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Nicki Reg and being a member of The Tutors’ Association (TTA) will ensure that their pupils are given tuition in a congenial and safe environment. We have a moral and legal obligation to ensure that, when given responsibility for young people, they are treated with the highest possible standard of care. A child/young person is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children’s Act 1989 and 2004, and the Children & Young Persons’ Act 2008).

I am available to be contacted in Worcestershire term time, Mondays 8:30am-8pm, Tuesdays 8:30am-6pm and Wednesdays 8:30-5:30pm. All clients will be given my mobile number and email address.

All reports regarding child protection or safeguarding should be made directly to:

NSPCC 0800 800 5000

Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) 01905 822666 Worcestershire Family Front Door Monday to Thursday from 9.00am to 5.00pm and Fridays from 9.00am to 4.30pm.

01905 768020 Worcestershire Family Front Door Out of Office Making a written referral if the concern is not immediate:

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20641/are_you_a_professional_and_worried_about_child

01452 426565 Gloucestershire’s Help Desk

01452 614194 Gloucestershire’s Out of Hours Help Desk Gloucestershire: https://www.gscb.org.uk/media/19429/dsl-handbook-version-live10-dec-17.pdf

01926 414144 Warwickshire MASH Warwickshire MASH:

https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/childrens-social-care/child-safeguarding-procedures-professionals/4

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. Children are defined as anyone up to the age 18 years. This policy creates a framework to ensure that appropriate measures are taken by us and are aware of their responsibilities to identify, report and manage incidents of abuse or potential abuse against children or vulnerable adults. Nicki Reg, a member of TTA are committed to ensuring that:

a) the welfare of the child is paramount;

b) all children, whatever their age, culture, ability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity are able to receive the benefit of tutoring in a safe environment;

c) all reasonable steps are taken to protect children from harm, discrimination and

d) demeaning treatment and to respect their rights, wishes and feelings;

e) all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately;

f) staff will seek guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures; they work in partnership with parents and children – which is essential for the protection of children.

g) they provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment in which students can learn and which promotes the wellbeing of the children being taught.

h) preventing the impairment of children’s health or development, protecting children from maltreatment

i) ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.

j) ensure that everyone involved is child centred – i.e. the needs and views of the children are paramount.

TTA offers guidelines and will give advice on how to deal with a Child Protection incident or concern, but members of TTA do not act as a DCPO or LADO. A self- employed tutor who is not attached to any agency/company should always refer any Child Protection concerns directly to the LADO in their local council. Monitor and review the policy and procedures. This policy shall be reviewed every 3 years or whenever there is a major change in the organisation or when there is relevant legislation. Each review should be dated.

a) As a freelance tutor who find their own clients and do not operate through agencies/companies must apply for an enhanced Disclosure (DBS) through TTA or an umbrella body, unless they already have one through another organisation.

b) It is illegal for a teacher/tutor to enter into a sexual relationship with a student, even if the student is over the age of consent (i.e. over 16). Tutors, like school teachers, are operating in a similar position of trust and thus must also abide by this law.

a) Allegations against a tutor who may have behaved in a way that has or may have harmed a child, or committed a criminal office either against or related to a child, or behaved towards a child in a way that suggests he or she is unsuitable to work with children, should be reported immediately to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) or DCPO (Designated Child Protection Officer) in the local authority where the incident is alleged to have taken place.

b) Advice on how to deal with an allegation can be sought from the LA Education Welfare Service or Child Protection Unit.

‘Abuse: 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. They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.

Physical abuse: a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s

developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill- treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Neglect: 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. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.’

Bullying and Cyberbullying

Bullying can happen anywhere – at school, at home or online. It is usually repeated over a long period of time and can hurt a child both physically and emotionally.

Child Sexual Exploitation and Grooming

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child abuse, which involves children and young people (male and female, of a range of ethnic origins and ages, in some cases as young as 10) receiving something in exchange for sexual activity. Perpetrators of child sexual exploitation are found in all parts of the country and are not restricted to particular ethnic groups.

We should be aware of the key indicators of children being sexually exploited, which can include:

• going missing for periods of time or regularly coming home late;

• regularly missing school or education or not taking part in education;

• appearing with unexplained gifts or new possessions;

• associating with other young people involved in exploitation;

• having older boyfriends or girlfriends;

• suffering from sexually transmitted infections;

• mood swings or changes in emotional wellbeing;

• drug and alcohol misuse; and

• displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour.

We should also be aware that many children who are victims of sexual exploitation do not recognise themselves as such. Where CSE, or the risk of it, is suspected, we should notify the NSPCC. If after discussion there remain concerns, local safeguarding procedures should be triggered, including referral to the local authority children’s social care and the police, regardless of whether the victim is engaging with services or not.

Domestic Abuse

Witnessing domestic abuse is child abuse, and teenagers can suffer domestic abuse in their relationships. There are no official statistics on the number of children who live with domestic abuse. But there are a lot of research studies that tell us about children’s experience of living with violence. Around 1 in 5 children have been exposed to domestic violence. Children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to have behavioural and emotional problems.

Fabricated and Induced Illness

Fabricated or Induced Illness is a rare, potentially lethal form of abuse. Concerns will be raised for a small number of children when it is considered that the health or development of a child is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired by the actions of a carer or carers having fabricated or induced illness.

There are three main ways that the carer fabricates or induces illness in a child:

1. Fabrication of signs and symptoms, including fabrication of past medical history;

2. Fabrication of signs and symptoms and falsification of hospital charts, records, letters and documents and specimens of bodily fluids;

3. Induction of illness by a variety of means.

The above three methods are not mutually exclusive. Harm to the child may be caused through unnecessary or invasive medical treatment, which may be harmful and possibly dangerous, based on symptoms that are falsely described or deliberately manufactured by the carer, and lack independent corroboration. (See also Medication and Mental Health Policy)

Faith Abuse

Child abuse is never acceptable wherever it occurs and whatever form it takes. Abuse linked to belief, including belief in witchcraft or possession, is a horrific crime, which is condemned by people of all cultures, communities and faiths. Standard child safeguarding procedures apply in all cases where abuse or neglect is suspected, including those that may be related to particular belief systems.

The number of cases of child abuse linked to faith or belief in spirits, possession and witchcraft is believed to be small, but where it occurs it causes much distress and suffering to the child. It is likely that a proportion of this type of abuse remains unreported.

Abuse linked to faith or belief may involve a wider context, where the child is treated as a scapegoat in circumstances of family stress, deprivation, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health problems.

Female Genital Mutilation

FGM is a collective term for all procedures involving partial or total removal of external female genitalia for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons. Typically it is performed on girls aged between 4-15 or on older girls before marriage or pregnancy. It is illegal in the UK and it is also illegal to take a child abroad to undergo FGM. There is a maximum prison sentence of 14 years for anyone found to have aided this procedure in any way. It is considered to be child abuse as it causes physical, psychological and sexual harm.

FGM is more common than many people realise, both across the world and in the UK. In the UK it has been estimated that 24,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk of FGM. UK communities that are most at risk of FGM include Kenyans, Somalis, Sudanese, Sierra Leoneans, Egyptians, Nigerians and Eritreans. However women from non-African communities that are at risk of FGM include Yemeni, Kurdish, Indonesian and Pakistani women. Girls are at particular risk of FGM during school summer holidays. This is the time when families may take their children abroad for the procedure. Many girls may not be aware that they may be at risk of undergoing FGM.

In order to protect our children it is important that we are aware of the guidance that is available in respect of FGM and are vigilant to the risk of it being practised.

Forced Marriage

A forced marriage is when someone is made to marry another person who they don’t want to. Forced marriages can happen in secret and can also be planned by parents, family or religious leaders. It may involve physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse.

Gangs and Youth Violence

A gang can be a group of mates who hang around together, but some gangs are involved in crime and violence, including fighting other gangs and knife crime. Gang-associated young people are often exposed to a higher range of traumatic and abusive environments (including domestic violence) than other young people, even those in the youth justice system. These young people may have been involved in violence as a victim, perpetrator or witness. Gang-associated females may have a higher level of exposure to risk than gang-associated males.

Such experiences can have a serious impact on mental health. There is strong evidence, for example, that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is linked to early experiences of violence and abuse. In addition, conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, anxiety disorders and psychosis can also be associated with exposure to violence.

In turn, exposure to violence and / or mental health issues may also increase the likelihood of joining a gang. Research suggests that poor attachment relationships (i.e. the bond between the primary care giver and a child in the early stages of child development) may cause lasting neurological damage. There is anecdotal evidence (e.g. from voluntary sector organisations) that gang-associated young people often have attachment issues. Young people with such issues may feel a “need to belong”, potentially leading to them getting involved in a gang.

In order to tackle violence affecting schools and the community, we believe is important to:

1. Understand the problems young people are facing,

2. Consider possible avenues of support,

3. Work with a local partner (who may have valuable information, resources or expertise).

Gender Based Violence

Gender based violence is the collective term for “violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman, or violence that affects women disproportionately. It includes acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion and other deprivations of liberty” (United Nations, 1992)

It comprises a range of abuse that includes domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse, sexual harassment and stalking, commercial sexual exploitation, and harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and so called ‘honour’ crimes.

Being female is the key risk factor for gender-based violence. GBV cuts across all boundaries of age, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief and socio economic inequality.

Gender Identity and Sexuality

Bullying is often an issue for children who behave in ways that don't fit into traditional ideas about gender roles. In group, other children may not want to work with or sit with them because "they don't act like boys" or "they don’t act like girls". The family may also be bullied and victimised. We seek eradicate all forms of homophobic and transphobic bullying.

Mental Health

The immediate and wider family has a profound influence on a child’s mental health. In the majority of cases, this influence is positive and supportive. However in some families, it can be a risk factor, for example where there is overt parental conflict, inconsistent or harsh discipline, or hostility or abuse.

Some families face complex and multiple disadvantages, which make it difficult for a child to engage with schools and other services, which can support their mental health.

Private Fostering

Privately fostered children are a particularly vulnerable group of children whose welfare needs to be satisfactorily safeguarded and protected. They are a diverse and potentially vulnerable group with many not having a parent figure in a position to safeguard their welfare.

A private fostering arrangement is one that is made privately (that is to say without the involvement of the LA) for the care of a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled), by someone other than a close relative with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more. Private foster carers may be from the extended family such as a cousin or great aunt. However a person who is a relative under the Children Act 1989 i.e. a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether full or half blood or by marriage) or a step-parent will not be a private foster carer. A private foster carer may be a friend of the family, the parent of a friend of the child or someone previously unknown to the child’s family who is willing to privately foster a child.

If you think a child in the educational setting is being privately fostered, we will make a referral to the Children and Families Helpdesk – 01452 426565. Social care will undertake an assessment of the private fostering arrangement, which will include safeguard checks on the carers and contacting the child's parents. A worker will be allocated until the child is 16 and the arrangement will be monitored and reviewed and the young person visited on a regular basis.

Radicalisation

Radicalisation is defined as causing someone to become an advocate of radical political or social reform by supporting terrorism and violent extremism. Radicalisation of children and young people may include encouraging them to undertake violent activities on the grounds of religious belief. Children may be exposed to messages about terrorism through a family member or friend, a religious school or group, or through social media and the internet. This creates the risk of a child or young person being drawn into criminal activity and exposure to significant harm.

Sexting

'Sexting' is the exchange of self-generated sexually explicit images, through mobile picture messages or webcams over the internet. Young people may also call it: Cybersex or sending a nudie, picture or selfie. Young people may see 'sexting' as harmless activity but there are risks. Taking, sharing or receiving an image, even voluntarily, can have a long-lasting negative impact.

It may be common but 'sexting' is illegal. By sending an explicit image, a young person is producing and distributing child abuse images and risks being prosecuted, even if the picture is taken and shared with their permission.

It is easy to send a photo or message but the sender has no control about how it is passed on. When images are stored or shared online they become public. They can be deleted on social media or may only last a few seconds on apps like Snapchat, but images can still be saved or copied by others. These images may never be completely removed and could be found in the future, for example when applying for jobs or university.

Young people may think 'sexting' is harmless but it can leave them vulnerable to:

1. Blackmail: An offender may threaten to share the pictures with the child's family and friends unless the child sends money or more images.
   

2. Bullying: If images are shared with their peers or in school, the child may be bullied.
   

3. Unwanted attention: Images posted online can attract the attention of sex offenders, who know how to search for, collect and modify images.
   

4. Emotional distress: Children can feel embarrassed and humiliated. If they are very distressed this could lead to suicide or self-harm.

Pupils need to know what can happen when things go wrong. Talk to the pupils:

1. Ask pupils if they would want something private shown to the world.

2. Explain that photos are easy to forward and can be copied.

3. Talk about whether a person who sends a request is likely to be asking other people to do the same.

4. Mention about watching 'Exposed', a video by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), which shows the consequences of sharing images:

5. Reassure pupils that teachers are always there for support if they feel pressured by anyone.

6. Mention that ChildLine have an app called Zipit, which can help diffuse situations where a child is asked to ‘sext’. To find out more about the app visit www.childline.org.uk/zipit

Relationship Abuse and Peer to Peer Abuse

If we identify children experiencing or witnessing relationship abuse or peer to peer abuse need to refer them on to other statutory services to ensure they are safe and properly protected from harm. There will need to be a co-ordinated response from children’s social care services, police, youth offending teams and health services. Criminal justice agencies and children’s services should work together to ensure the best outcomes for young people.

Trafficking

Child trafficking is child abuse. Children are recruited, moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Children are trafficked for sexual abuse, benefit fraud, forced marriage, domestic servitude such as cleaning, childcare, cooking, forced labour in factories or agriculture, criminal activity such as pick-pocketing, begging, transporting drugs, working on cannabis farms, selling pirated DVDs and bag theft.

Once a child has been identified as a victim of trafficking they need to be appropriately protected and supported. This may include immediate emergency protection, assessment of their needs, a safe place to live, interpreters, therapeutic services, witness support so they can testify against the traffickers, advocacy, help with obtaining documentation and with immigration or returning to their home country, reunification and education and developing self-protection skills.

Mental Health

Mental health problems can, in some cases, could be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation. Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Observing children during lessons could identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one.

Where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences, can have a lasting impact throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.

Child-on-child abuse

Child-on-child (sometimes referred as peer on peer) abuse is a safeguarding issue.

Such abuse can include:

• abuse in intimate personal relationships between children

• bullying (including cyberbullying)

• physical abuse such as:

• hitting

• kicking

• shaking

• biting

• hair pulling

• otherwise causing physical harm

• harmful sexual behaviour, which can include:

• inappropriate sexual language

• the sharing of nude or semi-nude images or videos

• accessing age-inappropriate sexual material online

• sexual activity without consent

• sexual violence, such as rape or sexual assault

• upskirting

• initiation or hazing type violence and rituals

Support from the NSPCC is available: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/

A Child Protection incident usually includes some of the following scenarios but this list is not intended to be a formal and all-inclusive definition.

A typical CP incident is when:-

a) a tutor receives some information about a child or young person either from the child directly or from another source, which could potentially cause serious harm to the child, either physically or psychologically.

b) a tutor observes a situation (e.g. risk in a child’s environment which could potentially cause serious physical or psychological harm).

c) a parent receives information about a tutor either from the child directly or from another source, that could potentially cause serious harm to the child, either physically or psychologically.

Responding to a Disclosure

We must be aware of how to respond to disclosure of information which leads to child protection concerns. A disclosure can be made by a child or adult about themselves or another child or adult. When information is shared with us, which causes concerns of possible abuse, our requirement is to accept the information being shared without influencing it, as well as providing support and reassurance to the child and managing expectation. When information is disclosed you must:

• Be clear that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The safety of children overrules confidentiality concerns.

• Avoid leading questions. Listen carefully to what is being said and allow the child to speak without interruption as much as possible.

• Accept what is being told without judgement and avoid overreacting with a strong emotional response, it is important to remain calm during the disclosure.

• Offer support and explain to the child they have not done another wrong sharing the information with you.

• Clearly and calmly explain what we will do next and that we will need to share what has been discussed with another adult who can help.

• Immediately after the disclosure make a written record of events. Be as clear and precise, use the same words the child used, make note of the date, time, venue, who was present and the behaviours, mood and actions of the child during the disclosure. Do not create this record during disclosure. Full attention should be given to the disclosure itself and making notes may influence what information is shared.

• It is not our role to investigate. We must always refer, never investigate.

What to do if we have a concern relating to child protection as a result of disclosure, observation of behaviour (of a child or adult), something another adult has said to us or any other reason for concern:

1. Tell the child what we will do next. Do not promise to keep the information a secret, reassure the child we will need to tell somebody else who can help.
   

2. Write down what has been told / have observed. Do this as soon as possible after the event. Try to avoid placing own values on the record of events, use their own words and phrasing, not our own. Document the date, time and place of the event as well as who else was there. Make note of actions, behaviours and mood during the event.
   

3. Call 0800 800 5000 and speak with the NSPCC directly / the Local Authority Designated Officer 01905 822666 (9am-5pm Mon-Thurs, 9am-4:30pm Friday, 01905 768020 out of hours, Share the information with the relevant child protection officer at the child’s school / local authority.
   

4. Record the lead officer in charge of investigating and responding to the information and inform what further involvement may be required of us. Await instruction, do not make independent decisions regarding, for example, informing the parents or other staff – the relevant authority will manage a co-ordinated response and inform us of the decisions taken.
   

5. Record the phone call in writing, including point 4 and details of what is required.
   

6. We will create a regularly updated child protection log of the incident, inform relevant authorities/NSPCC of any disclosures. All information sharing will be logged as part of the child protection file.
   

7. Contact social care and the NSPCC/Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)/ Safeguarding Worcestershire, if nothing has been heard after 3 days of sharing of the information with them.

All Child Protection incidents must be recorded. It is essential to:

a) Speak individually with all parties concerned

b) Write a record of all conversations

c) Write up all telephone conversations with a written report to send to LADO/ Child Protection Unit (at the local authority where the incident took place) who will deal with the allegation.

d) All allegations should be dealt with expeditiously, thoroughly, fairly and with common sense and professional judgement. Any investigation should be carried out as quickly as possible and a decision reached as to whether the allegation is borne out or not supported. Dependent on this the outcome of the investigation could have one of three outcomes:

· unsubstantiated,

· substantiated in part or in whole but can be dealt with by disciplinary procedures.

· substantiated and requiring formal referral in the first instance to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) or DCPO (Designated Child Protection Officer)

We are committed to the safeguarding the welfare of children. We are required to provide a safe learning environment for the student and themselves during tuition and immediately refer safeguarding concerns to the NSPCC/ Local Authority Designated Officer, this includes but is not limited to:

• Acting as a positive role model.

• Never asking a student personal questions about their background.

• Never comment on a student’s appearance or give inappropriate praise.

• Never inviting a student back to other non-tutoring venue.

• Never suggesting or taking a student on an excursion.

• Never giving the student a gift without parent/carer approval – all gifts/rewards must be disclosed in lesson summaries (All gifts/rewards must be for achievement and not an occasion).

• Not providing transport for the student to or from the tuition venue, or organising transport on the students’ behalf. If the individual responsible for collecting the student after tuition does not arrive as expected and cannot be contact them yourself.

• Not sharing personal contact details such as mobile phone number, email address or social networking information with the student.

• Not making physical contact with students unless it is essential to safeguard the pupil or yourself.

• Immediately referring suspected signs of neglect and abuse (including physical, emotional or sexual) to the NSPCC and LADO. Always refer, never investigate yourself.

• Ensuring that in all correspondence (electronic or written) the pupil is only referred to using their first name. Do not use the pupil’s full name or surname unless written permission is given by the parent e.g. exhibition pieces.

• Taking of photographs or recording videos of pupils unless written permission has been obtained from the parent/guardian.

• We are also required to have read ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.

• We are also required to have read 'After-school clubs, community activities, and tuition.'

To protect children we will:

• Seek parental consent for photographs to be taken or published (for example for portfolios, on our website, social media or in newspapers and/or publications)

• Seek parental consent for videos and audio evidence for Arts Award portfolios.

• Only use Nicki Reg’s equipment

• Only take photos and videos of children to celebrate achievement and/or gather evidence for their portfolios.

• Don't use any children's names unless it is for the Arts Award.

• Ensure that the children are appropriately dressed.

• Encourage children to tell us if they are worried about any photographs that are taken of them.

• We ask permission from the child before taking any photographs.

Issue Date: March 2024

Updated: June 2025

Review Date: March 2026

Written by: Nicola Redgewell