CAMBS TUTORS

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Policy owner: Shelly Gathigia Wadsworth, Founder and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Effective date: 10 November 2026
Next review: November 2027, or earlier following a significant incident or change in guidance
Contact: s.wadsworth@cambstutors.co.uk

1. Policy Statement

Cambs Tutors is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people receiving tuition.

We believe that every child has the right to learn in a safe, supportive, respectful and inclusive environment, regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion, background or individual learning needs.

Safeguarding is integral to our teaching practice, professional conduct and relationships with students and families.

Cambs Tutors maintains a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, exploitation, discrimination, harassment and inappropriate behaviour.

The welfare of the child is our primary consideration.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All students under the age of 18 receiving tuition from Cambs Tutors.
• The founder and any tutors, employees, contractors or volunteers subsequently engaged by Cambs Tutors.
• Online and face-to-face tuition.
• Communications with students, parents and guardians.
• The handling of safeguarding concerns, disclosures and allegations.

3. Safeguarding Responsibilities

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Shelly Gathigia Wadsworth

Email: s.wadsworth@cambstutors.co.uk

As the current sole tutor and founder, Shelly is responsible for:

• Promoting safe teaching practices.
• Recognising signs of abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm.
• Responding appropriately to student disclosures.
• Recording and referring safeguarding concerns.
• Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Ensuring parents understand safeguarding arrangements.
• Maintaining safeguarding knowledge and relevant professional training.
• Reviewing this policy and related procedures.

If a concern relates to the DSL herself, parents or students should contact children's social care, the LADO or the police as appropriate, without needing to notify Cambs Tutors first.

4. Professional Suitability and DBS

The founder holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and has professional experience in secondary education, English teaching and supporting learners with additional educational needs.

DBS information provided by the founder:

• Enhanced DBS certificate
• Child and Adult Workforce
• Certificate date: 18 October 2026
• DBS Update Service: Current subscription

The appropriate eligibility, barred-list information and current status of any check must be verified before representing it as satisfying a specific role's requirements.

Any future tutors will undergo appropriate identity, qualification, reference and safeguarding checks, including DBS and barred-list checks where legally eligible and required.

5. Recognising Safeguarding Concerns

Safeguarding concerns may include:

• Physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
• Neglect.
• Domestic abuse or exposure to harmful environments.
• Bullying, including cyberbullying.
• Grooming, sexual exploitation or criminal exploitation.
• Online abuse or inappropriate contact.
• Self-harm, suicidal thoughts or threats to safety.
• Harmful behaviour between children.
• Discrimination or abuse relating to disability or additional needs.

Cambs Tutors recognises that children with special educational needs and disabilities may experience additional barriers to communicating concerns or seeking support.

Safeguarding concerns must never be dismissed solely because a child has autism, ADHD, communication difficulties or another identified need.

6. Responding to a Disclosure

If a student discloses abuse, harm or a safeguarding concern, the tutor must:

1. Remain calm and listen carefully.
2. Take the student seriously.
3. Allow the student to speak without interruption.
4. Avoid leading questions or investigating the allegation.
5. Reassure the student that speaking up was the right thing to do.
6. Explain that information may need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.
7. Never promise absolute confidentiality.
8. Record the child's words as accurately as possible.
9. Contact the appropriate safeguarding authority without unnecessary delay where the concern meets the relevant threshold.
10. Follow the instructions of the safeguarding authority.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

Where there is a disclosure during an online lesson, the tutor should establish whether the child is safe, seek emergency assistance where necessary, and follow the reporting procedure.

The tutor must not undertake an independent investigation.

7. Reporting Safeguarding Concerns

Safeguarding concerns involving children in Warwickshire should be reported through the following routes.

Warwickshire Family Connect / Children's Social Care

Telephone: 01926 414144

For urgent concerns, telephone promptly. Non-urgent child protection concerns may also be raised through Family Connect.

Out-of-hours Emergency Duty Team

Telephone: 01926 886922

Emergency Services

Telephone: 999 where there is immediate danger.

If a child lives outside Warwickshire, the appropriate local authority children's services for that child should be contacted.

Concerns must be recorded and referred promptly. The founder must not delay a necessary referral while seeking parental permission or further evidence.

Parents should normally be kept informed unless doing so may place the child at additional risk, compromise an investigation or conflict with safeguarding advice.

8. Allegations Against the Tutor

Any allegation that the tutor has harmed, may have harmed or may pose a risk of harm to a child must be treated seriously.

Concerns meeting the relevant threshold must be referred promptly to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Warwickshire LADO

Telephone: 01926 745376

Email: lado@warwickshire.gov.uk

Parents may contact the local authority directly about concerns involving the founder.

Where allegations concern the founder, Cambs Tutors will not investigate the matter independently or attempt to discourage external reporting.

The founder will cooperate with the LADO, police, children's social care and other authorised agencies.

Where necessary, tuition arrangements will be suspended or changed to protect children and avoid interference with investigations.

Any required reporting to professional or regulatory bodies, including DBS referral duties where applicable, will be considered.

9. Professional Boundaries

Cambs Tutors maintains clear professional boundaries between tutors and students.

The tutor must:

• Treat students with dignity and respect.
• Use appropriate professional language.
• Avoid unnecessary physical contact.
• Never initiate romantic, sexual or otherwise inappropriate relationships or communications.
• Avoid favouritism and personal relationships that compromise professional judgement.
• Never contact children through personal social-media accounts.
• Never request secrecy about tuition arrangements or communications.
• Keep parents appropriately informed about tuition.
• Avoid accepting inappropriate gifts or entering personal financial arrangements with students.

All communication must comply with the Cambs Tutors Student Communication and Online Tuition Policy.

10. Online Tuition and Digital Safety

Online tuition must take place through approved educational platforms.

The tutor will:

• Use secure, access-controlled online meeting arrangements.
• Share lesson links through approved parent or guardian contact channels.
• Take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised access.
• Maintain a professional working environment and appropriate dress.
• Avoid private or informal online contact with students.
• Make parents aware of online tuition arrangements.
• Report concerning online behaviour or incidents.
• Avoid unnecessary collection or storage of student personal information.

Lessons will not routinely be recorded.

Any exceptional recording requires a documented purpose, appropriate privacy information and specific written permission from the parent or guardian and the child's agreement, with consent from other participants where applicable.

11. Face-to-Face Tuition

Where face-to-face tuition is provided:

• The learning environment must be safe, suitable and appropriately supervised.
• Parents must know where tuition is taking place.
• Reasonable arrangements must be made for safe arrival and collection.
• One-to-one tutoring arrangements should maintain suitable visibility and accountability.
• The tutor must avoid unnecessary physical contact.
• Any accidents, incidents or safeguarding concerns must be recorded and responded to appropriately.

12. Confidentiality and Record-Keeping

Safeguarding information will be:

• Recorded factually, accurately and promptly.
• Kept separate from routine teaching records.
• Stored securely with access restricted to authorised persons.
• Shared only where lawful and necessary for safeguarding, child protection or legal obligations.
• Retained and securely disposed of in accordance with an appropriate records-retention schedule.

Records should identify the date, time, concern, people involved, action taken and any external advice or referral.

The existence of a safeguarding concern does not automatically justify sharing information with every family member or school.

13. Working with Parents and Other Agencies

Cambs Tutors seeks constructive relationships with parents, guardians, schools and relevant professionals.

Where appropriate and lawful, safeguarding concerns may be discussed with a child's school Designated Safeguarding Lead or other professional agencies.

The safety and welfare of the child will take precedence over commercial, reputational or other interests.

14. Training and Policy Review

The founder will maintain appropriate safeguarding knowledge and undertake refresher training.

Additional tutors will receive safeguarding induction before working with students.

This policy will be reviewed annually and following significant changes in legislation, guidance, staffing, services or safeguarding practice.

15. Further Information

Cambs Tutors has regard to relevant guidance including:

• Department for Education: Out-of-school settings — safeguarding guidance for providers.
• Department for Education: Keeping Children Safe in Education, as relevant good-practice guidance.
• Working Together to Safeguard Children.
• NSPCC safeguarding guidance for tutors.
• Warwickshire local safeguarding procedures.

Approved by: Shelly Gathigia Wadsworth
Role: Founder and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Approval date: __________________

Cambs Tutors — Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility.