Policies
The things I put in writing
Parents are welcome to read any of these at any time, and to ask about anything that isn't clear. If you'd prefer a copy by email or on paper, just ask.
1. Safeguarding & Child Protection
Policy statement
[Business name] is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child and young person it works with. Every child has an equal right to protection, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial or cultural background, religious belief, or sexual orientation. This matters particularly where a child's additional needs may make it harder for them to recognise or report abuse.
Roles and responsibilities
As a sole trader working alone, Henrietta Terry is the Designated Safeguarding Lead, responsible for:
- Holding a current Enhanced DBS certificate including the Children's Barred List check, kept current via the DBS Update Service.
- Completing safeguarding training and refreshing it at least every two years.
- Recognising signs of abuse or neglect, and knowing the correct reporting route.
- Keeping accurate, factual, dated records of any concerns.
Recognising a concern
Possible signs include unexplained injuries, a marked change in behaviour or mood, comments made by a child, neglect of basic needs, or a direct disclosure. With autistic, dyslexic or ADHD learners some of these can overlap with the child's usual presentation — so what matters is a change from their own baseline, not comparison with other children.
What happens if a concern arises
- Stay calm. Listen without interrupting, promising secrecy, or asking leading questions.
- Reassure the child they were right to speak up, without making promises that can't be kept.
- Write down what was said as soon as possible afterwards, in the child's own words, with date, time and who was present.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
- Otherwise contact Stockport's multi-agency safeguarding team, or the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.
- Store the record securely and confidentially. The concern is not discussed with anyone other than the relevant safeguarding authority.
Safer working practice
- Sessions take place only in agreed, appropriate locations.
- A responsible adult is present in the home, or reachable, during every session with a child under 18.
- Physical contact is kept to the minimum necessary and only ever appropriate to the teaching task.
- No photographs or recordings of a child are taken or shared without specific written parental consent.
- Online sessions run through a professional platform, never a personal social media account.
Confidentiality
Information about a child is shared only with those who need to know. A safeguarding concern is the one exception to normal confidentiality: it will always be reported, even without parental consent, if a child is believed to be at risk.
2. Health & Safety
Statement of intent
[Business name] is committed to providing a safe environment for every session, whether at [business name]'s premises, a client's home, or out in the community. This policy is reviewed annually or after any incident.
General precautions
- The teaching space is checked before each new client starts: clear exits, no trip hazards, safe sockets, adequate lighting and ventilation.
- A basic first aid kit is kept on site, or carried on visits.
- Emergency contact details are collected for every child before the first session.
- Any allergy, medical condition or medication need is recorded and reviewed with the parent beforehand.
Fire safety
- Exits are known and kept clear; a working smoke alarm is fitted in or near the teaching room.
- In the event of a fire the session stops immediately, the child is escorted to the nearest safe exit, and the parent and emergency services are contacted.
Sessions out in the community
Because sessions may involve shops, public transport, cafés or other public places, each activity is risk-assessed before it happens:
- The activity, route and duration are agreed with the parent in advance.
- Foreseeable risks are identified — traffic, crowds, noise, becoming separated — with an agreed plan for each.
- An agreed meeting point and a plan for what happens if the child becomes distressed or wants to stop.
- A charged mobile phone is carried at all times, with the parent reachable throughout.
- No child is transported by car unless separately agreed in writing with the parent, with appropriate insurance in place.
- Sessions stop the moment a child indicates they want to stop. There is no such thing as a failed attempt.
Sessions in a client's home
- A brief visual check of the teaching area at the start of each visit — trip hazards, exits, any pets needing to be secured.
- Lone-working arrangements as set out in the Code of Conduct.
SEN-specific considerations
- Sensory needs: awareness of lighting, noise or texture sensitivities that could cause distress, agreed with the parent in advance.
- De-escalation: a calm, low-arousal approach if a child becomes distressed or dysregulated. Sessions are paused, not pushed through.
- Behaviour plan: for any child with a known history of behaviour that may challenge, a simple agreed plan is in place before sessions start.
Accidents and incidents
Any accident, injury or significant incident is recorded with date, time, what happened and action taken, and the parent is informed the same day.
3. Data Protection (GDPR)
Policy statement
[Business name] complies with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as a data controller, registration number [ICO reference].
What is collected, and why
| Data | Purpose | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Child's name, age, school year | Planning and delivering appropriate tuition | Contract / legitimate interest |
| Parent or carer contact details | Booking, communication, emergencies | Contract |
| SEN diagnosis, EHCP details, medical or behavioural information | Adapting teaching safely and appropriately | Explicit consent (special category data) |
| Session notes and progress records | Tracking learning and reporting back to parents | Contract / legitimate interest |
| Payment records | Invoicing and accounts | Contract / legal obligation |
Information about a child's diagnosis or additional needs is special category data under UK GDPR and needs an extra layer of care. It is collected only with the parent's clear, informed consent, and never used beyond planning and delivering tuition.
How data is stored
- Digital records are held in password-protected accounts.
- Paper records, if any, are kept in a locked location and not left on view.
- Data is not shared with any third party without consent, except where the law requires it, or where a school or local authority needs progress information as part of an EHCP with the parent's agreement.
How long data is kept
- Session and progress records: duration of tuition plus 12 months, then deleted.
- Financial records: six years, in line with HMRC requirements.
- Safeguarding records: held securely for longer under statutory safeguarding retention guidance, separately from general session notes.
Your rights
Parents and carers can at any time ask what data is held, ask for it to be corrected, ask for it to be deleted subject to legal retention requirements, or withdraw consent for use of special category data — which may mean tuition can no longer safely continue.
Data breaches
If a breach occurs, affected families are informed as soon as possible, and where the breach is likely to be high risk it is reported to the ICO within 72 hours.
4. Code of Conduct & Lone Working
Professional standards
- Sessions are conducted respectfully, with clear boundaries appropriate to working with children.
- Communication with a child always goes through the parent or carer, never privately.
- Personal social media accounts are kept entirely separate from the business.
- Punctuality, preparation and clear communication with parents are treated as core standards.
Lone working
As a sole trader working alone in other people's homes and out in the community, a simple check-in system applies to every visit:
- Before the session, a trusted contact is sent the location and the expected start and end time.
- After the session, the same contact is messaged to confirm it has ended safely.
- If they don't hear back within [30] minutes of the expected end time, they call to check, and escalate if there's no answer.
- A charged mobile phone is accessible throughout every session.
- A responsible adult is present in the home, or immediately reachable, for the full duration of every session with a child.
Physical contact and behaviour
- Physical contact is limited to what is necessary for the teaching task, and is always proportionate.
- Physical restraint is never used. If a child becomes distressed, the session is paused and the parent involved if needed.
- Any contact beyond minimal teaching guidance is recorded with the reason, and the parent informed.
Gifts and boundaries
Small token gifts such as a card may be accepted; anything beyond that is politely declined. Tutoring relationships stay professional — no socialising with a child outside agreed sessions, and no lending or borrowing of money.
5. Cancellation Policy
Purpose
This sets out what happens when a session needs to be cancelled or rearranged, so that both sides know what to expect.
Cancellations by the parent or carer
| Notice given | Outcome |
|---|---|
| [48] hours or more before the session | No charge. Rearranged subject to availability. |
| Less than [48] hours' notice | Full session fee charged, as the time has been reserved and can't usually be filled at short notice. |
| Child unwell, same day | Charged at [50]% of the session fee, at discretion — illness is treated more leniently than a change of plan. |
| No-show, no notice given | Full session fee charged. |
Cancellations by [business name]
- Families are notified as early as possible and no charge is made.
- Wherever possible a replacement session is offered at the next available slot.
Persistent late cancellation
Where a family cancels at short notice regularly, the arrangement may be reviewed. This could include payment in advance or, in ongoing cases, ending the arrangement with reasonable notice.
Holidays and planned breaks
Session dates follow the school term calendar by default, roughly 38 to 39 teaching weeks a year. Planned absences should be flagged as early as possible so the slot can be offered to another family.
Termly blocks and EHCP-funded sessions
Where sessions are paid for as a block of ten, the same notice periods apply. A session cancelled with less than [48] hours' notice is counted as used. Persistently unused sessions within a funded block may affect future funding arrangements, so prompt notice matters especially here.
Payment
Cancellation fees are invoiced through the same process as regular sessions and are due under the same terms.
6. Fees & Expenses
Why this policy exists
Because a good deal of the learning happens in shops, cafés and on public transport, small amounts of money get spent during sessions. This sets out clearly who pays for what, so nobody is left guessing and no one ends up quietly out of pocket.
Money spent by your child
Anything bought during a session — a drink, a snack, a newspaper, a bus or tram fare, a small item being practised with — is paid for by your child, from money you send with them.
This is deliberate, and it isn't only about cost. Handling their own money is one of the main things we are practising: counting it out, deciding what they can afford, speaking to the person at the till, checking the change, putting the receipt away. If I paid, your child would be watching a demonstration rather than doing the thing themselves.
- A small agreed amount per session, around [£5], in a purse or wallet your child manages themselves.
- Unspent money goes home with them. I don't hold or carry your child's money between sessions.
- We'll agree in advance if a particular session needs more than usual — a first solo trip to buy something specific, for example.
- If your child forgets their money, I'll cover anything small so the session isn't wasted, and add it to your next invoice at cost with no fee on top.
Costs I cover myself
- My own travel to and from sessions within [Marple, Romiley and surrounding areas].
- My own refreshments, fares and any other personal costs while working.
- Teaching materials, resources and printing.
- Insurance, DBS checks, training and all other costs of running the business.
Costs agreed in advance
Occasionally an activity carries a cost beyond the everyday — an entry fee, a longer journey, a specific resource bought for your child to keep. Nothing of this kind is spent without agreeing it with you first, and it is invoiced at cost.
Records
Any expense added to an invoice is itemised, with the date and what it was for. Receipts are available on request. Where sessions are funded through an EHCP personal budget, expenses are itemised separately so the local authority can see exactly what has been spent.
A note on affordability
If sending money each session is difficult, please say so. A great deal of this work can be practised without spending anything — window shopping, planning a journey, rehearsing what to say — and no child will miss out on support because of it.