is not used during lessons except to directly support learning or in an emergency. We do not contact, or accept contact from, a student under 18 on personal social media, and communication about a child is kept with the parent through agreed channels.
• Online lessons run on a reputable platform and we take reasonable steps to keep sessions secure and private.

7. A safe learning environment

The parent is responsible for providing a quiet, suitable space for lessons. For online or in-person lessons with anyone under 18, we ask that a parent or responsible adult is at home, nearby and contactable. This protects the child and the tutor, and is especially important on the rare occasion a lesson is not recorded.

8. Working with parents

We keep parents informed, give honest feedback on a child's progress and wellbeing, and welcome any question or concern. Raising a concern will never affect the quality of tuition a child receives. Our Complaints Policy explains how to raise something formally if you ever need to.

9. Suitability, training and professional standards

• Cathleen holds an Enhanced DBS certificate registered with the DBS Update Service; the certificate number, surname and date of birth are shared on request before lessons begin.
• Cathleen undertakes safeguarding and child-protection training and refreshes it regularly.
• We work to recognised professional tutoring standards, including The Tutors' Association Code of Practice, and keep our knowledge current through continuing professional development.

10. Records, confidentiality and data protection

Safeguarding records are factual, kept securely and shared only with those who need them to keep a child safe. Personal data is handled in line with UK data protection law and our Privacy Policy. Sharing information to protect a child is permitted by law and is never prevented by data-protection rules.

11. Useful contacts

12. Review

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and sooner if guidance changes or following any safeguarding incident. The version and dates at the top show the current edition.

See also our Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy and Complaints Policy.