Child Safety Policy
How we protect children and young people on TutorStudio.
1. Our commitment
TutorStudio is built for education. Every feature that touches a child or young person (anyone under 18) is designed with their safety first. We follow Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE 2025), the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education, and we align with the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC).
This policy applies to everyone who uses TutorStudio — tutors, parents, students, and agencies. If you work with children through our platform, you must read and follow this policy.
2. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead
We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who is responsible for child protection across the platform. The DSL:
- Receives and triages all safeguarding concerns reported through TutorStudio
- Escalates to local authority children's services, the police, or other agencies when required
- Keeps a secure record of every concern, action taken, and outcome
- Reviews safeguarding practices at least once a year to ensure they remain aligned with KCSIE
- Is available during platform operating hours and has a deputy for out-of-hours cover
Contact the DSL: safeguarding@tutorstudio.io
For more detail on the DSL pathway, see our Safeguarding page.
3. How to report a concern
If you are worried about a child's safety — whether on or off the platform — you should report it. You do not need proof. You do not need to investigate. Just tell us.
3.1 Through TutorStudio
- Use the "Report a concern" button, available on every lesson page, profile page, and message thread
- The form is sent directly to the DSL. It is not visible to the person you are reporting about
- You will receive an acknowledgement within 24 hours
3.2 By email
Email safeguarding@tutorstudio.io with as much detail as you can. Include the child's name (or username), the tutor or other person involved, and what happened.
3.3 In an emergency
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 first. Then tell us afterwards so we can take platform action.
3.4 Other reporting routes
- NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 or nspcc.org.uk
- Childline: 0800 1111 (free, confidential, for children and young people)
- Local authority: Contact your local children's services team
- Police: 101 for non-emergency concerns, 999 for emergencies
4. KCSIE 2025 alignment
Our safeguarding framework is built around the five key themes of KCSIE 2025:
4.1 Safer recruitment
Every tutor on TutorStudio who works with under-18s must complete identity verification, provide evidence of an Enhanced DBS check, and acknowledge our Safeguarding Policy before they can accept bookings with young people.
4.2 Recognising abuse and neglect
We provide safeguarding training resources to all tutors. Our platform includes guidance on recognising the signs of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, and online exploitation.
4.3 Managing concerns
All concerns are logged in a secure safeguarding record. The DSL assesses every report, determines the appropriate response, and refers to external agencies when the threshold is met. We follow the "report, don't investigate" principle: our role is to pass concerns to the right authority, not to conduct inquiries ourselves.
4.4 Online safety
TutorStudio is an online platform, so online safety is built into every feature:
- Messaging between tutors and under-18 students is monitored and logged
- All sessions with under-18 students can be reviewed by the DSL if a concern is raised
- Student profiles for under-18s are never publicly visible
- AI features are off by default for under-18s and require parental consent
- Session recording is off by default for under-18s
4.5 Working with parents and carers
Parents and guardians have full visibility of their child's activity on TutorStudio — bookings, lesson notes, and progress. Parents control consent settings for AI features, recording, and data sharing. We communicate with parents promptly when a safeguarding concern involves their child, unless doing so would put the child at greater risk.
5. Platform safeguards
- Age verification:All users declare their date of birth at registration. Under-13s cannot create accounts. 13–17-year-olds require a linked parent account.
- Default settings: For under-18 users, engagement loops, public profiles, and behavioural nudges are off by default (AADC Standard 6).
- Data minimisation: We collect only the data necessary for education. We do not profile children for marketing or advertising.
- Retention: Safeguarding records are kept for 7 years from the child's 18th birthday, in line with statutory retention guidance. Session data is kept for 30 days unless a safeguarding hold applies.
- Access controls: Only the DSL and authorised safeguarding staff can access safeguarding records. Tutors see only the information needed to deliver their lessons.
6. Tutor obligations
Every tutor who works with under-18s on TutorStudio agrees to:
- Read and follow this Child Safety Policy
- Complete safeguarding awareness training before their first lesson with a young person
- Report any concern about a child's welfare immediately using the platform's reporting tools
- Never contact an under-18 student outside TutorStudio
- Never share a young person's personal information with anyone not authorised to receive it
- Cooperate with any safeguarding investigation
Failure to meet these obligations may result in immediate account suspension and, where appropriate, referral to the DBS or police.
7. Review and updates
This policy is reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a change in legislation, a serious safeguarding incident, or updated guidance from the DfE or ICO. The next scheduled review is May 2027.
Last updated: May 2026
This policy does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions, contact safeguarding@tutorstudio.io.