Child-Centred Practice
Children's safety, experiences, wishes and feelings are considered within safeguarding practice and decisions.
CHILD PROTECTION & SAFEGUARDING POLICY
Safeguarding Children Across Every Learning Environment
Reconnect Learning's Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy sets out the arrangements used to protect children and young people across alternative provision, home tuition, online learning, outreach and community-based education.
The policy explains responsibilities, reporting routes, safer working expectations and the procedures followed when a safeguarding concern arises.
THE POLICY SUPPORTS
Clear safeguarding practice across Reconnect Learning
Designated safeguarding leadership
Clear reporting and escalation routes
Safer recruitment and suitability checks
Home, online and outreach risk controls
Professional boundaries and staff conduct
Multi-agency safeguarding communication
Culture
Child-Centred
Leadership
DSL & DDSL
Recruitment
Safer Practice
Delivery
Risk-Aware
Concerns
Prompt Reporting
OUR SAFEGUARDING CULTURE
Keeping children safe is part of everyday professional practice
Reconnect Learning places safeguarding at the heart of leadership, recruitment, training, communication, case management and day-to-day delivery.
Safeguarding expectations apply across face-to-face provision, home tuition, online learning, alternative provision, outreach, community venues and bespoke education packages.
OUR SAFEGUARDING PRINCIPLE
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and the welfare of the child remains central to decision-making and professional practice.
OUR COMMITMENT
Child-centred, professionally led and risk-aware
Prompt Action
Concerns are recorded, considered, escalated and shared through appropriate safeguarding routes.
Professional Accountability
Staff and tutors are expected to follow procedures, maintain appropriate boundaries and seek safeguarding advice whenever they are unsure.
POLICY COVERAGE
What the Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy covers
The policy describes how safeguarding concerns are identified, reported, recorded, managed and escalated across Reconnect Learning.
Child protection procedures
Safeguarding responsibilities
Reporting concerns
Safeguarding record keeping
Online and digital safety
Artificial intelligence and online risks
Grooming and exploitation
Child-on-child abuse
Sexual violence and harassment
Bullying and discrimination
Low-level concerns
Allegations against staff
Safer recruitment
Staff conduct and boundaries
Whistleblowing
DBS and suitability checks
Prevent Duty
Radicalisation and extremism
Child criminal exploitation
Child sexual exploitation
Mental health and wellbeing
Self-harm and suicide concerns
Attendance and missing education
Early help and multi-agency working
SAFEGUARDING ACROSS PROVISION
Safeguarding expectations apply wherever education takes place
Home Tuition
Home-based delivery includes relevant learner, environment, access, lone-working and professional-boundary considerations.
Online Learning
Remote tuition includes expectations around safe platform use, appropriate communication and reporting.
Alternative Provision
Placements include safeguarding information, attendance arrangements, named contacts and risk controls.
Outreach
Outreach considers visit purpose, location, travel, check-in and lone-working arrangements.
Community Venues
Venue suitability, emergency arrangements, access and supervision are considered before delivery.
Bespoke Programmes
Safeguarding and risk arrangements are considered around the learner, activity, environment and agreed plan.
SAFEGUARDING LEADERSHIP
Clear safeguarding responsibility and oversight
Ellen Kerr
Managing Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead
Responsible for safeguarding oversight, child-protection decision-making, external-agency liaison, staff advice and safeguarding quality assurance.
Claire Spicer
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Supports safeguarding case management, record keeping, staff guidance, multi-agency working and safeguarding cover.
REPORTING A CONCERN
Safeguarding concerns should be shared promptly
Where a concern relates to a child or young person receiving Reconnect Learning provision, information should be passed through the appropriate safeguarding route.
Staff should not attempt to investigate safeguarding concerns themselves. Relevant factual information should be recorded and escalated in line with safeguarding procedures.
Contact Safeguarding Team →When reporting, provide where possible:
The child's name and identifying information
What has been seen, heard or disclosed
Relevant dates and times
The child's own words where appropriate
Any immediate safety concerns
Actions already taken
Other professionals already involved
SAFER RECRUITMENT
Safeguarding begins before deployment
Safer recruitment arrangements support appropriate selection, checking and deployment of people working with children and young people.
Identity verification
Appropriate DBS checking
Employment and experience history
References
Qualification checks where relevant
Safeguarding induction
SAFER WORKING PRACTICE
Safer recruitment continues into everyday practice
Safeguarding continues after appointment through professional expectations, training, reporting procedures and organisational oversight.
Staff Code of Conduct
Professional boundaries
Low-level concerns
Managing allegations
Safeguarding updates
Quality assurance and review
SAFEGUARDING THROUGH PROVISION
Safeguarding remains active from referral to review
1
Refer
Relevant safeguarding information is shared.
2
Assess
Risk and suitability are considered.
3
Brief
Staff receive relevant case information.
4
Deliver
Professional controls support safe practice.
5
Report
Concerns are recorded and escalated.
6
Review
Risk and circumstances are reviewed.
SAFEGUARDING FRAMEWORK
The policy is informed by relevant safeguarding guidance and legislation
Keeping Children Safe in Education
Safeguarding expectations relevant to organisations working with children and young people.
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Multi-agency safeguarding responsibilities and professional cooperation.
Prevent Duty Guidance
Relevant safeguarding responsibilities relating to radicalisation and extremism.
Children Acts
Relevant principles from the Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004.
Equality
Equality and non-discrimination considerations within safeguarding and provision.
Data Protection
Appropriate handling of safeguarding and personal information within data-protection requirements.
SCHOOLS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES & PROFESSIONALS
Clear safeguarding arrangements for commissioned provision
Reconnect Learning recognises the importance of appropriate information sharing, named escalation routes, clear accountability and safe mobilisation of provision.
Named safeguarding contacts
Referral and risk-information requirements
Attendance and welfare procedures
Allegations and low-level-concern procedures
Safer recruitment and deployment controls
Concern and incident escalation
Policy currency, safeguarding agencies and emergencies
The downloadable safeguarding policy should be reviewed regularly and updated when relevant guidance, legislation, organisational arrangements or safeguarding procedures change.
Reconnect Learning follows its own safeguarding procedures while also working with relevant schools, local authorities, placing bodies and statutory agencies where safeguarding concerns arise.
Where a child is in immediate danger or urgent emergency assistance is required, safeguarding contact with Reconnect Learning does not replace contacting the appropriate emergency service.
SAFEGUARDING POLICY FAQs
Questions about our safeguarding policy
Who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead?
Ellen Kerr, Managing Director, is Reconnect Learning's Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Who is the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead?
Claire Spicer is Reconnect Learning's Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Does the policy apply to home tuition?
Yes. Safeguarding expectations apply across home tuition, online learning, outreach, alternative provision and other Reconnect Learning provision.
Does the policy apply to online tuition?
Yes. Online provision remains subject to safeguarding, professional-boundary and reporting expectations.
How do I contact the safeguarding team?
The safeguarding team can be contacted at safeguarding@reconnectlearning.co.uk, through the safeguarding mobile or through the Reconnect Learning office.
What happens when a safeguarding concern is raised?
Information is considered through the appropriate safeguarding process and may be escalated or shared with relevant agencies where required.
What if a concern involves a tutor or staff member?
Concerns involving an adult working with learners are managed through the appropriate low-level concern or allegations procedure depending on the circumstances.
Are staff expected to investigate safeguarding concerns?
No. Staff should record and report concerns through the appropriate route rather than carrying out their own safeguarding investigation.
Where can I download the full safeguarding policy?
The full policy is available through the download link on this page.
Where are Reconnect Learning's other safeguarding policies?
Additional safeguarding and compliance documents are available through the Policies & Compliance section.