I believe it is important that all adults who work with children have an up to date DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) certificate. I have held a DBS since 1993 when I got my first job working with children. I have a current DBS as of March 2025. Please feel free to ask for more details.

Athena’s Toolbox Guidance on Conduct and Behaviour – For Tutors 

(Content taken from KCSIE2023 & NSPCC WEBSITE) 

Tutors can become an important part of a child or young person’s life. Over a period of time tutors can build up a strong, trusting relationship with children and their families and play a key role in providing support.  

Tutors can have varied roles. They may:  

• work with small groups of children online, in schools or similar education setting  

• work on a one-to-one basis online, in schools or similar education setting  

• work in their own home online with children.

Like anyone who works with children, tutors have a responsibility to promote children’s wellbeing. It’s important they are able to recognise and respond appropriately to any concerns, and help keep children safe. It is also vital to make sure children and young people are safe during a tutoring session. This includes making sure all tutors and staff have undergone the necessary checks, and steps are taken to mitigate any risks during sessions.  

Tutors, parents and children need to be clear about professional boundaries and appropriate behaviour to avoid any potential misunderstandings or allegations.  

Power and Positions of Trust 

As a result of their knowledge, position and/or the authority invested in their role, all adults working in education settings are in positions of trust in relation to the young people in their care. Broadly speaking, a relationship of trust can be described as one in which one party is in a position of power or influence over the other by virtue of their work or the nature of their activity. It is vital for all those in positions of trust to understand this power and the responsibility they must exercise because of this relationship.  

A relationship between an adult and a child (under the age of 18) is not a relationship between equals. There is potential for exploitation and harm of vulnerable young people. Adults therefore have a responsibility to ensure that an unequal balance of power is not used for personal advantage or gratification.  

Tutors should always maintain appropriate professional boundaries and avoid behaviour which might be misinterpreted by others. They should report and record any incident with this potential. Where a person aged 18 or over is in a specified position of trust with a child under 18, it is an offence for that person to engage in sexual activity with, or in the presence of, that child or to cause or incite that child to engage in or watch sexual activity.  

Propriety and Behaviour 

Everyone coming into contact with children have a responsibility to safeguard their welfare, as the best interests of the child are paramount. It is therefore expected that they will adopt high standards of personal conduct in order to maintain the confidence and respect of their colleagues, pupils, the public in general and all those with whom they work.  

There may be times, for example, when an adult’s behaviour or actions in their personal life come under scrutiny from local communities, the media or public authorities. This could be because their behaviour is considered to compromise their position in their workplace or indicates an unsuitability to work with pupils. Misuse of drugs, alcohol or acts of violence would be examples of such behaviour.  

Tutors in contact with pupils should therefore understand and be aware that safe practice also involves using their judgement and integrity about behaviours in places other than the work setting, such as with online tuition. 

This means that tutors should NOT: 

 • Behave in a manner which would lead any reasonable person to question their suitability to work with children or to act as an appropriate role model (e.g. tutoring whilst under the influence of alcohol). 

 • Make, or encourage others to make, sexual, racial, homophobic or any other discriminatory remarks to or about a student.  

• Use inappropriate language to, or in the presence of, pupils.  

• Discuss their personal or sexual relationships with, or in the presence of, pupils.  

• Make, or encourage others to make, unprofessional personal comments which scapegoat, demean, discriminate or humiliate, or might be interpreted as such. 

Dress and Appearance 

A person's dress and appearance are matters of personal choice and self-expression. However, tutors should dress in ways which are appropriate to their role and this may need to be different to how they dress when not at work. Those who dress in a manner which could be considered as inappropriate could render themselves vulnerable to criticism or allegations.  

This means that tutors should wear clothing which: 

 • is appropriate to their role  

• promotes a positive and professional image  

• is not likely to be viewed as offensive, revealing, or sexually provocative  

• does not distract, cause embarrassment or give rise to misunderstanding  

• is absent of any political or otherwise contentious slogans  

• is not considered to be discriminatory and is culturally sensitive 

Child on Child abuse 

All tutors should be aware that children can abuse other children (formerly referred to as peer-on peer abuse), and that it can happen both inside and outside of school and online. It is important that all tutors recognise the indicators and signs of child-on-child abuse and know how to identify it and respond to reports.  

It is essential that all tutors understand the importance of challenging inappropriate behaviours between children, many of which are listed below, that are actually abusive in nature. Downplaying certain behaviours, for example dismissing sexual harassment as “just banter”, “just having a laugh”, “part of growing up” or “boys being boys” can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours, an unsafe environment for children and in worst case scenarios a culture that normalises abuse leading to children accepting it as normal and not coming forward to report it.  

Child on child abuse is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:  

• bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying);  

• abuse in intimate personal relationships between peers;  

• Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse); 

 • sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence); 

 • sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be standalone or part of a broader pattern of abuse. For further information about sexual violence and sexual harassment, see Annex B in KCSIE 2023;  

• Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party;  

• consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery);  

• up skirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm; and  

• initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).  

Inappropriate or Abusive Images 

Youth Produced Sexual Imagery can be defined as images or videos generated by children under the age of 18 that are of a sexual nature or are considered to be indecent. These images may be shared between children and young people and/or adults via a mobile phone, webcam, handheld device or website/app. The taking and sharing (consensual or non-consensual) of sexual imagery of children by children is always a risky behaviour, and illegal. Once an image has been shared, control of it has been lost and is unlikely to ever be fully regained. This activity is also known as ‘Sexting’.  

Children and young people may consent to sending a nude image of themselves. They can also be forced or coerced into sharing images by their peers or adults online. If a child or young person originally shares the image consensually, they have no control over how other people might use it. If the image is shared amongst peer groups it may lead to bullying and isolation. Perpetrators of abuse may circulate a nude image more widely and use this to blackmail a child and/or groom them for further sexual abuse. It is a crime to take, make, permit to take, distribute, show, possess, possess with intent to distribute, or to advertise indecent images of any person below the age of 18 (Crime and Justice Act 1988, section 160, Protection of Children Act, 1978, section 1,1a).  

Adults should be aware that the prosecution or criminalisation of children for taking indecent images of themselves and sharing them should be avoided where possible. Being prosecuted through the criminal justice system is likely to be upsetting and distressing for children and young people, if especially they are convicted and punished.  

This means that tutors should not:  

• Display any material (either pictures or words) of a child or adult that is sexually explicit.  

• Display any other images perceived to be inappropriate either due to the age of the pupil or content of the image. This  

means that tutors should:  

• Where they witness a display of inappropriate or abusive images of a child, by or in the presence of a pupil, explain that due to the nature of the image(s) they will immediately terminate the session.  

• Advise the authorities immediately after terminating the session to ensure any evidence/recordings can be preserved and made available for any subsequent police investigation.  

Infatuations 

Occasionally, a child or young person may develop an infatuation with a tutor who works with them. Tutors should deal with these situations sensitively and appropriately to maintain the dignity and safety of all concerned. They should remain aware, however, that such infatuations carry a high risk of words or actions being misinterpreted and should therefore make every effort to ensure that their own behaviour is above reproach.  

This means that tutors should:  

• always acknowledge and maintain professional boundaries. 

 Sexual Contact 

All tutors should clearly understand the need to maintain appropriate boundaries in their contacts with pupils. Intimate or sexual relationships between children/young people and tutors who work  with them will be regarded as a grave breach of trust. Allowing or encouraging a relationship to develop in a way which might lead to a sexual relationship is also unacceptable and is regarded as Child Sexual Exploitation. There are occasions when adults embark on a course of behaviour known as 'grooming' where the sole purpose is to gain the trust of a child and manipulate that relationship, so sexual abuse can take place. Tutors should be aware that consistently conferring inappropriate special attention and favour upon a child might be construed as being part of a 'grooming' process and as such will give rise to concerns about their behaviour.  

This means that tutors should not: 

 • have sexual relationships with pupils.  

• have any form of communication with a child or young person which could be interpreted as sexually suggestive or provocative via Social Media platforms, verbal comments, letters, notes, email, phone calls, texts or physical contact. 

 • make sexual remarks to, or about, a child/young person.  

• discuss their own sexual relationships with, or in the presence of, pupils and take care that their language or conduct does not give rise to comment or speculation. Attitudes, demeanour, and language all require care and thought. 

• All tutors have a strict duty never to subject any child to any form of harm or abuse, or to act in a way that could lead to accusations of inappropriate behaviour or abuse.  

This means that it is unacceptable, for example, to treat a child/young person in any of the following ways:  

- to allow or engage in sexually suggestive behaviour or make suggestive remarks.  

- to give or show anything which could be construed as containing sexual content or pornographic material.  

- to seek or agree to meet them anywhere outside of the tutoring sessions. 

- to cause distress by shouting or calling them derogatory names.  

Contact outside of work 

Contact should not be made outside of tuition sessions with any of the children or young people with whom I am working.  

I am required to maintain my reputation for integrity and responsibility and should not enter into any social or other arrangements with the children that I am providing tutoring to.  

Use of Technology 

All tutors are reminded to exercise extreme caution when using technology in relation to your work for.  

• Always have your mobile phone turned off and out of sight during tuition sessions.  

• Never give your e-mail address or phone number to a pupil.  

• Never engage with students via Social Networking websites. Never communicate directly with a student online.  

• Never take photographs.  

• Never write anything disparaging about a child, school or colleague online.  

 Social Media 

Under no circumstance should a tutor engage in any contact with pupils on social media of any form. Whilst this list is not exhaustive, this includes: • Facebook • Snapchat • Instagram • Twitter • TikTok Social  

Prevent Duty 

Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation should be seen as part of schools’ and colleges’ wider safeguarding duties and is similar in nature to protecting children from other forms of harm and abuse. During the process of radicalisation, it is possible to intervene to prevent vulnerable people being radicalised. Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism. There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to an extremist ideology. It can happen in many different ways and settings. Specific background factors may contribute to vulnerability which are often combined with specific influences (such as family, friends or online contacts), and with specific needs for which an extremist or terrorist group may appear to provide an answer.  

The internet and the use of social media in particular has become a major factor in the radicalisation of young people. As with other safeguarding risks, tutors should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection (see Annex B of KCSiE 2023). Any suspicions should be reported.  

Disclosures will be treated with the utmost seriousness and investigations undertaken as quickly as possible. 

Safeguarding Policy 

The aim of Athena’s Toolbox is to offer help and advice to children and parents on academic, reading and pastoral skills. This is to help with improving the schoolwork/life of the child.  

The purpose of this policy statement is:  

• to protect children and young people who receive Athena’s Toolbox’s services from harm. This includes the children or adults who use our services  

• to provide myself, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guides my approach to child protection. This policy applies to myself working on behalf of Athena’s Toolbox. 

Legal framework  

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England.  

A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from nspcc.org.uk/childprotection.  

Supporting documents  

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents: 

• dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person  

• managing allegations against staff  

• recording concerns and information sharing  

• behaviour codes for children and young people  

• photography and sharing images guidance  

• online safety  

• managing complaints  

I believe that:  

• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind  

• I 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. 

I recognise that:  

• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work I do and in all the decisions I take  

• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare  

• 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  

• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues 

• extra safeguards may be needed to keep children who are additionally vulnerable safe from abuse. 

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

• valuing, listening to and respecting them  

• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice  

• developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures  

• recording and storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance [more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/for organisations 

 • sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via one-to-one discussions  

• making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern 

 • using my safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately  

• using my procedures to manage any allegations against myself appropriately  

• ensuring that we have effective complaints measures in place  

• building a safeguarding culture where myself, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns. 

Contact details  

Nominated child protection lead  

Name: Mrs Lara Price  

email: Lara@athenastoolbox.co.uk 

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000  

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually. 

This policy was last reviewed on:14/03/2025 

Resources and further information 

 Working together to safeguard children (DfE, 2023) 

The DfE’s guidance What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (PDF) describes the actions to take if you think a child is being abused or neglected. (DfE, 2015) 

The DfE has published a voluntary code of practice for out-of-school settings. It includes advice on safeguarding and child protection, staff suitability, and governance (DfE, 2020). 

Department for Education (DfE) (2020) Keeping children safe in out-of-school settings: code of practice. [Accessed 25/11/2021] 

Department for Education (DfE) (2023) Working together to safeguard children 2023: a guide to multi-agency working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children. [Accessed 15/12/2023] 

Childline 

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice after an image of them has been shared online, direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online. 

Dealing with disclosure and reporting concerns 

Disclosure is the process by which children and young people start to share their experiences of abuse with others. This can take place over a long period of time – it is a journey, not one act or action. 

Children may disclose directly or indirectly and sometimes they may start sharing details of abuse before they are ready to put their thoughts and feelings in order. 

Not all disclosures will lead to a formal report of abuse or a case being made or a case being taken to court, but all disclosures should be taken seriously. 

Children and young people may disclose abuse in a variety of ways, including: 

• directly– making specific verbal statements about what’s happened to them 

• indirectly – making ambiguous verbal statements which suggest something is wrong 

• behaviourally – displaying behaviour that signals something is wrong (this may or may not be deliberate) 

• non-verbally – writing letters, drawing pictures or trying to communicate in other ways. 

Making notes 

It’s important to keep accurate and detailed notes on any concerns you have about a child. You will need to share these with your nominated child protection lead. 

Include: 

• the child’s details (name, age, address) 

• what the child said or did that gave you cause for concern (if the child made a verbal disclosure, write down their exact words) 

• any information the child has given you about the alleged abuser. 

Information sharing 

Why information sharing is important 

Sharing information about a child’s welfare helps professionals build a clearer picture of the child’s life and gain a better understanding of any risks the child is facing. 

Information sharing helps to ensure that an individual receives the right services at the right time and prevents a need from becoming more acute and difficult to meet (Department for Education (DfE), 2018). 

Sharing information to safeguard children includes: 

• preventing harm 

• identifying risk to prevent harm 

• promoting the welfare of a child 

(Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), 2023). 

Share all the information you need to and keep a record of the reasons why you are sharing or requesting information about a child or their family (ICO, 2023). 

While sharing this information is important, you should also make sure you are not putting a child’s safety and welfare at risk by sharing information about them. 

Always seek consent to share information about a child and their family. To learn more about getting permission to share information, see the Consent tab. 

If consent isn’t given, you can still share information with relevant professionals under certain circumstances, for example if you are protecting a child from significant harm. The Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) do not affect this principle and shouldn’t prevent you from sharing information to identify children at risk of harm and safeguard them (ICO, 2023). 

Some professionals have a legal duty to share information relating to safeguarding concerns. 

• Prioritise the safety and welfare of the child and anyone else who may be affected by the situation. 

• Make sure you share the information quickly and securely. The sooner you report your concerns the better. This means the details will be fresh in your mind and action can be taken quickly. 

• Identify how much information should be shared. This will depend on the reasons for sharing it. 

• Use language that is clear and precise. Different agencies may use and understand terminology differently. 

• Make sure the information you are sharing is accurate. Make it clear what information is factual and what is based on opinion (yours or other people’s). 

• Sharing information without consent 

• If consent is refused or if you’re unable to seek consent, you can still share information with relevant professionals if this is in the public interest. 

• This includes protecting children from significant harm and promoting the welfare of children.  

• The Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) do not affect this principle. Safeguarding a child is a clear and legitimate reason for sharing information (Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), 2023). 

• The ICO has published guidance on data protection as part of the safeguarding process (ICO, 2023). 

Confidentiality 

• Never promise a child that you will keep the things they’re telling you a secret. Explain that you need to share what they’ve told you with someone who will be able to help. 

• If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online. 

Mandatory reporting 

Female genital mutilation (FGM) 

It is illegal to carry out FGM in the UK. It is also a criminal offence for UK nationals or permanent UK residents to perform FGM overseas or take their child abroad to have FGM carried out. 

In England and Wales, regulated health and social care professionals and teachers must make a report to the police, if, in the course of their duties: 

• they are informed by a child under the age of 18 that they have undergone an act of FGM 

• they observe physical signs that an act of FGM may have been carried out on a child under the age of 18. 

Key legislation 

Article 16 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (PDF) states that all children have a right to privacy. 

The convention also states that children should be protected from abuse and that their best interests should be prioritised when making decisions that affect them. 

This means that, if a child is at risk of harm, it is in their best interests for an adult to share information with relevant agencies – even without the child’s consent. 

In England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Data Protection Act 2018 sets out how personal information should be processed under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The introduction of GDPR does not affect the principle that adults should share child protection information with other agencies in order to keep a child safe. 

Key guidance 

Statutory guidance across the UK highlights the responsibility of those in the education, community and care sectors to safeguard children from all forms of abuse and neglect. It explains how practitioners should respond to concerns and how agencies should work together to protect children. 

• Child protection in England 

• Key legislation and guidance for schools in the UK 

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a quality standard on child abuse and neglect. This describes how child abuse and neglect should be recognised, assessed and responded to by health and social care practitioners in England (NICE, 2019). 

There is also specific guidance on data protection and sharing personal information. 

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has provided Data sharing: a code of practice to help UK organisations that need to share personal data (ICO, 2022). They also have a 10-step guide to sharing information to safeguard children with advice on data protection as part of the safeguarding process (ICO, 2023). 

In England, the Department for Education (DfE) provides guidance for sharing information relating to children’s services in Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers (PDF) (DfE, 2018a). As of July 2023 this is currently under revision (DfE, 2023b). 

Data Protection 

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Customer Satisfaction 

Any child or parent who makes a complaint will be treated with courtesy. For complaints arising from a service provided by Athena’s Toolbox, every effort will be made to diffuse a situation informally.  

Athena’s Toolbox will seek to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Timescales for resolving complaints will vary depending on the nature of the complaint made.  

We maintain a log of all complaints raised to manage our complaints process effectively. This includes information about you as the complainant. 

Complaints can be emailed to lara@athenastoolbox.co.uk