First things first, we're glad you've come to read our Safeguarding Policy – that tells us that you're serious about us and your child's safety.

We understand that as a parent, nothing's more important than your child's safety and well-being.

So let's dive into the purpose of this policy and what safeguarding is all about.

The Purpose of This Policy

Our Safeguarding policy is our commitment to your child's safety from poor practice from both staff and other children.. This isn't just something we do; it's a core part of who we are. Every member of our team, from tutors to volunteers, plays a crucial role in this commitment.

The policy is in line with UK legal requirements and reflects our dedication to creating a nurturing and protective educational environment.

Key Definitions to Help You Through This Policy

Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children: This is all about ensuring all children are shielded from harm, their health and development are on track, and they can learn in environments that are safe and nurturing. It's our promise to take action and ensure they have the best outcomes.
Abuse: Any form of mistreatment of a child, including inflicting harm or failing to prevent harm. This can be done by anyone, that's why we keep vigilant and make sure our tutors are trained to look out for abuse of any kind.
Poor Practice: This is any type of inappropriate behavior by an adult or child causing distress to a child, or any type of behavior contravening the principles of this policy.
Safeguarding Concern: Whenever there's a hint that a child might be harmed or is in danger of harm due to someone's actions or inactions, we're on high alert.
Safeguarding Allegation: This is when someone tells us that someone causing them distress or another child – we take these allegations seriously. The punishment if these allegations are found to be true can vary.

Our Role in Safeguarding

Our staff play a vital role in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment. All tutors are expected to maintain vigilance and report any concerns as soon as they come across one.

Being proactive is better than being reactive.

All our staff follow our code of conduct which outlines what are acceptable and unacceptable behavior's, for themselves and the children they teach. They also should be able to recoginse if a child is being harmed or is in harms way and respond in the most appropriate way.

Continuous training in safeguarding ensures that all staff members are knowledgeable and prepared to take appropriate actions when necessary.

If it is something they feel they are not comfortable dealing with, they should bring it to the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) attention immediately to make sure your child or anyone else's is safe.

How We Handle Safeguarding Concerns

We've established clear and effective procedures for responding to safeguarding concerns. This helps us make sure that your child is always taken care of and not in harms way.

The procedures we use include immediate steps for ensuring the child’s safety, processes for reporting concerns internally, and protocols for record-keeping and confidentiality.

Actions we take to make sure all concerns are taken care of:

Awareness and responsibility: We ensure that all employees at Knowled.gg are fully aware of their safeguarding duties and their responsibility to report any signs of a child at risk. This includes regular training and updates on safeguarding policies and procedures.
Early help and intervention: We're big on proactivity, so we adopt a policy of early help and intervention, providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any stage. This approach aims to address issues before they escalate, offering effective assistance.
Recognising different forms of disclosure: All tutors are trained notice the various ways a child might reveal abuse, including direct verbal statements, indirect hints, behavioural cues, and non-verbal communication. We understand the importance of being attentive to these signals.
Handling disclosures: If you or your child decides to disclose information, we assure you that we will take your case on, while making it clear the information provided may not remain entirely confidential if it concerns their safety. However, we will try our best to keep you anonymous.
Reporting procedures: We require that any safeguarding concerns are reported to Knowled.gg's safeguarding officer as soon as possible, using a structured format such as a Safeguarding Concern Form and emailed to us at support@knowled.gg. This process ensures that all reports are documented, tracked, and managed effectively.
Fostering an open environment: We strive to create an atmosphere where your child feels comfortable expressing their concerns. We encourage them to open up and communicate with their tutors if they need help or support.

What is the Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead?

The DSL is a key figure in our safeguarding approach, they oversee how well our tutors implement our policies while they teach and throughout our platform.

They need to ensure that our platform is up to scratch on all safeguarding and child protection policies.

The DSL at Knowled.gg is Shamaila Hussain – shamaila@knowled.gg

I'm sure you've heard her name plenty already is also our designated DSL, she is the primary contact for all safeguarding concerns, she makes sure that all incidents are managed appropriately.

So you know your concerns are in impeccable hands.

Whistleblowing

We love being real and transparent. We uphold a culture of transparency and accountability. Our whistleblowing policy is designed to empower all users at Knowled.gg to report any inappropriate practices or breaches of our safeguarding policy.

This policy helps you or your child bring up your concerns without a fear of victimisation. We encourage open communication and take all reports seriously, ensuring prompt and appropriate action.

Whistleblowing is vital for maintaining the integrity and safety of your child's educational environment.

Our Anti-Bullying Policy & the Procedures We Follow

Bullying is never tolerated at Knowled.gg.

Our anti-bullying policy and procedures aim to prevent, identify, and address all forms of bullying.

Creating a Bullying-Free Culture

We actively work towards creating a culture where bullying is not only addressed, but is prevented through the cultivation of an inclusive, empathetic, and respectful learning environment. Our commitment extends beyond policies and procedures; it is ingrained in our ethos, where every child's safety and happiness are paramount.

What we do to make sure your child is safe:

Immediate response: If a tutor witnesses or is informed of a bullying incident, their first response is to ensure the safety and emotional wellbeing of the students involved.
Documentation and reporting: The tutor will make detailed notes of the incident, including the context, the children involved and what actions taken. This report is then sent to the DSL.
Further action: Depending on the severity and circumstances of the incident, the DSL, in discussion with other staff and, you, the parents or guardians, will determine appropriate further actions.
Zero tolerance and consequences: In cases of severe or repeated bullying, we have the right to take more extreme actions. This could mean immediate cancellation of your subscription at Knowled.gg.

The Importance of Mental Health & Emotional Well-being

We understand that academics is important, but mental health and emotion well-being always comes first.

We recognise the critical role of mental health in learning, that's why all our lessons and resources are built with that mind. So your child doesn't have to sit at the computer for hours to get their homework done or spend hours trying to catch up with their class mates, they can complete their courses at their own pace.

We understand the new & unique pressures of the digital world – that's why have made mental health and emotional health at the forefront of every resource we create.

Our commitment extends to providing your child with different strategies to manage stress, this includes having honest and open talks with their tutors.

Our Thoughts on Inclusion & Diversity

All children deserve of an elite education to get them to their dream university.

No child is left behind with our inclusivity and diversity policy. Our safeguarding policy reflects our commitment to meet the diverse needs of all children, including those with disabilities (SEN).

We ensure that our digital learning environment is accessible and responsive to the different needs of your child. This includes adapting our resources for children with different learning needs, ensuring cultural sensitivity and promoting an environment of respect and understanding.

Navigating the Online World Together

Children should be able to freely use the internet for education and personal development, however safeguarding measures need to be put in place to ensure their safety at all times (which is exactly why this policy exists!)

Recognising the risks associated with digital platforms, our safety policy focuses on protecting students in the online aspect of their education.

This policy covers safe use of digital platforms (we will very rarely share external links, learning will take place on our own website), prevention strategies for online abuse, and guidelines for digital communication. It aims to educate students, staff and parents about safe and responsible online behavior, and outlines procedures for addressing online safety issues.

We understand & recoginse that:

The digital world offers boundless opportunities for learning and connection. Yet, it also poses unique risks and challenges.

We recognise our obligation to safeguard all children engaged with our educational platform from potential harm in the online world.

We firmly believe that every child, irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation deserves equal protection from all forms of harm and abuse. This belief is central to our mission and guides our approach to online safety.

Collaborating with you and your child is crucial in your child's welfare. We are dedicated to empowering your child with the knowledge and tools to approach online safety with awareness and responsibility.

Our responsibility extends beyond the confines of our network and devices. We're committed to helping your child navigate the online space securely and responsibly, regardless of where they access the internet.

This policy is our commitment to creating a safe, respectful and enriching learning environment. By navigating the digital world with awareness and responsibility, we empower your child to harness the full potential of online resources, while keeping safe in the digital world.

Data Protection? We've Got You Covered

Data protection is a key aspect of safeguarding, it's about making sure your personal data is kept safe and secure.

We make sure that your data is safe and are aligned with the laws of England and Wales, such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR.

We wouldn't usually share your information, however in positions where your information may need to be shared without your consent, the person with your data (either us or a tutor) must need a good enough reason to do so, for example – sharing the information will enhance the safety of your child. When decisions are made to share or withhold information, practitioners should record who has been given the information and why.

If you want to learn more about data protection – you can read more in our Privacy Policy.

Key Contacts

As a final reminder, your child's safety is in our hands & you can trust us that we'll do a great job.

If you have any other questions or general safeguarding queries – we've taken the liberty to provide you with some contacts that we think would help you.

Our DSL – Shamaila Hussain – shamaila@knowled.gg

Your Local Authority – Find your local authority

(Abuse Protection) NSPCC – nspcc.org.uk, 0808 800 5000