Clever IQ Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Organisation: Clever IQ
Policy Owner: Clever IQ
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Adel Mozammel
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Aisha Masood
Safeguarding Contact: admin@cleveriq.co.uk
Date Adopted: August 2026
Review Date: September 2026

1. Our Commitment

At Clever IQ, the safety, welfare and wellbeing of every child are fundamental to everything we do.

Every child has the right to learn, develop and participate in our programmes in an environment where they feel safe, respected, valued and heard.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

All staff, tutors, volunteers, contractors and others working on behalf of Clever IQ have a responsibility to safeguard children, recognise concerns and respond appropriately.

We are committed to creating a culture in which:

the welfare of the child comes first;
children are treated with dignity and respect;
concerns are listened to and taken seriously;
safeguarding concerns are acted upon promptly;
staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities;
safer recruitment practices are followed;
appropriate professional boundaries are maintained;
parents and carers understand our safeguarding arrangements; and
children know that they can speak to a trusted adult if something is worrying them.

2. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies across all Clever IQ activities involving children and young people under the age of 18, including:

Academic Learning;
one-to-one and small-group tuition;
Darul Ihsan Islamic Learning programmes;
holiday programmes and enrichment activities;
workshops and educational events;
online tuition and online learning;
educational trips or off-site activities;
outdoor learning;
staff, tutors and volunteers;
visiting teachers and speakers;
contractors where they may have contact with children; and
any other activity delivered under the Clever IQ name.

The principles of this policy apply whether learning takes place face-to-face or online.

3. Legal and Guidance Framework

Clever IQ has developed this policy with regard to relevant safeguarding legislation and guidance, including:

Children Act 1989;
Children Act 2004;
Children and Social Work Act 2017;
Working Together to Safeguard Children;
Keeping Children Safe in Education;
Department for Education guidance for after-school clubs, community activities and tuition;
Prevent Duty Guidance;
Equality Act 2010;
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR;
relevant safer recruitment and Disclosure and Barring Service requirements; and
local safeguarding partnership procedures.

Where particular statutory guidance does not apply directly to Clever IQ as an out-of-school education provider, we seek to follow its safeguarding principles as good practice.

4. What We Mean by Safeguarding

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children includes:

providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge;
protecting children from maltreatment, whether within or outside the home, including online;
preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;
ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care; and
taking action to enable children to have the best possible outcomes.

Safeguarding is wider than responding to suspected abuse. It includes creating an environment in which risks are anticipated, children feel secure and adults behave appropriately.

5. Recognising Safeguarding Concerns

All staff should remain alert to signs that a child may require help, support or protection.

Safeguarding concerns can include, but are not limited to:

Physical Abuse

Deliberately causing physical harm to a child.

Emotional Abuse

Persistent emotional mistreatment that adversely affects a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth.

Sexual Abuse

Forcing, enticing or involving a child in sexual activity, whether or not the child understands what is happening. This can occur in person or online.

Neglect

The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or psychological needs where this is likely to cause serious impairment to the child’s health or development.

Staff should recognise that abuse, exploitation and safeguarding concerns can occur both inside and outside the home and online.

6. Wider Safeguarding Concerns

Staff should also be alert to wider safeguarding issues including:

child-on-child abuse;
bullying and cyberbullying;
sexual harassment and sexual violence;
online abuse;
grooming;
exploitation;
domestic abuse;
criminal exploitation;
child sexual exploitation;
serious youth violence;
harmful sexual behaviour;
female genital mutilation;
forced marriage;
honour-based abuse;
radicalisation and extremism;
discrimination or hate-related abuse;
trafficking and modern slavery;
substance misuse;
children going missing;
unsafe relationships;
inappropriate adult behaviour towards children; and
concerns affecting a child’s emotional or physical wellbeing.

Safeguarding concerns may overlap, and staff should avoid trying to categorise a concern before reporting it.

7. The Designated Safeguarding Lead

Clever IQ will appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead who takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection.

The DSL’s responsibilities include:

receiving and responding to safeguarding concerns;
maintaining appropriate safeguarding records;
deciding when concerns should be referred to children’s social care, the police or another appropriate agency;
supporting staff with safeguarding matters;
liaising with parents and carers where appropriate;
liaising with external safeguarding agencies;
ensuring staff receive appropriate safeguarding training;
reviewing safeguarding procedures;
ensuring safer recruitment procedures are followed; and
promoting a safeguarding culture throughout Clever IQ.

A Deputy DSL should be available where appropriate to support these responsibilities.

A safeguarding concern should never be delayed simply because the DSL is unavailable.

Where a child appears to be at immediate risk of serious harm, emergency services or children’s social care should be contacted immediately.

8. What Staff Must Do if They Have a Concern

If a member of staff has any concern about a child’s welfare, however small it may initially appear, they should:

listen to the child if they are speaking about a concern;
remain calm and take what the child says seriously;
avoid asking leading or investigative questions;
never promise confidentiality;
explain that information may need to be shared with someone who can help;
make an accurate written record as soon as possible;
distinguish between what was actually said and their own observations;
report the concern promptly to the DSL or Deputy DSL; and
take immediate action where a child may be in immediate danger.

Staff should not investigate safeguarding allegations themselves.

9. When a Child Makes a Disclosure

If a child tells a member of staff that they have been harmed or are frightened about something, the member of staff should listen.

The child should be allowed to speak in their own words.

Staff should not:

interrogate the child;
repeatedly question them;
ask the child to prove what happened;
confront the alleged perpetrator;
make promises about what will happen next; or
promise to keep the information secret.

The member of staff should reassure the child that they have done the right thing by speaking to someone and explain that they may need to pass the information to the DSL so that appropriate help can be provided.

The child’s own words should be recorded wherever possible.

10. Child-on-Child Abuse

Clever IQ recognises that children can abuse other children.

This can include:

bullying;
physical abuse;
sexual violence;
sexual harassment;
harmful sexual behaviour;
sharing sexual images;
online harassment;
intimidation;
abuse within relationships; and
discriminatory behaviour.

Clever IQ maintains a zero-tolerance approach to abusive behaviour.

Behaviour should not be dismissed as:

“banter”;
“just having a laugh”;
“boys being boys”;
“girls being girls”; or
a normal part of growing up.

Children who experience harmful behaviour will be listened to and supported appropriately.

11. Online Safety

Online learning provides significant educational opportunities but creates additional safeguarding responsibilities.

Clever IQ expects staff delivering online learning to maintain the same professional standards that apply to face-to-face education.

Staff should:

use approved platforms and communication methods;
maintain appropriate professional boundaries;
avoid communicating privately with children through personal social media accounts;
ensure online teaching takes place in an appropriate environment;
communicate with parents or carers through approved channels where appropriate;
avoid sharing personal contact details unnecessarily;
report concerning online behaviour;
protect personal information; and
follow Clever IQ procedures concerning photographs, recordings and digital content.

No tutor should form an inappropriate private online relationship with a learner.

Where sessions are recorded for educational or safeguarding purposes, parents/carers should be informed and appropriate privacy and data-protection procedures followed.

12. Communication With Children

Professional communication between staff and children must remain appropriate, transparent and related to legitimate educational purposes.

Staff should not:

develop secretive relationships with pupils;
exchange inappropriate personal messages;
engage in sexualised or suggestive communication;
ask children to conceal communication from their parents or Clever IQ;
use disappearing-message functions for educational communications with pupils;
communicate through private social-media accounts where this can reasonably be avoided; or
share inappropriate personal information with children.

Where direct communication with an older student is educationally necessary, appropriate organisational systems and professional boundaries should be maintained.

13. Staff Conduct and Professional Boundaries

Adults working with children occupy a position of trust.

Staff must therefore:

maintain clear professional boundaries;
treat children fairly and respectfully;
use appropriate language;
avoid humiliating, intimidating or degrading children;
never use physical punishment;
never develop sexual or inappropriate relationships with children;
avoid unnecessary physical contact;
avoid placing themselves unnecessarily in situations where they are completely isolated with a child;
follow organisational procedures for one-to-one tuition;
never use their position to influence or exploit a child;
report safeguarding concerns about colleagues; and
behave in a manner consistent with the trust placed in those working with children.

Clever IQ may maintain a separate Staff Code of Conduct setting out these expectations in greater detail.

14. One-to-One Tuition

One-to-one learning is an important part of personalised education but should be organised with safeguarding in mind.

Where practicable:

lessons should take place in rooms or spaces that are observable or accessible;
doors should not unnecessarily be locked;
parents or appropriate colleagues should know where one-to-one tuition is taking place;
professional boundaries must be maintained;
unnecessary physical contact should be avoided; and
online one-to-one sessions should take place through approved systems.

Safeguarding should not prevent appropriate one-to-one education, but the environment should protect both the learner and the tutor.

15. Physical Contact

There may be circumstances in an educational environment where appropriate physical contact occurs, for example:

administering first aid;
protecting a child from immediate danger;
helping a young child appropriately during an activity; or
providing reasonable assistance to a child with additional needs.

Any physical contact must be:

necessary;
proportionate;
appropriate to the child’s age and needs; and
undertaken in a way that preserves the child’s dignity.

Physical punishment is never permitted.

16. Positive Behaviour and Discipline

Clever IQ believes that effective behaviour management should preserve the dignity of the child.

Staff should use positive, proportionate and educational approaches to behaviour.

Children must never be subjected to:

corporal punishment;
humiliation;
degrading treatment;
threats of violence;
inappropriate restraint;
discriminatory punishment; or
punishment designed to frighten or shame them.

Our objective is to help learners understand boundaries, develop self-discipline and take increasing responsibility for their behaviour.

17. Safer Recruitment

Clever IQ is committed to preventing unsuitable individuals from gaining access to children.

Recruitment procedures may include, as appropriate:

application and employment history;
identity verification;
references;
qualification checks;
appropriate interviews;
Disclosure and Barring Service checks where the role is eligible;
barred-list checks where legally required and permitted;
right-to-work checks;
safeguarding questions during recruitment;
consideration of gaps or inconsistencies in employment history; and
appropriate induction and probation arrangements.

No person should undertake regulated activity with children where they are legally barred from doing so.

18. Safeguarding Training

All staff and tutors working with children must receive appropriate safeguarding information and training.

Training should enable staff to:

recognise possible signs of abuse or neglect;
understand how to respond to a disclosure;
know how and where to report concerns;
understand professional boundaries;
understand online safeguarding;
recognise child-on-child abuse;
understand relevant Prevent responsibilities; and
understand Clever IQ’s safeguarding procedures.

Safeguarding knowledge should be refreshed regularly.

Safeguarding should also form part of the induction process for new staff.

19. Allegations or Concerns About Adults

Any allegation that a member of staff, tutor, volunteer or another adult working with Clever IQ may have harmed a child or behaved inappropriately must be taken seriously.

This includes concerns that an adult may have:

harmed a child;
committed a criminal offence relating to a child;
behaved towards a child in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm; or
behaved in a way that raises concerns about their suitability to work with children.

Such concerns must be reported immediately to the appropriate senior safeguarding person.

If the allegation concerns the DSL, it should be reported to another senior person within Clever IQ.

Clever IQ will seek advice from the relevant Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where appropriate.

20. Low-Level Concerns

Clever IQ encourages staff to report behaviour that may not meet the threshold for a formal allegation but nevertheless appears inconsistent with expected professional standards.

Examples could include:

being unnecessarily over-friendly with a child;
favouritism;
taking photographs contrary to policy;
inappropriate private messaging;
engaging with children through personal social media;
inappropriate one-to-one situations; or
behaviour that creates uncertainty about professional boundaries.

Reporting a low-level concern does not automatically mean misconduct has occurred.

The purpose is to maintain an open safeguarding culture where concerning patterns can be identified early.

21. Whistleblowing

Staff must be able to raise concerns about unsafe practices within Clever IQ without fear of inappropriate retaliation.

Where an individual believes:

safeguarding concerns are being ignored;
unsafe practices are occurring;
allegations are being concealed; or
organisational procedures are failing to protect children,

they should raise the matter with an appropriate senior person.

Where internal reporting is inappropriate or ineffective, staff may use appropriate external whistleblowing or safeguarding channels.

22. Preventing Radicalisation

Clever IQ recognises that protecting children from the risk of radicalisation forms part of wider safeguarding responsibilities.

Staff should remain alert to significant changes or behaviour suggesting that a child may be vulnerable to extremist influence or being drawn towards terrorism.

Concerns should be reported through safeguarding procedures rather than staff attempting to investigate the issue themselves.

Safeguarding action must be balanced, proportionate and based on the individual child and circumstances.

Religious commitment, cultural identity, political discussion or strongly held views should not in themselves be treated as evidence of extremism.

23. Equality, Culture and Faith

Clever IQ works with children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Safeguarding must be applied fairly to every child regardless of:

race;
ethnicity;
religion or belief;
sex;
disability;
special educational need;
family circumstances; or
socioeconomic background.

Cultural or religious sensitivity must never be used as a reason for failing to protect a child from harm.

At the same time, safeguarding decisions should avoid stereotypes and assumptions about children or families based on their background.

We seek to work respectfully and sensitively with families while keeping the welfare of the child at the centre of decision-making.

24. Children With SEND and Additional Needs

Clever IQ recognises that some children with special educational needs, disabilities or communication difficulties may face additional safeguarding vulnerabilities.

Staff should be aware that:

signs of abuse may sometimes be mistakenly attributed to a child’s disability or condition;
children may experience communication barriers;
some children may be more dependent on adults;
bullying may disproportionately affect children with additional needs; and
children may require additional support to communicate concerns.

Safeguarding arrangements should therefore take account of individual needs.

25. Emotional Wellbeing

Clever IQ recognises that changes in a child’s emotional wellbeing or behaviour can sometimes indicate that they need additional help or protection.

Staff are not expected to diagnose mental-health conditions.

They should, however, report safeguarding concerns where a child’s behaviour, emotional state or circumstances indicate that the child may be at risk of harm or require additional support.

Our approach is based on support, dignity, discretion and early help, rather than stigma.

26. Photography, Video and Media

Photographs or recordings of children should only be taken for legitimate Clever IQ purposes and in accordance with appropriate consent and data-protection arrangements.

Images should:

be appropriate;
preserve children’s dignity;
not unnecessarily identify personal details about a child;
be stored securely;
not be used for unauthorised purposes; and
not be taken on personal devices where organisational procedures prohibit this.

Parents and carers should be informed about the intended use of photographs and video.

27. Collection and Release of Children

Clever IQ will establish appropriate procedures for the arrival and collection of younger children.

Children should only be released in accordance with arrangements agreed with parents or carers.

If an unfamiliar person attempts to collect a child, or staff have another reason for concern, appropriate verification should take place before the child is released.

Staff should follow agreed procedures where:

a parent is late;
nobody arrives to collect a child;
an unauthorised person attempts collection; or
there are safeguarding concerns regarding the person collecting the child.

28. Attendance and Missing Children

Unexpected or unexplained absence may sometimes be an indicator of a safeguarding concern.

Where attendance patterns give rise to concern, Clever IQ may contact parents or carers and take further safeguarding action where appropriate.

If a child goes missing during a Clever IQ activity, staff should act immediately in accordance with the organisation’s missing-child and emergency procedures.

29. Trips, Visits and Off-Site Activities

Appropriate safeguarding and risk-assessment arrangements should be in place for trips, outdoor activities and off-site learning.

Consideration should be given to:

supervision levels;
travel arrangements;
emergency contact details;
medical information;
first aid;
accessibility;
collection arrangements;
environmental risks; and
the particular needs of individual children.

Safeguarding standards do not change simply because an activity takes place away from the usual teaching environment.

30. First Aid and Medical Emergencies

Clever IQ will make reasonable arrangements for first aid during its activities.

Parents or carers should provide relevant medical and emergency information where required.

Where emergency medical assistance is required, protecting the child’s health and safety takes priority.

Parents or carers should be informed as soon as reasonably practicable.

31. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Safeguarding information should be handled sensitively.

However, confidentiality must never prevent appropriate action being taken to protect a child.

Information should be shared:

when necessary for safeguarding;
with appropriate individuals or agencies;
proportionately; and
in accordance with relevant data-protection requirements.

Staff should never promise a child absolute confidentiality.

32. Safeguarding Records

Safeguarding concerns should be recorded accurately and securely.

Records should include, where relevant:

the date and time;
the nature of the concern;
factual observations;
the child’s own words where possible;
action taken;
decisions made;
referrals or communications; and
the name of the person recording the concern.

Safeguarding records should be stored separately and securely with access restricted to appropriate persons.

33. Working With Parents and Carers

Clever IQ believes that effective safeguarding usually involves constructive partnership with families.

Parents and carers should know:

how Clever IQ approaches safeguarding;
whom they can contact with a concern;
that staff have a duty to report safeguarding concerns; and
that information may sometimes need to be shared with safeguarding agencies.

Where appropriate, parents will be informed before a safeguarding referral is made.

However, Clever IQ may contact safeguarding agencies without first informing a parent or carer where doing so could:

place the child at greater risk;
interfere with an investigation;
place another person at risk; or
otherwise be contrary to safeguarding advice.

34. Teaching Children to Keep Themselves Safe

Safeguarding is also educational.

Through age-appropriate teaching, relationships and everyday practice, we aim to help children develop:

confidence to speak when something feels wrong;
understanding of appropriate boundaries;
respect for themselves and others;
responsible online behaviour;
resilience;
awareness of trusted adults;
healthy decision-making; and
confidence to ask for help.

Children should understand that their voice matters.

35. Immediate Danger

If there is reason to believe that a child is at immediate risk of serious harm, staff should not wait for normal internal procedures where delay would place the child at further risk.

Emergency services should be contacted where necessary.

Police: 999 in an emergency

Concerns about significant harm may also require immediate referral to the relevant local authority children’s social care service.

36. Safeguarding Is Everyone’s Responsibility

Safeguarding cannot rest with one individual.

Everyone working within Clever IQ has a responsibility to notice, listen, record, report and act appropriately.

No concern is too small to share where an adult genuinely feels that something may be wrong.

Our safeguarding culture can be summarised simply:

Notice. Listen. Record. Report. Protect.

The child’s welfare comes first.

37. Review of This Policy

This policy will be reviewed:

at least annually;
following significant changes to legislation or government guidance;
after significant safeguarding incidents where lessons may need to be incorporated;
where Clever IQ introduces new services or ways of working; or
where safeguarding practice indicates that amendments are required.

Clever IQ is committed not merely to having a safeguarding policy, but to maintaining a culture in which safeguarding is understood, practised and taken seriously throughout the organisation.