Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Last updated: 01/09/26

1.1 Definitions

Safeguarding is defined as:

Protecting children from maltreatment.
Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development.
Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child Protection is defined in the Children Act 1989 (s.47) as when a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm. Under statutory guidance and legislation, action must be taken to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

1.2 Introduction

At Ignito Tuition:

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children, their families and carers, has a role to play.
All professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred, always considering the best interests of the child.
We take an “it can happen here” approach where safeguarding is concerned.
Everyone who comes into contact with children has a role in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.
Victims of harm should never be made to feel they are creating a problem by reporting abuse, sexual violence, or sexual harassment. They should never be made to feel ashamed for making a report.

Ignito Tuition is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children by:

Providing a safe environment in which children and young people can learn.
Acting on concerns about a child’s welfare immediately.
Fulfilling our safeguarding responsibilities by identifying children who may benefit from help or support, or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer significant harm, and taking appropriate action.
Make sure that no member of staff or volunteer deliberately causes physical or psychological harm to a child.

All safeguarding action taken by Ignito Tuition will have regard to relevant statutory, national and local safeguarding guidance, including:

Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) – statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, support and protect children.
Keeping Children Safe in Education (2026) – statutory guidance for schools and colleges, which Ignito Tuition follows where relevant as safeguarding good practice.
After-school clubs, community activities and tuition: safeguarding guidance for providers – Department for Education guidance specifically applicable to out-of-school settings, including private tuition.

This policy is reviewed against the September update of Keeping Children Safe in Education each year.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Joseph Wells

Email: josephwells@ignitotuition.co.uk Phone: 07464 449427

1.3 Equalities Statement

General duties include:

Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not.
Foster good relations across all protected characteristics.

1.4 Overall Aims

This policy will contribute to the safeguarding of children at Ignito Tuition by:

Clarifying safeguarding expectations for staff, learners, and their families.
Contributing to a safe, resilient, and robust safeguarding culture.
Ensuring learners are treated with respect and dignity, have a voice, and are listened to.
Early identification of need for vulnerable learners and provision of proportionate interventions.

1.5 Professional Expectations, Roles, and Responsibilities

1.5.1 Role of All Staff

Be aware of the systems in place which support safeguarding and the role of the DSL.
Know who and how to contact the DSL.
Know how to record and report a safeguarding concern and understand the local referral route into children’s social care.
Act immediately where there is a safeguarding concern and never assume that somebody else will take action.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. If an urgent safeguarding concern cannot be reported promptly to the DSL, staff should contact the appropriate safeguarding service directly and inform the DSL as soon as possible afterwards.
Identify vulnerable learners and take action to keep them safe, including those:
- Who may need a social worker and may be experiencing abuse or neglect. o Requiring mental health support. o Who may benefit from early help. oWhere there is a radicalisation concern.
- Where a crime may have been committed.
Be aware that children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) can face extra safeguarding risks or find it harder to communicate concerns. Staff should not assume that changes in behaviour, mood or injuries are simply because of a child’s SEND.
While Ignito Tuition is not a specified authority under the Prevent Duty, we follow its principles. Any radicalisation concern is reported to the DSL, who may seek advice from Norfolk CADS or the police Prevent team.

1.5.2 Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection.
Make referrals to local safeguarding services where needed.
This includes learners who:

o Need a social worker and may be experiencing abuse or neglect. o Require mental health support. o May benefit from early help. oWhere a crime may have been committed.

1.6 Safeguarding Training for Staff

All tutors and staff must have appropriate safeguarding and child protection training. This may be training completed through Ignito Tuition or another organisation, such as a school.
Anyone who does not already have suitable current safeguarding training will be asked to complete safeguarding training provided or approved by Ignito Tuition.
As part of their Ignito induction, all staff must read this policy and the Staff Safeguarding, Conduct and Communications Policy. They must know who the DSL is, how to report a concern and where to find the Confidential Safeguarding Concern Form.
Ignito Tuition will keep a record of staff safeguarding training and will provide updates or refresher training when needed.
The DSL and any deputies will complete appropriate DSL training at least every two years and keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date.

1.7 Safer Recruitment and Safer Working Practice

1.7.1 Recruitment Practices

Safer recruitment practices informed by Keeping Children Safe in Education (2026) and the Department for Education’s safeguarding guidance for out-of-school settings.
References obtained, scrutinised, and concerns resolved before appointment.
Identity and right-to-work checks are completed before appointment.
Appropriate DBS checks undertaken at the level determined for each role, and reviewed by the DSL before any session takes place.

1.7.2 Whistleblowing Procedures

NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line: 0800 028 0285 or help@nspcc.org.uk

1.7.3 Safer Working Practice and Online Safety

Maintain high standards of conduct in person and online.
One-to-one sessions should take place in settings that provide transparency and accountability (e.g., classrooms with internal windows or CCTV).
Avoid personal mobiles, emails, or social media for learner communication.
All tutor–learner communication follows the Staff Safeguarding, Conduct and Communications Policy: Ignito channels only, parents copied for under-16s, correspondence retained and reviewable by the DSL.
Use only approved platforms/devices for online tuition.
Ensure online sessions are conducted in appropriate environments and recorded where required.
Educate learners about online safety, including risks from content, contact, and conduct.
Where adult learners and school-age students share a session, such as homework club, an Ignito tutor is present throughout, the room is covered by CCTV, and adult learners are never left in unsupervised contact with children.

1.8 Low-Level Concerns

Ignito Tuition promotes a culture in which all concerns about the conduct of adults working with children are reported and addressed appropriately.
Low-level concerns about a tutor, staff member, volunteer or other adult must be reported to the DSL, even where the concern does not appear to meet the threshold for harm.
Where a concern or allegation indicates that an adult working or volunteering with children may have harmed a child, committed an offence against a child, posed a risk of harm to children, or behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children, the DSL will seek appropriate advice and make any necessary referral to the Norfolk Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), police, Disclosure and Barring Service or other relevant authority.
If the concern relates to the DSL, it should not be reported solely to the DSL. The person raising the concern should seek advice directly from the Norfolk LADO and/or other appropriate safeguarding authority.

1.9 Student Tutors

Peer tutoring arrangements operate only under the student tutor section of the Staff Safeguarding, Conduct and Communications Policy: DSL approval, an Enhanced DBS check returned and reviewed by the DSL before any session takes place, sessions in open, visible teaching spaces with CCTV in operation, and recorded parent or carer agreement before sessions begin.

Part 2: Procedures

2.1 Reporting Concerns

All safeguarding concerns must be reported to the DSL as soon as possible. Staff should normally record the concern using the Ignito Tuition Confidential Safeguarding Concern Form.
Completing the form must never delay urgent action. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. If an urgent concern cannot be reported to the DSL promptly, contact Norfolk Children’s Advice and Duty Service (CADS) directly and tell the DSL as soon as possible afterwards.
Record what you saw or heard as clearly and factually as possible. If a child has told you something, record their own words where possible. Include who was present and any action you have already taken.
Do not investigate the concern yourself or ask the child leading questions.
If you are unsure whether something is a safeguarding concern, report it anyway. The DSL will decide what action is needed.
Child-on-child abuse is a safeguarding concern and can happen inside or outside tuition, including online.