Safeguarding Policy
Online Safety
Online Safety
1. We take online safety seriously
1.1 Plytime is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding and our safeguarding policy and procedures have been created to help provide a safe educational environment for our users.
1.2 All Tutors must provide evidence of a recent enhanced DBS Check to join the Plytime Tutor community. Without this they cannot register or conduct Focus 15® sessions.
1.3 All communication between Tutors and Students will take place via Tutor-Student Messages (Messages) or online Tutor sessions and personal information must not be exchanged at any time in order to ensure that Student and Tutor details remain private.
1.4 Our terms and conditions do not allow any contact between Tutors and Students outside of the website.
1.5 All sessions are recorded and available for monitoring.
1.6 You can visit the CEOP Safety Centre for information and advice and make a report directly to CEOP.
CEOP helps any child or young person under the age of 18 who is being pressured, forced or tricked into taking part in sexual activity of any kind.
Safeguarding Policy
1. Introduction
The purpose of this policy statement is:
- to protect Students and other Users of Plytime’s services from harm.
- to provide staff members, students, parents or guardians, tutors or any other person associated with Plytime, with the overarching principles and specific measures that guide our approach to child protection.
- to provide staff members, students, parents or guardians, tutors or any other person associated with Plytime, with a framework so they can safely adhere to child safeguarding standards and UK law.
Plytime Learning is committed to ensuring the highest possible standard of safeguarding for any Users of the site. The safety and welfare of each Student and Tutor is of paramount importance to Plytime Learning.
This policy statement applies to anyone working on behalf of Plytime.
2. Legal framework
2.1 This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in the UK, namely:
- The Children Act 1989 (as amended)
- The Children and Social Work Act 2017
- GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Working together to safeguard children 2018
- Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023
2.2 This safeguarding policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions
3. Core Beliefs
3.1 We believe that:
3.1.1 Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind;
3.1.2 We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.
3.2 We recognise that:
3.2.1 The welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
3.2.2 Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues;
3.2.3 Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
3.3 We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
3.3.1 valuing, listening to and respecting them;
3.3.2 adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
3.3.3 developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures including designing our online classroom with safeguarding front of mind;
3.3.4 providing effective supervision and training for staff members, tutors or any other person associated with PLYTIME to ensure they know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
3.3.5 recruiting and selecting tutors with an enhanced DBS
3.3.6 recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance
3.3.7 sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families
3.3.8 making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
3.3.9 using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving staff members, students, parents or guardians, tutors or any other person associated with Plytime, appropriately
3.3.10 using our procedures to manage any allegations or complaints appropriately
3.3.11 creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
3.3.12 ensuring that we have effective complaints procedures in place
3.3.13 building a safeguarding culture where staff members, students, parents or guardians, tutors or any other person associated with Plytime, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.
3.3.14 implementing a code of conduct for staff and tutors;
3.4 Plytime Specific Safeguards
Alongside adhering to best practice safeguarding measures, Plytime will provide additional built-in safeguards compared to many teaching, and organisations working with children:
3.4.1 Tutors never physically meet up with the Students:
3.4.2 our tutoring takes place online with Tutors being based remotely.
3.4.3 Tutors will not initiate first contact with a Student but will be allocated automatically by Plytime
3.4.4 Tutors are only provided with the Student’s first name and are not given access to any of the Student’s private information: email, phone/mobile number, social media profile, etc; (All data held by Plytime Learning is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998)
3.4.5 Students will attend online Focus 15® sessions at the specified day and time and a parent or guardian may also attend these sessions if they wish. Sessions will be recorded and will be available for review or to be used as part of an investigation for at least 14 days after the session
3.4.6 Plytime will allow UK law enforcement access to these recording if any report is made concerning a criminal offence or if Plytime deems it necessary
3.4.7 Apart from Focus 15® tutor sessions, the only way Students and Tutors can interact on Plytime is through Messages. All parents, and teachers where the tuition was initiated by the teacher, have full access to Messages and they are also saved and monitored by Plytime Staff
3.4.8 All Tutors are known only by their first names and no other personal details will be shared with the Student. The first name of the designated Tutor will be shared with the parent prior to the Focus 15®.
3.4.9 All Tutors will have an enhanced DBS and will provide a recent photograph as part of their account set up which will be used to cross check with recorded Focus 15® sessions.
3.4.10 These recordings remain the property of Plytime Learning
3.4.11 Plytime may review these recordings at any time providing additional monitoring
3.4.12 Plytime will allow UK law enforcement access to these recording if any report is made concerning a criminal offence or if Plytime deems it necessary
3.4.13 We recognise that these additional safeguards do not mean that Plytime can ignore or be complacent about other elements of safeguarding best practice. The rest of this document highlights these other elements of safeguarding best practice.
4. Plytime Commitment to best practice safeguarding measures
4.1 Safer Recruitment and Tutor Approval
4.1.1 We commit to check that every Plytime tutor has no criminal record (using an enhanced DBS check), has been interviewed and trained and is deemed suitable for working with children, has the necessary qualifications, and is entitled to work in the country. All Tutors will provide photo ID which will be checked and approved during the interview and then held on record and may be used during Focus 15®’s to prove their identity
4.2 Safer Training
4.2.1 We commit that every Plytime Tutor should have an induction including safeguarding training, tailored to people providing online tuition.
4.2.2 The tutor training will include the following learning outcomes:
- Identify what is meant by safeguarding and child protection
- Understand the importance of following the tutor rules during a Focus 15®
- Know how to respond appropriately to concerns about the safety and welfare of children
- Identify the correct procedures for reporting a concern and know who to report to and how
- Understand that safeguarding children is the responsibility of all people working in an education setting
4.2.3 We are committed to regular child protection training for all Plytime staff and have a regular feedback process to allow for opportunities to reflect on practice.
4.3 Accessibility of information
4.3.1 We are committed to making our safeguarding information easily accessible to Tutors, Students, parents and staff. We will host our latest safeguarding policies and procedures via the footer on our website (https://plytime.com)
4.4 Making everyone feel comfortable to raise concerns about safeguarding
4.4.1 We are committed to creating an open and supportive working environment where employees feel able to speak up about any suspected wrongdoing. This is reinforced in staff training and by our Malpractice and Whistleblowing Policy.
4.5 Commitment to regularly review safeguarding measures.
4.5.1 We align with government guidance and regulation on safeguarding and child protection. We will also work with third parties such as the NCA CEOP and the NSPCC who work extensively with children and young people and make sure to include their views in their guidance documents such as the checklist we have aligned our safeguarding policy with. Our policies and procedures are checked and updated regularly and will take into account new guidance, regulation or legislation that is coming into force for the new academic year.
4.6 Commitment to the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. Whilst we recognise that some elements of this guidance are less relevant to online tutoring than others, or would be extremely difficult to identify during an online tutoring session, the guidance is designed to highlight and identify potential risks. Should any member of staff or a tutor have concerns about any child or user of the platform they should notify the Safeguarding Lead at the earliest opportunity.
4.6.1. Staff and tutors should be particularly alert to the potential need for early help for any child who:
- is disabled or has certain health conditions and has specific additional needs
- has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory Education, Health and Care Plan)
- has a mental health need
- is a young carer
- is showing signs of being drawn in to anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups or county lines
- is frequently missing/goes missing from care or from home
- is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking, sexual or criminal exploitation
- is at risk of being radicalised or exploited
- has a family member in prison, or is affected by parental offending
- is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as drug and alcohol misuse, adult mental health issues and domestic abuse
- is misusing alcohol and other drugs themselves
- has returned home to their family from care
- is at risk of ‘honour’-based abuse such as Female Genital Mutilation or Forced Marriage
- is a privately fostered child, or
- is persistently absent from education, including persistent absences for part of the school day.
- is showing changes in mood or behaviour, self-harm or signs of assault or unexplained injuries
4.6.2 All staff and tutors should be aware of the indicators of abuse and neglect and understand that children can be at risk of harm in a variety of situations and settings, inside or outside the home, inside or outside school and online or via technology. Indicators of abuse and neglect include:
- Maltreatment or neglect by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm as the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others (e.g. witnessing domestic abuse).
- Physical abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
- Emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development, be they making them feel worthless or placing them in situations beyond a child’s capability.
- Sexual abuse by forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities that may be physical or non-contact or visual.
4.6.3 All staff and tutors should be aware of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm such as:
- Child-on-child abuse which may include bullying, including cyberbullying, relationship abuse, physical abuse, sexual abused or harassment,
- Child Criminal Exploitation which can include children being forced or manipulated into illegal activities such as transporting drugs, shoplifting, car crime or pickpocketing.
- Child Sexual Exploitation which may force or entice a child or young person to take part in sexual activities that may be physical or non-contact or visual.
- Domestic abuse which may be psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional and when witnessed by a child can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.
- Honour-based abuse such as Female Genital Mutilation or forced marriages where undue pressure is exerted by family members
- Mental Health issues which in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation.
- Serious violent crime which may become apparent through changes in mood or behaviour, self-harm or signs of assault or unexplained injuries
- Child abduction which may be committed by parents or other family members or by people known or by strangers.
- Cybercrime whether they are the victim or the perpetrator
- Homelessness or the risk of becoming homeless
- Preventing radicalisation and terrorism where children may be exposed to extremist ideology d by family members, friends or over the internet
4.7. Commitment to filtering and monitoring standards as defined by the Department of Education. Co-founder and Deputy Safeguarding Lead, Ian McCartney, will be responsible for ensuring all content is appropriate and monitored regularly. Working together with the Head of Development, to also ensure that systems are regularly monitored for any cyber threats such as malware and viruses (but as nothing is downloaded from the platform, risks are limited for connected devices) as part of the Plytime Cybersecurity Policy.
5. Roles and Responsibilities
5.1 The Clauses below together with the Safeguarding Procedures set out the roles, responsibilities and recommended procedures which should be followed. It is always the responsibility of the person alerted to the incident to take some action to protect the student or other person. Plytime will not be responsible for any non-compliance with the recommended procedure.
5.2 Plytime Learning key safeguarding contacts: Designated Safeguarding Lead: Lisa McCartney co-founder / CFO, phone: 07553531399, email: contact@plytime.com. Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead Name: Ian McCartney co-founder/CEO, phone: 07553 531399, email: contact@plytime.com
6. Tutor Roles and Responsibilities
6.1 The Tutor shall ensure they do not display any inappropriate images that a student is capable of viewing when conducting a Focus 15® session
6.2 The Tutor shall treat students fairly without discrimination or prejudice. The Tutor will not discriminate against students who are disabled, come from a minority ethnic or cultural group/background
6.3 The Tutor shall use appropriate language that is not offensive or discriminatory
6.4 The Tutor shall ensure that the only contact with their Student is confined to Plytime Tutor/Student Messages or their Focus 15® sessions
6.5 The Tutor shall ensure that no improper suggestions or unsolicited communications are made towards any Student
6.6 The Tutor shall ensure that they report any inappropriate behaviour, language or situations that occur during Focus 15® sessions
6.7 The Tutor shall ensure that the student is comfortable continuing the Focus 15® session if no parent or guardian is present
6.8 The Tutor shall be aware that Focus 15® sessions are recorded and any communications through Plytime is monitored
6.9 The Tutor shall ensure that sessions are conducted in an appropriate environment free from distractions and disturbances
6.10 The Tutor shall ensure that all non-session related windows are closed before the session takes place and their screen is shared
6.11 Tutors are solely responsible for any material they post on the Website, including messages sent and all external material used during sessions, and they must not post defamatory, offensive or illegal material.
6.12 Tutors shall not exchange any personal details with Students at any time such as, but not limited to, surname, address, emails, telephone numbers, social media accounts. Similarly Students shall not exchange any personal details with Tutors and if they attempt to do so it is the Tutor’s responsibility to report the incident to Plytime as soon as practically possible.
6.13 Tutors are responsible for maintaining a valid Enhanced DBS Check. DBS checks must have been awarded within 3 years of the date on which a Tutor creates an account on the Website, and within 3 years at any point in time thereafter.
6.14 Tutors agree to inform Plytime within 24 hours if they are subsequently investigated by any agency or organisation in relation to concerns about behaviour towards children or young people
6.15 Tutors are not employees of Plytime and are solely responsible for their own actions both on and off the Website
6.16 Tutors must report any Complaints or Safeguarding concerns in line with our terms and conditions and our Procedures
7. Student Roles and Responsibilities
7.1 Students may register with Plytime Learning, but they will not be able to start using the services provided until they have registered a parent/guardian who is over the age of 18 and can agree to hold the legal relationship with the company.
7.2 The Student shall treat their tutor fairly and with respect
7.3 The Student shall not subject their tutor to abusive behaviour or language
7.4 The Student shall make no effort to engage in unsolicited or inappropriate communications with the tutor outside of the Focus 15® session
7.5 The Student shall report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a tutor within a Focus 15® session
7.6 The Student shall be aware that Focus 15® sessions are recorded and any communications through Plytime is monitored
7.7 Students shall not exchange any personal details with Tutors at any time such as, but not limited to, surname, address, emails, telephone numbers, social media accounts. Similarly Tutors shall not exchange any personal details with Students and if they attempt to do so the Student should report the incident to Plytime as soon as practically possible.
7.8 Students must report any Complaint in line with our terms and conditions and our Procedures
8. Parent Roles and Responsibilities
8.1 The parent/guardian shall ensure that the student is fully aware of Plytime Learning’s Safeguarding Policy
8.2 The parent/guardian shall ensure that the Student is fully aware of how to report any issues they may have
8.3 The parent/guardian shall always be responsible for the welfare of the Student during a Focus 15® session
8.4 The parent/guardian shall if they consider it appropriate, be present during a Focus 15® session to ensure the Tutor and Student are interacting in a suitable manner.
8.5 The parent/guardian shall ensure that Tutors are treated with respect and fairness by the Student and not subjected to any form of abusive behaviour
8.6 The parent/guardian shall ensure that no improper suggestion are made by the Student or Tutor during a Focus 15® session
8.7 The parent/guardian shall ensure that no inappropriate/unsolicited communications take place between the tutor and student outside of the Focus 15® session or Plytime’s Tutor/Student Messages
8.8 The parent/guardian shall report any inappropriate behaviour or illegal activity by a Tutor to Plytime as soon as practically possible
8.9 The parent/guardian shall be aware that Focus 15® sessions are recorded and any communications through Plytime is monitored
8.10 The parent/guardian must report any Complaint in line with our terms and conditions and our Procedures
9. Compliance
9.1 All persons using Plytime Learning’s services have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy and procedures.
9.2 Any reports that a Tutor has breached the terms of their contract or the Safeguarding Policy will be immediately suspended whilst the claim is investigated.
9.3 Any person reported for illegal activity whilst engaged with Plytime may be barred from the service and reported to the police and any other relevant organisations.
9.4 Plytime reserves the right to make a final decision on action taken for minor breaches of our Safeguarding Policy.
10. Review
10.1 Plytime Learning’s Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis, at least once per year, to ensure it is adequate and relevant in relation to standard national safeguarding procedures.
10.2 This policy was last updated September 2023.
10.3 This Policy will next be reviewed in full in September 2024
Safeguarding Procedures
The procedures are not an exhaustive list; therefore if an incident occurs that is not covered in this document you are advised to contact Plytime, or your local authority designated officer, or the police if you believe that it may be a criminal matter
1. Introduction
1.1 These procedures should be read in conjunction with the Terms and Conditions and the Safeguarding Policy
1.2 The safety and wellbeing of any Plytime User is paramount. These procedures aim to ensure a prompt response to any incident and to minimise any further harm to a student, tutor or other person.
1.3 Each section below sets out the recommended procedure which should be followed. It is always the responsibility of the person alerted to the incident to take some action to protect the student, tutor or other person. Plytime will not be responsible for any non-compliance with the recommended procedure.
1.4 For the avoidance of doubt where the procedure asks for the matter to be reported to Plytime, the user may use the contact details provided for the Designated Safeguard Lead above, or Deputy, especially if the matter is sensitive in any way, or contact@plytime.com.
1.4.1 Concerns raised should ideally be in writing and contain as much relevant information that would enable the matter to be investigated thoroughly
1.5 Should the situation require it, Plytime’s Designated Lead may raise the matter to or seek guidance from the Local Authority Designated Officer and agree a course of action. Details of such conversations and all actions agreed will be recorded.
2. Tutors
If a tutor sees/experiences:
2.1 Inappropriate language during tutoring sessions or in Tutor Student Messages
The Tutor will request, in a polite manner, that the Student or other persons using inappropriate language refrains from doing so. If the language occurs during a tutoring session the Tutor will explain that they will terminate the session and confirm details of the incident on the Messages. If the inappropriate language continues the Tutor will report the matter to Plytime for further investigation. Plytime will then decide on the appropriate action to take which may include allocating an alternative tutor or if the matter is considered serious enough, suspending the Student’s account
2.2 Inappropriate, threatening or bullying behaviour during tutoring sessions
The Tutor will request, in a polite manner, that the student or other persons involved in the inappropriate behaviour refrains from the behaviour during the session. If the behaviour continues the Tutor will explain that they will terminate the session and confirm details of the incident on the Messages. If inappropriate behaviour continues the tutor will report the behaviour to Plytime for further investigation. Plytime will then decide on the appropriate action to take which may include allocating an alternative tutor or if the matter is considered serious enough, suspending the Student’s account.
2.3 Inappropriate or abusive images
2.3.1 Any display of pornographic images whilst in the presence of a Student may constitute an offence under UK law. Any Tutor witnessing the display of pornographic images by or towards a student should explain that such behaviour is unacceptable, terminate the session and report the matter to Plytime who can ensure any recordings can be preserved and made available for any police investigation. The Tutor should have no further contact with the student or any other person involved in the incident.
2.3.2 This action should be taken so that the correct authorities can be alerted and can deal appropriately with the incident.
2.3.3 The display of any other images perceived to be inappropriate, either due to the age of the student or the content of the image shall be reported to Plytime at the discretion of the Tutor, or the parent/responsible adult.
2.4 Disclosure of/witness to abuse towards or in the presence of a student
2.4.1 Any physical or sexual abuse of a child is an offence under UK law. If a Tutor receives information about such abuse from the student or other person present they should reassure the person that they can get assistance for them. It is the responsibility of the Tutor to contact Plytime as soon as possible. Plytime will then contact the UK police and report what has been witnessed.
2.4.2 If the Tutor witnesses any such abuse first-hand they should immediately contact the police and report the incident. The Tutor should also inform Plytime of the incident to ensure any recordings can be preserved and made available for any police investigation. The tutor should have no further contact with the student or other person involved in the incident and future Focus 15® sessions should be cancelled.
2.5 Disclosure of inappropriate/sensitive information
2.5.1 During a Focus 15® session sensitive information may be offered by a student or other person present. If the information relates to any kind of abuse the Tutor should refer to ‘Disclosure of/witness to abuse towards or in the presence of a student’, above. The student or other person present should be discouraged from disclosing sensitive information by the Tutor. If the information continues to be shared the Tutor will determine the impact of the information and decide whether to continue or terminate the session and report the incident to Plytime.
2.5.2 Any information disclosed regarding the safety of a child should always be reported immediately to the UK police
2.7 Other risk factors as identified in Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance and in section 4.6 of the Policy.
2.7.1 If the Tutor has any concerns or witnesses anything that may demonstrate a risk, they should immediately contact the Plytime Safeguarding Lead
3. STUDENTS
If a student sees/experiences:
3.1 Inappropriate language during tutoring sessions or in Messages
3.1.1 The student will inform a parent/responsible adult of the Tutor using inappropriate language. The parent/responsible adult should ask the Tutor to refrain from using inappropriate language using Tutor Student Messages. If the language continues the parent/responsible adult should explain that they will terminate the session and will report the matter to Plytime, who will decide on any further use of the service by the Tutor. The student and parent/responsible adult should request an alternative Plytime Tutor for future sessions.
3.1.2 If a parent/responsible adult are not present or readily available the student should report the language as soon as possible to a parent/responsible adult who will take the decision to report the incident via Tutor/Student Messages and also via Plytime.
3.2 Inappropriate behaviour during tutoring sessions
3.2.1 The student will inform a parent/responsible adult of the Tutor using inappropriate behaviour. The parent/responsible adult should ask the Tutor to refrain from using inappropriate behaviour during the session using Tutor /Student Messages. If the behaviour continues the parent/responsible adult will explain that they will terminate the session due to the behaviour and will report the matter to Plytime who will decide on any further use of the service by Tutor. The student, parent/responsible adult should request an alternative Plytime Tutor for future sessions.
3.2.2 If a parent/responsible adult are not present or readily available the student should report the behaviour as soon as possible to a parent/responsible adult who will take a decision to report the incident via Tutor /Student Messages and also via Plytime.
3.2.3 If the behaviour is of a sexual nature towards a student by a Tutor, the student should immediately inform a parent/responsible adult and terminate the session. The parent/responsible adult should inform Plytime and the UK police immediately.
3.3 Inappropriate or abusive images
3.3.1 Any display of pornographic images whilst in the presence of a student may constitute an offence under UK law. Any student witnessing the display of pornographic images by a Tutor should explain that such behaviour is unacceptable, terminate the session and report this to a parent/responsible adult who should report the matter to Plytime who can ensure any recordings can be preserved and made available for any police investigation The student, parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the Tutor involved in the incident and should request an alternative Plytime Tutor for future sessions.
3.3.2 This action should be taken so that the correct authorities can be alerted and can deal appropriately with the incident.
3.3.3 The display of any other images perceived to be inappropriate either due to age of the student or content of the image shall be reported to Plytime at the discretion of the parent/responsible adult.
3.4 Disclosure of/witness to abuse
3.4.1 Any physical or sexual abuse of a person is an offence under UK law. If a student receives information about such abuse from the Tutor or other person present they should immediately inform a parent/responsible adult. It is the responsibility of the parent/responsible adult to contact Plytime as soon as possible. Plytime will then contact the UK police and report what was witnessed.
3.4.2 If the student witnesses any such abuse first-hand they should immediately contact a parent/responsible adult who should immediately inform the UK police. The parent/responsible adult should also inform Plytime of the incident to ensure that any recordings can be preserved and made available for any police investigation. The student, parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the Tutor involved in the incident and should request an alternative Plytime Tutor for future sessions.
3.4.3 This action should be taken so the correct authorities can be alerted and can deal appropriately with the incident.
3.5 Disclosure of inappropriate/sensitive information
3.5.1 During a Focus 15® session sensitive information may be offered by a Tutor (If the information relates to any kind of abuse the student should refer to ‘Disclosure of/Witness to abuse’). The Tutor should be discouraged from disclosing sensitive information by the student, parent/responsible adult using the Tutor /Student Messages. The parent/responsible adult will determine the impact of the information and decide whether to continue or terminate the session and report the incident to Plytime.
3.5.2 Any information disclosed regarding the safety of a child should always be immediately reported to the UK police.
3.5.3 Any Tutor reported by a parent/responsible adult will be suspended from the site until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority. The parent/responsible adult may be informed of the resolution if appropriate.
4. PARENTS/RESPONSIBLE ADULTS
4.1 As per the Safeguarding Policy, the parent/responsible adult has primary responsibility for the welfare and safety of the student during a Focus 15® session and should be present or available to deal with any concerns or incidents reported by the student.
4.2 It is also the duty of the parent/responsible adult to ensure the wellbeing of the child if they have been affected by anything said or done by the Tutor.
4.3 If a parent/responsible adult is alerted by the student to any inappropriate behaviour/language or information by the student or they witness any inappropriate behaviour/language or information by the Tutor, they should immediately speak to the Tutor and document it via Tutor/Student Messages, stating their concern and informing them that they are terminating the session. The incident should then be reported to Plytime to take appropriate action.
4.3.1 The parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the Tutor involved in the incident and should request an alternative Plytime Tutor for future sessions.
4.4 If a parent/responsible adult is alerted by the student to any inappropriate or abusive images or they witness any inappropriate or abusive images displayed by the Tutor, they should immediately speak to the Tutor, and document it via Tutor/Student Messages, stating their concern and informing them they are terminating the session. The parent/responsible adult should inform the UK police (if appropriate) and (in all cases) Plytime of the incident to ensure that any recordings can be preserved and made available to any police investigation.
4.4.1 The parent/responsible adult should have no further contact with the Tutor involved in the incident and should request an alternative Plytime Tutor for future sessions.
4.5 Any Tutor reported by a parent/responsible adult will be suspended from the site until the incident has been investigated by the appropriate authority. The parent/responsible adult will be informed of the resolution if appropriate.
5. Plytime Learning
Plytime Learning shall:
5.1 Ensure tutors are approved as per the Tutor Recruitment Policy, which will involve amongst other things video interviews, system training, safeguarding training, mock sessions, identity checks and an enhanced DBS check before they are permitted to join Plytime Learning.
5.2 Ensure that any dispute between persons using Plytime Learning’s services is handled efficiently, without any form of discrimination and in keeping with the Plytime Malpractice and Whistleblowing Policy.
5.3 Investigate and take action promptly against any reports of illegal activity as to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the tutor/student involved
5.4 Promptly contact the UK police or child protective services if necessary
5.5Regularly review the Safeguarding Policy, at least once per year, to ensure they are relevant and adequate to safeguard all parties using Plytime’s services