Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Policy Owner: Joshua Lynbeck (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Approved By: Charlotte Lynbeck (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Effective Date: 01/05/2026
Review Date: 01/05/2027

Applies To: All employees, tutors, contractors, agency staff, volunteers, and associates

1. Statement of Commitment

Footnote Education is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We recognise our moral and legal responsibilities to protect all students from harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation and radicalisation.

As an online tuition provider delivering one-to-one humanities tuition to students we understand that safeguarding in virtual learning environments requires robust systems, safer recruitment procedures, clear reporting mechanisms and effective online safety controls.

We believe that:

• safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility; 

• all children have the right to protection from harm; 

• children should feel safe, respected and listened to; 

• online environments must be as safe as physical learning environments; 

• concerns must always be taken seriously and acted upon promptly. 

This policy applies to all activities undertaken by the company, including:

• online tuition sessions; 

• communications with students and parents/carers; 

• recruitment and vetting; 

• use of digital platforms; 

• record keeping and information sharing; 

• safeguarding referrals and partnership working. 

2. Legislative and Statutory Framework

This policy has been developed in accordance with the following legislation and guidance:

2.1 Primary Legislation

• Children Act 1989 

• Children Act 2004 

• Education Act 2002 

• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 

• Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 

• Equality Act 2010 

• Data Protection Act 2018 

• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) 

• Sexual Offences Act 2003 

• Domestic Abuse Act 2021 

• Online Safety Act 2023 

• Human Rights Act 1998 

2.2 Statutory Guidance

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025/2026 updates 

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) 

• Prevent Duty Guidance (updated) 

• Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners 

• Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings 

• Teaching Online Safety in Schools 

• DfE Filtering and Monitoring Standards 

• DfE Guidance on Generative Artificial Intelligence 

The policy reflects emerging safeguarding priorities identified within the latest KCSIE updates, including:

• enhanced focus on online harms; 

• misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy content; 

• generative AI risks; 

• cyber safety and digital monitoring; 

• contextual safeguarding; 

• attendance and welfare concerns; 

• safer remote education practices. 

3. Scope

This policy applies to:

• all staff employed by the company; 

• self-employed tutors; 

• volunteers and contractors; 

• directors and managers; 

• any third party engaged in educational delivery. 

It applies whenever an individual is representing the company, including:

• live online tuition; 

• messaging and communication systems; 

• telephone calls; 

• email communication; 

• social media use linked to company activity; 

• off-platform contact related to tuition. 

4. Definitions of Safeguarding

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children includes:

• protecting children from maltreatment; 

• preventing impairment of mental and physical health; 

• ensuring children grow up in safe circumstances; 

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. 

Abuse may include:

• physical abuse; 

• emotional abuse; 

• sexual abuse; 

• neglect; 

• child criminal exploitation; 

• child sexual exploitation; 

• peer-on-peer abuse; 

• online abuse; 

• domestic abuse exposure; 

• honour-based abuse; 

• forced marriage; 

• female genital mutilation (FGM); 

• radicalisation and extremism. 

5. Safeguarding Principles

The company will:

• maintain a child-centred approach; 

• act in the best interests of the child at all times; 

• listen to children and take concerns seriously; 

• maintain clear safeguarding procedures; 

• ensure all concerns are reported without delay; 

• work with statutory agencies where necessary; 

• maintain appropriate confidentiality; 

• ensure robust online safety systems; 

• maintain a culture of vigilance. 

6. Roles and Responsibilities

6.1 Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

The company will appoint a suitably qualified DSL and at least one Deputy DSL.

The DSL is responsible for:

• managing safeguarding concerns and referrals; 

• liaising with local authority children’s services; 

• liaising with the police and Channel panels where required; 

• maintaining safeguarding records; 

• ensuring staff safeguarding training is completed; 

• overseeing online safety arrangements; 

• ensuring compliance with KCSIE; 

• supporting tutors in safeguarding matters; 

• managing allegations against staff; 

• ensuring safer recruitment procedures are followed. 

DSL contact details must be available to:

• all staff; 

• tutors; 

• parents/carers; 

• students where age-appropriate. 

6.2 All Staff and Tutors

All staff and tutors must:

• read and understand this policy; 

• complete safeguarding training before working with students; 

• complete Prevent awareness training; 

• identify and report concerns immediately; 

• maintain professional boundaries; 

• follow online safety procedures; 

• record concerns accurately; 

• never promise confidentiality to a child. 

Safeguarding is the responsibility of every adult working with children.

7. Safer Recruitment

The company is committed to safer recruitment practices.

Before any tutor begins work, the company will:

• verify identity; 

• obtain enhanced DBS checks with barred list information where applicable; 

• verify qualifications; 

• obtain references; 

• verify employment history; 

• assess suitability to work with children; 

• check prohibition orders where relevant; 

• assess overseas criminal record checks if applicable; 

• undertake online searches as part of due diligence in line with KCSIE. 

No tutor may begin unsupervised work until all safer recruitment checks are complete.

The company maintains a Single Central Record (SCR) of vetting checks.

8. Training

All staff must complete:

• safeguarding and child protection training; 

• online safety training; 

• Prevent training; 

• data protection training; 

• code of conduct training. 

Training must:

• be updated regularly; 

• reflect current KCSIE guidance; 

• include online safeguarding risks; 

• address AI-related safeguarding concerns; 

• include low-level concerns reporting. 

DSLs must undertake regular safeguarding training.

9. Online Safety

As an online tuition provider, online safety is central to safeguarding practice.

The company recognises the “4 Cs” of online risk:

• content; 

• contact; 

• conduct; 

• commerce. 

In line with KCSIE 2025/2026 developments, this includes risks associated with:

• misinformation and disinformation; 

• conspiracy theories; 

• AI-generated harmful content; 

• cyberbullying; 

• grooming; 

• sextortion; 

• online radicalisation; 

• exploitation through social media; 

• inappropriate sharing of images; 

• deepfake and AI-manipulated media. 

9.1 Approved Platforms

Tuition sessions must only take place through company-approved systems.

The company will:

• use secure video platforms; 

• maintain access controls; 

• prohibit personal accounts; 

• maintain audit capability where possible; 

• implement appropriate monitoring systems. 

9.2 Recording Sessions

The company may record sessions for safeguarding and quality assurance purposes where lawful and proportionate.

Parents/carers and students will be informed of:

• whether recording takes place; 

• storage arrangements; 

• retention periods; 

• access rights. 

9.3 Tutor Conduct Online

Tutors must:

• work in professional environments; 

• maintain appropriate dress and language; 

• avoid personal relationships with students; 

• never communicate outside approved channels; 

• avoid exchanging personal contact details; 

• never use disappearing-message platforms; 

• never tutor from bedrooms where avoidable; 

• maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times. 

10. Professional Boundaries and Code of Conduct

Staff and tutors must:

• maintain professional relationships; 

• avoid favouritism; 

• avoid inappropriate self-disclosure; 

• avoid social media connections with students; 

• report any boundary concerns immediately; 

• avoid communication outside agreed hours unless safeguarding requires it. 

Any breach may result in disciplinary action and referral to relevant authorities.

11. Child-on-Child Abuse

The company recognises that children can abuse other children.

This may include:

• bullying; 

• online harassment; 

• sexual violence; 

• sexual harassment; 

• image-sharing abuse; 

• coercion; 

• abuse within relationships; 

• discriminatory behaviour. 

All allegations will be taken seriously and managed in accordance with safeguarding procedures.

12. Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

All safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the DSL.

Staff must:

1. listen carefully; 

2. remain calm; 

3. avoid leading questions; 

4. reassure appropriately; 

5. explain that information may need to be shared; 

6. record concerns accurately; 

7. report immediately. 

Staff must never:

• investigate concerns independently; 

• promise secrecy; 

• delay reporting. 

The DSL will determine appropriate next steps, including:

• monitoring; 

• early help; 

• referral to children’s social care; 

• police referral; 

• Prevent referral; 

• contacting emergency services. 

If a child is in immediate danger, staff must contact emergency services without delay.

13. Low-Level Concerns

The company promotes a culture where low-level concerns are identified and addressed early.

Examples include:

• inappropriate comments; 

• boundary issues; 

• unprofessional conduct; 

• concerning online behaviour. 

All low-level concerns must be recorded and reviewed.

14. Allegations Against Staff

Allegations against adults working with children will be managed promptly and fairly.

The company will:

• contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where required; 

• consider suspension where appropriate; 

• maintain confidentiality; 

• cooperate with investigations. 

The welfare of the child remains paramount.

15. Prevent Duty and Radicalisation

The company has a duty to prevent children from being drawn into terrorism.

Staff will:

• undertake Prevent training; 

• recognise signs of radicalisation; 

• report concerns to the DSL. 

Concerns may involve:

• extremist ideology; 

• online radicalisation; 

• conspiracy narratives; 

• harmful online communities. 

Where appropriate, referrals will be made through Channel processes.

16. Mental Health and Wellbeing

The company recognises that mental health concerns may indicate safeguarding issues.

Staff should be alert to:

• self-harm; 

• suicidal ideation; 

• eating disorders; 

• anxiety; 

• depression; 

• trauma responses. 

Safeguarding procedures will be followed where there is risk of harm.

17. Attendance and Engagement Concerns

Repeated absence, disengagement or sudden withdrawal from tuition may indicate safeguarding concerns.

In line with updated KCSIE expectations, attendance and engagement concerns should be considered within the wider safeguarding context. 

The DSL may:

• contact parents/carers; 

• liaise with schools; 

• escalate concerns where necessary. 

18. Information Sharing and Confidentiality

The company will share safeguarding information lawfully and proportionately.

Information may be shared:

• where a child is at risk; 

• with safeguarding agencies; 

• with schools where appropriate; 

• with police or social care. 

The company complies with:

• UK GDPR; 

• Data Protection Act 2018; 

• safeguarding information-sharing guidance. 

Safeguarding records will be:

• secure; 

• confidential; 

• access-controlled; 

• retained in accordance with data retention policies. 

19. Whistleblowing

All staff have a duty to raise concerns regarding:

• unsafe practice; 

• safeguarding failures; 

• misconduct; 

• leadership failures. 

Concerns may be raised:

• internally; 

• with the LADO; 

• with Ofsted where relevant; 

• with the NSPCC Whistleblowing Helpline. 

No whistleblower will suffer detriment for raising genuine concerns.

20. Complaints

Parents, students and staff may raise safeguarding-related complaints through the company complaints procedure.

Safeguarding concerns will always take precedence over standard complaints handling.

21. Monitoring and Quality Assurance

The company will:

• review safeguarding procedures regularly; 

• audit safeguarding records; 

• monitor tutor compliance; 

• review online safety arrangements; 

• evaluate safeguarding incidents; 

• update procedures following legislative changes. 

22. Review of Policy

This policy will be reviewed:

• annually; 

• following significant safeguarding incidents; 

• following legislative or KCSIE updates; 

• following organisational change. 

Appendix A – Indicators of Abuse

Possible indicators may include:

• unexplained injuries; 

• withdrawal or anxiety; 

• sudden behavioural change; 

• sexualised behaviour; 

• self-harm; 

• fearfulness; 

• poor attendance; 

• online secrecy; 

• concerning online interactions; 

• extremist language; 

• signs of grooming. 

Indicators do not automatically prove abuse but should always be taken seriously.

Appendix B – Online Tuition Safeguarding Rules

Tutors must:

• use approved platforms only; 

• maintain professional language; 

• ensure neutral/professional backgrounds; 

• avoid personal contact with students; 

• report concerns immediately; 

• log safeguarding incidents. 

Tutors must not:

• communicate through private social media; 

• share personal phone numbers; 

• conduct sessions while impaired; 

• engage in inappropriate discussions; 

• arrange in-person meetings independently. 

Appendix C – Key Contacts

Internal

• Designated Safeguarding Lead: 

• Deputy DSL: 

• Safeguarding Email: 

• Emergency Contact Number: 

External

• Local Authority Children’s Services 

• Police: 999 (emergency) 

• NSPCC Helpline 

• Prevent/Channel Referral Team 

• Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) 

Appendix D – Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

• Online Safety Policy 

• Tutor Code of Conduct 

• Recruitment Policy 

• Data Protection Policy 

• Complaints Policy 

• Behaviour Policy 

• Whistleblowing Policy 

• Equality and Diversity Policy 

Policy Approval

Name: Charlotte Lynbeck

Role: Co-Found & Business Manager

Signature: CED Lynbeck

Date: 01/05/2026