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Safeguarding Policy

Disclaimer

Updated on: September 29, 2022

Introduction

  1. Meditutor Ltd is committed to providing the highest standard of safeguarding. The safety of our users is our paramount concern.
  2. Our site coordinating policies have all been designed to ensure students and tutors work together in a safe environment.
  3. Every student who participates in a Meditutor course should be able to do so in a safe and comfortable environment. Meditutor is committed to providing the best possible level of safeguarding and the well-being and safety of each student are vital.
  4. Meditutor has a duty to ensure all service providers of Meditutor courses are given appropriate safeguarding measures and all lessons take place in a safe environment.
  5. This policy aims to ensure we safeguard all users of Meditutor (including Users, Students and Tutors) whilst they engage with our Website or Lessons.
  6. This policy outlines the responsibilities of all tutors and it is important that all have familiarised themselves with this policy and our Terms and Conditions.
  7. Alongside this policy, users of Meditutor (including Users, Students and Tutors) must comply with the The Tutors’ Association Child Protection Policy, whether or not they are a member of The Tutors’ Association, and all relevant legislation and government guidance.
  8. If any User has a concern regarding child protection, they must contact Meditutor immediately.
  9. Contravention of any of the terms contained within this policy may result in immediate removal of access to and permanent barring from our services.

Legislative Framework

  1. This safeguarding policy is to ensure all students on a Meditutor course are able to benefit from our services within the remits of the child safeguarding standards of the United Kingdom Law. This policy is derived from a variety of legislative provisions and statutory guidance.
  2. Our site and coordinating policies have been developed to ensure we comply with all relevant safeguarding legislation.
  3. Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019).
  4. Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).
  5. Governance Handbook.
  6. Our safeguarding policy and procedures comply with all of this guidance and is updated with local arrangements agreed and published by the three local safeguarding partners.
  7. The following legislation is also incorporated into this policy:
  8. The Children Act 1989 (and 2004 amendment), which gives a broad framework for the care and protection of children and includes provisions for Local Authority inquiries, care proceedings, and emergency provisions.
  9. Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 S 5B (11), as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015.
  10. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 outlines provisions for when people with criminal convictions can work with children.
  11. ‘Regulated activity’ in relation to children is found in Schedule 4 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

Responsibilities

  1. Meditutor recognises that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their parents or carers has a role to play in safeguarding children.
  2. Meditutor will use reasonable endeavours to check the identity of all Tutors.
  3. Meditutor does not require every Tutor to have a background check to use the Website. Meditutor will use reasonable endeavours to check the background checks of Tutors with Background Checked Status. Background checks must have been awarded within 2 years of the date on which a Tutor joins Meditutor, and within 3 years at any point in time thereafter. Within these time frames, background checks will be accepted if they are an enhanced check provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service, Disclosure Scotland or Access Northern Ireland. Meditutor cannot verify any claim made by Tutors within their profile or in any other communication which relates to them having a valid background check other than through the awarding of the “Background Checked Status”. It is entirely at the Student’s discretion as to whether they determine having a background check is part of their selection criteria.
  4. For students under the age of 18:
  5. The parent/legal guardian will be responsible for the selection of the tutor and make any reasonable checks to ensure the tutor is suitable for the student (including, if required, reviewing the tutor’s CRB/DBS certification documentation).
  6. The parent/legal guardian will ensure the student is fully aware of the Meditutor’s Safeguarding Policy.
  7. The parent/legal guardian will always be responsible for the welfare of the student during the session.
  8. The parent/legal guardian will always be responsible for the physical environment of the pupil during the session ensuring it is safe and appropriate.
  9. The parent/legal guardian will, 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.
  10. The parent/legal guardian will use their best endeavours to ensure that tutors will be treated with respect and fairness by the student and will not be subjected to abusive, inappropriate behaviour or language.
  11. The parent/legal guardian will ensure the student has no inappropriate communication with the tutor outside the Online messaging and lesson sessions.
  12. The parent/legal guardian will report any unsolicited communications between the tutor and student if appropriate.
  13. The parent/legal guardian will report any dispute with a tutor to Meditutor LTD.
  14. The parent/legal guardian will report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor.
  15. Tutors are not employees of Meditutor and are solely responsible for their own actions both on and off the Website.
  16. All Meditutor tutors are required to:
  17. Observe and comply with the Meditutor code of conduct.
  18. Attend all relevant training and development provided by Meditutor and be aware of all their responsibilities in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019.
  19. If Tutors contact Students who are under 18, they must ensure that these Students are represented by a parent or legal guardian who gives consent for the Student to receive tuition.
  20. If a student discloses to a tutor that they are being abused, the tutor should report this to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) as soon as possible. The DSL is responsible for ensuring that children are identified and the appropriate agency involved.
  21. Know how to deal with a disclosure of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, overdosing or eating disorders. The DSL should be informed.
  22. Report instances of actual or suspected child abuse or neglect to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, or in their absence, the Deputy, in line with the Child Protection Procedures and legal duty for reporting FGM as set out in this policy.
  23. Know what to do in the event of an allegation made against someone working with children. If such a disclosure is made, the tutor should report this to the DSL.
  24. Be alert to the signs of harm and abuse, including issues that can manifest themselves due to peer-on-peer abuse. This is most likely to include, but not limited to: bullying (including cyber bullying), gender-based violence/sexual assaults and sexting.
  25. Tutors should follow the Child Protection Procedures with regards to peer-on-peer abuse as outlined in this policy.
  26. Know the Designated Safeguarding Lead’s name and contact details including telephone numbers and email. Meditutor’s DSL is Dr Shane D’Souza and can be contacted via shane.dsouza@doctors.org.uk
  27. Be aware of the early help process. This includes identifying emerging problems, liaising with the DSL, sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment and, in some cases, acting as the lead professional in undertaking an early help assessment.

Meditutor will:

  1. Assess the impact of this policy in keeping children safe.
  2. Record all Online Lessons (aside from where any unforeseen malfunction of the recording equipment occurs) and store these recordings for a minimum of 28 days and a maximum of 1 year. These recordings remain the property of Meditutor. We may review any Online Lessons at any time for the purposes of improving our service or where a Complaint or Safeguarding Report has been made.
  3. Contribute any local, contextual information that may support children’s safety and welfare.
  4. Receive and consider regular reports from tutors about the effectiveness of safeguarding and child protection at the company
  5. Keep abreast of training to ensure that tutors have the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to keep all children safe.
  6. Encourage Students to leave a Review of Tutors they have Lessons with. “Review” means any review, comment or rating.
  7. Will take precautions we consider reasonable to protect Students’ and Tutors’ information.
  8. Will protect all data in accordance with all relevant legislation and our Privacy Policy.
  9. Will be able to monitor postings made on the Website and messages sent between Students and Tutors. Meditutor do so in the hope of helping Students and Tutors meet, but also to stop misuse of the Website and to ensure we safeguard all users.
  10. Will deal with reports of possible illegal activity promptly, focusing on the safety and wellbeing of Users. Meditutor will allow access to UK law enforcement of any recording where a criminal offence may have occurred in relation to a specific Lesson.
  11. Child Protection Procedures
  12. Tutors will follow the necessary child protection procedures if an incident occurs. They will be made aware that:
  13. Where a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, a referral should be made to the DSL immediately.
  14. Anyone can make a referral.
  15. Tutors should not assume that somebody else will take action/share information that might be critical in keeping children safe.
  16. Where referrals are not made by the DSL, the DSL should be informed, as soon as possible, that a referral has been made.
  17. The reporting of concerns relating to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is mandatory.
  18. The DSL or deputy DSL will always be available to discuss safeguarding concerns.
  19. When a tutor suspects that any student may have been subject to abuse, or a student has suggested that abuse has taken place either to themselves or another student, the allegation must be reported immediately to the DSL.
  20. The DSL will ensure the allegation is acted on within the same day. It is best practice to ensure that all colleagues who are involved in the allegation are informed of the outcome, so there is closure or continual vigilance as necessary.

Allegations Against Meditutor Tutors

  1. All allegations of abuse made against tutors must be brought to the attention of the Meditutor administration team immediately.
  2. The Meditutor Administrators will act in a coordinating role.
  3. When required, Meditutor will share this data with the relevant United Kingdom Law Enforcement where it is reported a criminal offence could have occurred related to a particular tutoring lesson.
  4. Meditutor reserves the right to make a final decision on action taken for minor breaches of our Safeguarding Policy.

Communication between Tutors and Students

  1. All communication between tutor and student must take place on the Meditutor WhatsApp group or in emails with the Meditutor team CC’d in. There must be no outside communication as this breaches Meditutor code of conduct.
  2. Compliance
  3. All tutors and students using Meditutor’s serices have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy.
  4. Any tutor who is reported for a breach of the Safeguarding Policy will be suspended from Meditutor tutoring effective immediately. The final decision for a minor breach will be the responsibility of Meditutor.
  5. Any tutor reported for illegal activity whilst using Meditutor services will be reported to police and appropriate authorities including the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and any other professional body if necessary. This also includes tutoring students independently outside of Meditutor contracted hours and sharing of materials without notifying Meditutor.

Review

The Meditutor Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed constantly in order to maintain its adequacy to meet current Safeguarding Standards. This policy was last reviewed on 29th September 2022