Safeguarding Policy

Designated Safeguarding Officer

• Name: Vidushika Yathunanthan
• Phone: 045 167 4642
• Email: info@digitmath.co.uk

DigitMath is fully committed to ensuring that all children are kept safe. The purpose of this safeguarding policy is to set out how every student, regardless of race, gender, age, religion, beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background, has a safe and positive experience with DigitMath.

1. Objective

This policy demonstrates how DigitMath’s safeguarding practices reflect our statutory responsibilities, government guidance, and best practice.

At DigitMath we believe and recognise that:

• Children should never experience any kind of abuse.
• We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of chrevious experiences, communication needs, their level of dependency, or other issues, and extra safeguards may need to be put in place.
• The welfare of children is paramount in the work we do and the decisions we make.
• We will work in partnership with children, young people, their families, carers, and relevant agencies to promote welfare.

DigitMath will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

• Respecting, valuing, and listening to children and young people.
• Building a safeguarding culture where students, parents, tutors, and staff feel safe sharing concerns.
• Maintaining clear, detailed, and up-to-date safeguarding and child protection procedures.
• Ensuring all tutors and staff understand and follow safeguarding procedures.
• Making sure students and families understand DigitMath’s safeguarding policies and what to do if they have concerns.
• Handling allegations and incidents according to safeguarding procedures.
• Reporting concerns and incidents to the relevant authorities where necessary.
• Following safer recruitment and appointment procedures for tutors and staff.
• Providing induction and ongoing safeguarding training.
• Promoting safer working practices for tutors, staff, and students.

2. Who is this Policy For?

This policy applies to all tutors, staff members, and anyone working on behalf of DigitMath in connection with tuition services.

3. Safeguarding Duty of Care

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is defined as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
• Ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

4. Safer Recruitment

DigitMath follows safer recruitment procedures in line with safeguarding legislation and professional standards.

5. Interview

All tutors must successfully complete a live online interview before being accepted to work with DigitMath.

6. ID Verification

Tutors are required to provide valid proof of identification during the live interview process. This is verified by the interviewer.

7. Criminal Background Checks

All tutors working with children must have a valid enhanced Criminal Background Check.

• Is an up-to-date Enhanced DBS Check
• Includes Children’s Barred List Information where applicable
• Is relevant to the tutor’s place of work and address history
• Meets legal safeguarding requirements in the tutor’s country of residence

DigitMath considers a criminal background check valid if it:

For tutors based outside the UK, equivalent police clearance certificates, criminal record extracts, or official background checks from the relevant country may be accepted where Enhanced DBS is not available.

All tutors must provide the original certificate or verified documentation before starting work with DigitMath.

DigitMath treats all applicants fairly and does not discriminate unfairly based on convictions or background disclosures. A disclosure is requested only where proportionate and relevant to the role. Tutors will not be permitted to work until all checks are completed and approved.

8. Reference Checks

Safeguarding training is part of tutor induction and is treated as an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time requirement.

All tutors must provide a minimum of two references before being accepted.

References must:

• Be addressed to DigitMath
• Be from previous employment, an academic source, or a recognised professional
• Confirm suitability to work with children
• Confirm employment or professional relationship details

Tutors without suitable references will not be permitted to teach through DigitMath.

9. Tutor Training

DigitMath believes safeguarding training is essential to maintaining a safe environment.

All tutors and staff receive safeguarding training to help them:

• Prevent abuse
• Recognise signs of abuse
• Record concerns appropriately
• Respond to allegations correctly
• Understand reporting procedures
• Know when information can be shared

Safeguarding training is part of tutor induction and is treated as an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time requirement.

Concern reports may be used as evidence in formal investigations, court proceedings, or safeguarding reviews.

DigitMath will deal with all safeguarding concerns promptly and, where necessary, report concerns to the relevant local authority, social care services, police, or Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

10. What to Do if You Have a Safeguarding Concern

Any safeguarding concern must be reported immediately to DigitMath’s Designated Safeguarding Lead.

All safeguarding concerns will be reviewed within 24 hours.

Reports should:

• Be clear, factual, and objective
• Include accurate details
• Be submitted as soon as possible

11. Disclosure

Once a concern has been raised, the safeguarding team will review the information and decide whether to:

• Keep detailed records with no further action at this stage
• Make a referral to Children’s Social Care
• Report concerns to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or equivalent authority

Where a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, a referral must be made immediately.

Telephone referrals will be followed up in writing within 24 hours.

12. Emergency Responses

If a child is believed to be at immediate risk of harm:

• The tutor must immediately contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead
• The DSL will contact emergency services or the relevant local safeguarding authority
• without delay

Where urgent action is needed, tutors may be required to contact emergency services directly.

13. DigitMath Tutors and Staff

All tutors and staff share responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

They must:

• Recognise safeguarding concerns
• Respond appropriately
• Report concerns immediately
• Keep accurate records
• Follow safeguarding procedures at all times

In emergencies, tutors and staff are expected to contact the relevant statutory agency directly.

14. Complaints

If a complaint raises a safeguarding concern, safeguarding procedures will take priority

• and be followed immediately.

15. Underpinning Legislation and Guidance

Legislation

• Children Act 1989
• Human Rights Act 1998
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003
• Children Act 2004
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Equality Act 2010
• Children and Families Act 2014
• Modern Slavery Act 2015
• Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015
• Children and Social Work Act 2017
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021

16. Guidance

• What to do if you’re worried a Child is being Abused (2015)
• Child Sexual Exploitation Guidance (2017)
• Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners (2018)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)
• Guidance for Safer Working Practice (2019)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE)
• Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Between Children in Schools and Colleges (2021)
• Children’s Code (UK GDPR)