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The Designated Safeguarding Lead pathway is the canonical escalation backbone for any concern about a child on TutorStudio. This page explains who the DSL is, how to reach them, what to do out of hours, and how the four-tier pathway resolves.
Designation in progress
TutorStudio is pre-launch. The named Designated Safeguarding Lead is being appointed ahead of the first under-18 tenant going live. Concerns reach the safeguarding inbox below and are read within working hours. If a child is at immediate risk, use the crisis routes further down this page rather than waiting for an inbox reply.
Every concern resolves through one or more of the four tiers below. Where a tier is unavailable for any reason, the case escalates up to Tier 1 within the standard SLA.
| Tier | Authority | Routes to | First-triage SLA | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | TutorStudio Safeguarding Team | All concerns — default destination. | Five minutes for a general concern; one minute for a crisis case. | 24/7 with a documented out-of-hours redirect to Childline, Samaritans and 999. |
| Tier 2 | Agency Designated Safeguarding Lead | Where the engagement is delivered through an agency that holds DSL responsibility. | Fifteen minutes during working hours; four hours out-of-hours. | Working hours with a named deputy; out-of-hours bridges to Tier 1. |
| Tier 3 | School Designated Safeguarding Lead | Where the engagement is school-commissioned and the school holds the institutional DSL. | Four hours during institutional hours; twenty-four hours otherwise. Joint-DSL pattern with Tier 1 and Tier 2. | Institutional hours per the school's published safeguarding policy. |
| Tier 4 | Statutory agencies — LADO, LA, Police, NHS | Allegations against staff, mandatory reporting duties, and crisis cases at the relevant statutory threshold. | Statutory windows under KCSIE Part 4 and Working Together 2023. | Always-on at the statute layer. |
If a child is at acute risk, use the routes below directly. Do not wait for an inbox reply. These numbers, hours and routes are reviewed for currency every quarter; a stale entry is treated as a priority bug.
24/7
Emergency services
999
Use 999 when someone's life is in immediate danger, when there is a risk of serious harm, or when a crime is in progress.
24/7
Childline
0800 1111
Free, confidential support for anyone up to age nineteen. Calls do not appear on the phone bill.
24/7
Samaritans
116 123
Anyone who needs to talk, any time, free from any phone. Email also available via samaritans.org.
24/7
Shout
Text SHOUT to 85258
Free text-based support for anyone in crisis in the UK.
24/7
Papyrus HOPELINE247
0800 068 4141
For under-35s experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned about a young person.
24/7
NHS 111
111 (option 2)
Urgent mental-health support via NHS; option 2 routes to the mental-health pathway.
If you have a concern about a child on TutorStudio, the reporting form is the structured route. If you are a commissioning school or agency reviewing the safeguarding posture, the policy carries the published rules and the trust page carries the procurement evidence.