Safeguarding Policy
NEGU Tuition Services Ltd
NEGU Tuition Services Ltd is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding. The personal safety and wellbeing of each student and our employees is paramount.
The purpose of this policy statement is:
to protect children and young people who receive NEGU Tuition Services Ltd’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services
to provide employees, contractors, sub-contractors, volunteers, work experience students as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.
Note: In this policy, the term “employee” is intended to cover all persons occupying the positions listed above.
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.
Dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person
If an employee has a reasonable suspicion that a child has been, or is being, abused or neglected then in the first instance notify Amy Holmes (the Director) who acts as NEGU Tuition Services Ltd designated Child Protection and Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible. If you can not notify in writing due to time restraints do not hesitate to notify verbally and follow up later in writing The staff member and Child Protection Safeguarding Officer should then:
notify the relevant Local Authority child protection team and/or Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).
notify NSPCC as soon as practicable.
Please remember if a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999 straight away.
How to report to NSPCC:
- Call 0808 800 5000.
- Report online.
- Email help@nspcc.org.uk
We ensure that support is also available for the employee making the report, particularly where an ongoing service is provided to the child, young person and their family.
Managing allegations against staff and volunteers
In addition to making a report to the NSPCC line, employees must also report to Amy Holmes, Director Child Protection and Safeguarding Lead, if reasonable suspicion is formed that a child has been, or is being, abused or neglected by another member, employee. The Safeguarding Lead will then engage with the LADO.
How to report to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): https://www.kscmp.org.uk/procedures/local-authority-designated-officer-lado
In response to any report to management concerning a member of this organisation, management may determine to take disciplinary action by following the Disciplinary Procedure found in the shared drive.
Other protective actions may also be introduced to ensure the safety of children and young people within our organisation. We are dedicated to our duty of care and all reports will be followed up with a thorough investigation.
Code of conduct for staff and for children and young people
All members are made aware of, and must abide by, our code of conduct found on our website and internal shared drive.
Safer Recruitment
NEGU Tuition Services Ltd takes all reasonable steps to ensure that it engages the most suitable and appropriate people to work with children. We employ a range of screening measures and apply best practice standards in the screening and recruitment of employees. We interview and conduct referee checks on all employees as well as a DBS check for people working with children.
We have a dedicated policy to our recruitment practices ‘Recruitment and Selection Policy 08 January 2024 ’. Copy can be provided upon request.
Anti-bullying
NEGU Tuition Services Ltd opposes all forms of harassment, discrimination and bullying. We take this issue seriously and encourage anyone who believes that they, or another person, has been harassed, discriminated against or bullied to raise this issue with Amy Holmes immediately. Should a report ever need to be made against Amy Holmes then please liaise with Stuart Dady, Data Protection Officer for NEGU via email stuartdady@btinternet.com
Communication
NEGU Tuition Services Ltd will ensure that everyone to whom this policy applies is aware of and has had an opportunity to read the policy.
We also ask employees and parents (where appropriate) to sign a written statement indicating that they have read and will abide by our child-safe policy. We retain a copy of all signed statements.
We believe that:
- children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
- we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them and cooperate with others
We recognise that:
- the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
- all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
- some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
- working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
- valuing, listening to and respecting them
- appointing a nominated child protection and safeguarding lead for children and young people
- adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
- providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
- recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
- recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance [more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/for-organisations]
- sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via leaflets, posters, group work and one-to-one discussions
- making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
- using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately
- using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
- creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
- ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
- ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
- building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.
Policy date: 1 July 2020
Last updated: 08 January 2024
Online Safeguarding Policy
NEGU Tuition Services Ltd
This policy is to be used in addition to all the safeguarding and child protection parameters and procedures outlined in the ‘Safeguarding Policy’ dated January 2024, found here:
https://www.negutuition.com/safeguarding-policy. This policy was designed to expand on our safeguarding and provide a safe educational environment. The personal safety of each student and tutor using NEGU Tuition Services is paramount.
Safety
To ensure we are mindful of our students and tutors safety we include the following provisions:
● All tutors must hold a current and active enhanced DBS certificate in order to join our tutor portfolio. Tutors are recruited under the Safer Recruitment guidelines.
● All tutors must hold a current and active enhanced DBS certificate in order to join our tutor portfolio. Tutors are recruited under the Safer Recruitment guidelines.
- Parent/guardians/Schools/Organisations can ask NEGU Tuition Services / the tutor to verify the DBS prior to the sessions commencing
- We do not allow any contact between the tutors and students outside the lessons
Tutor online code of conduct
- Tutors will only conduct tutor sessions at the designated tutoring times and dates scheduled
- Tutors will hold the online sessions in a location that does not display personal information or inappropriate background content
- Tutors will be dressed in an appropriate manner that would be suitable for their attendance at a school in person
- Tutors will not record video, still images or audio of any tutoring sessions
- Tutors will never disclose their phone, email or other communication details with their pupil nor request their pupils’
- Tutors will conduct their sessions without disruption (mobile phones should be set to silent and away from gaze)
- Tutors will not share any links to online content or websites that contain anything other than educational resources that directly link to the content of their sessions. If in doubt of the validity of any websites or material please get in contact with NEGU Tuition Services Ltd.
- Tutors will not take any screenshots of sessions
- Tutors will report any concerns about safeguarding or child protection as well as follow all NEGU Tuition Services safeguarding and child protection procedures outlined in the‘ Safeguarding Policy’
- Tutors will ensure all sessions are password protected and password is only shared with individuals participating in the meeting. A new meeting ID and password should be created for each individual session.
- Tutors will ensure meeting settings only allow them as the Host to admit people to the online session meeting.
- Tutors will ensure that the online chat facility is switched off between both themselves and other meeting participants.
Pupil online code of conduct
- All schools who partner with NEGU Tuition Services agree to the following code of conduct for their pupils involved in online sessions:
- Pupils will only receive online tutoring at the designated tutoring times and dates advertised by NEGU Tuition Services
- Pupils who receive online tutoring from their home shall do so with a parent or guardian present in the same room.
- Pupils will be dressed appropriately in either their uniform or appropriate attire for attendance at a school event.
- Pupils who receive online tutoring at school shall do so with a responsible adult present in the same room.
- Pupils will conduct online tutoring either in a workplace or location that does not expose personal information.
- Pupils will have any mobile phones on silent and out of gaze during sessions, or completely away as dictated by their school’s policy.
- Pupils will not record video, still images or audio of any tutoring sessions.
- Pupils will never disclose their phone, email or other communication details with their tutor nor request those of their tutor through the online platform
- Pupils will not share any links to online content or websites that contain anything other than educational resources that directly link to the content of their sessions and relevant educational workbooks.
- Pupils will not take any screenshots of sessions.
Parent/Responsible adult
The parent/responsible adult shall :
- Ensure the student is fully aware of the Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conducts
- Always be responsible for the welfare of the student during the session.
- Always be responsible for the physical environment of the pupil during the session ensuring it is safe and appropriate.
- If they consider it appropriate, be present or available during a tutor session so any concerns encountered by the student can be reported as soon as possible and ensure the student and tutor are behaving in an appropriate manner.
- Ensure that tutors will be treated with respect and fairness by the student and will not be subjected to abusive behaviour or language.
- Ensure that no improper suggestions are made by either the tutor or student.
- Ensure the student has no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the Online Lesson session.
- Report any unsolicited communications between the tutor and student if appropriate to the Designated Safeguarding Officer
- Report any dispute with a tutor to NEGU Tuition Services.
- Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor to NEGU Tuition Services
School and Teachers/school Representative (if session is within school hours and on school premises)
For the purpose of this policy document a ‘responsible adult’ includes teachers and school representatives .
The school and teachers or school representative shall:
- Be responsible for the welfare of the student during the session.
- Be responsible for the physical environment of the student during the session, ensuring that it is safe and appropriate.
- Be responsible for behaviour of the student during the session, ensuring that tutors will be treated with respect and fairness and will not be subjected to abusive behaviour or language.
- Ensure that no improper suggestions are made by either the tutor or student.
- Be present or available for the student during the session to address any issues.
- Report any dispute with a tutor to NEGU Tuition Services
- Report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a session to NEGU Tuition Services
- If the Online Lesson session has been arranged by the school but takes place outside school hours and away from school premises, it is the responsibility of the school to make the appropriate parent/responsible adult aware of the Safeguarding Policy and that both parties agree their safeguarding responsibilities.
Compliance
All persons using our services have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy and the Code of Conducts.
Any tutor reported for a breach of the Safeguarding Policy will be suspended until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority. The reporter may be informed of the resolution if appropriate. The final decision on action taken for minor breaches of the Safeguarding Policy will be the responsibility of NEGU Tuition Services.
Any person reported for illegal activity whilst using our services will be reported to police and will be barred from the service.
Policy date: 1 July 2020
Last updated: 08 January 2024
