Part of Westcountry SEN’s essential programme is to enable tutors to work with local schools to support a child’s progress and learning.

All schools have a statutory obligation to have a dedicated and specific child protection programme and structures in place. If you are working within a school, you will be inducted into this programme and structure. However, you are also covered by Westcountry SEN policies and these co-exist with the school’s specific regulations, policies and procedures.

If you have not been inducted by the host school, then you must raise this with the school before starting to work in the community. Induction may involve being sent documentation that you must read and consider, or this might be a 1:1 discussion. Clearly the latter is preferable.

You may be working with a vulnerable child in school. You will need to have access to any risk assessments and behavioural plans for this child. 

For in-school sessions, the expectations of you and your relationship with your student is set by Westcountry SEN and the host school. This is a professional relationship as is all Westcountry tutoring and it is also one in which you will build a relationship of trust with the pupil (and the school).

For this reason, child protection procedures must be followed. Any concerns or disclosures about a child (or family) must be reported to the school’s DSL and so this information must be provided to you. This should also be reported to Westcountry DSL as a secondary action.

If you are concerned about something within the school in terms of procedures or policies, this should be reported to the school’s DSL (or Headteacher in the event of the DSL being unavailable). Again, this should be reported to Westcountry DSL as a secondary action.

• If your concern is about the DSL, then report to the Head. If it applies to the Headteacher, then you should report to the governing body.
• As with all child protection issues, any anxiety about the immediate welfare of a child or family member should be reported to the police.
• As with all child protection issues, you can also report directly to child protection bodies in Dorset as indicated earlier in the course.

If you feel uncomfortable in a school setting, or feel concerned about your working relationship with staff or the leadership team, do talk to your Line manager sooner rather than later.