Date: July 2024
Review Date: July 2025
Policy Statement
At Nolan Education, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people aged 5-16 who attend our tuition sessions. We believe that all children have the right to be protected from harm, abuse, and neglect. This policy outlines our approach to safeguarding, including the procedures we follow to ensure the safety and well-being of our students.
Key Principles
– The welfare of the child is paramount.
– All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation, or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
– Working in partnership with children, their parents, carers, and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Rachel Nolan is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Nolan Education. She holds an enhanced DBS check on the update service and has completed safeguarding training, which is updated annually.
Safeguarding Procedures
In-Person Tuition
– Location and Supervision: In-person tuition takes place either 1:1 at a tutee’s home or in small groups at a local venue. All home-based sessions occur in an open, family space. Group sessions have a maximum tutor-to-student ratio of 1:10, with Rachel Nolan being the sole adult present.
– Pick-Up Policy: Parents must designate an authorised adult for pick-up. Children will only be released to this designated adult.
Online Tuition
– Platform and Security: Online sessions are conducted via Zoom and are password-protected. Students must participate from an open, family space, not from a private room.
Keeping Children and Young People Safe
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
– Valuing, listening to, and respecting them.
– Appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people, a deputy, and a lead trustee/board member for safeguarding.
– Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practices through our policies, procedures, and code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
– Developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures.
– 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 behavior codes confidently and competently.
– Recording, storing, and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance (more information 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 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, children, young people, and their families treat each other with respect and are comfortable sharing concerns.
Recognising and Reporting Abuse
Rachel Nolan, as the sole tutor and DSL, is responsible for recognizing and responding to safeguarding concerns. These may include but are not limited to physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect.
Recognising Abuse
Indicators of abuse can include:
– Unexplained injuries or inconsistent explanations of injuries.
– Changes in behavior, such as becoming withdrawn or aggressive.
– Signs of neglect, such as poor hygiene or inappropriate clothing.
– Disclosures from the child about abuse or neglect.
Reporting Concerns
Any safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the local council’s safeguarding lead and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Rachel Nolan will follow these steps:
1. Listen: Listen carefully to the child without making judgments or promises.
2. Record: Record the concern accurately, including the date, time, and details of the concern.
3. Report: Report the concern to the local safeguarding lead and LADO as soon as possible.
Training
Rachel Nolan will complete safeguarding training annually to stay updated on the latest best practices and legal requirements.
onfidentiality and Information Sharing
We recognise that all matters relating to child protection are confidential. Rachel Nolan will disclose personal information about a student to other members of staff on a need-to-know basis only. All records will be kept securely.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains up-to-date with legal requirements and best practices. The next review date is set for July 2025.
