Safeguarding Statement

I work one to one with children, often online and often in their own home. That's a position of trust, and this page sets out how I take it seriously.

• Enhanced DBS certificate, verified through the DBS Update Service so it stays current rather than dated
• Safeguarding Level 2, updated annually — the same standard as serving school staff
• Qualified Teacher Status, and a former SENCO

• Lessons take place on Google Meet, through a link sent to you as the parent, never directly to your child
• All arrangements, scheduling and messages go through you, not through your child. I do not message children privately or connect with them on social media
• You're welcome to be present, or nearby, at any point in any lesson, without asking
• Lessons are not recorded unless you and I have agreed to it in advance and in writing
• I teach from a private, appropriate space, and I ask that your child does the same where possible
• I'll always tell you if a lesson raises anything I think you should know about

If a child tells me something worrying, or I notice something that concerns me, I will:

• Listen carefully, without pressing for detail
• Write down what was said or seen, as soon as possible and in the child's own words
• Talk to you as the parent — unless doing so might increase the risk to the child
• Where necessary, report to the local authority's children's services, the local authority designated officer, or the police

I will not promise a child that I'll keep something secret. If a child begins to tell me something serious, I'll gently explain that I may need to pass it on to keep them safe.

This is the one situation where I may share information without your consent. It's a legal duty and it applies to everyone who works with children.

If you ever have a concern about my conduct — however small, and even if you're not sure it's worth raising — please tell me directly at sophiewinby97@gmail.com, or raise it with your local authority's children's services.

You should never feel you need to be certain before speaking up.

I keep brief written records of lessons and of any safeguarding concerns. Safeguarding records are stored securely, kept separately from ordinary lesson notes, and retained in line with statutory guidance. See my Privacy Policy for how I handle information generally.