Professional Security Magazine Online: Why Private Tutors Must Be Held to the Same Safeguarding Standards as Schools

Originally posted on Professional Security Magazine Online, written by Susie Thomson COO.

A recent BBC investigation into safeguarding failures in the private tutoring industry has uncovered a deeply concerning issue that I, and many in the security sector, have been warning about for years. A man charged with sexual assault continued to advertise as a tutor for children despite bail conditions preventing him from having contact with minors. Another tutor, banned from teaching due to inappropriate behaviour, was offering one-to-one online sessions with children.

These cases are not just isolated incidents; they reflect a systemic failure to regulate an industry that works with one of the most vulnerable groups in society – our children!

This investigation reveals a massive hole in safeguarding — a gap that has persisted for far too long. The absence of legal requirements for private tutors to undergo background checks or hold any teaching qualifications leaves the door wide open for individuals with harmful intentions to exploit children. In the UK, anyone can simply label themselves a tutor, set up a website or sign up to a platform, and start working with children, without any oversight or scrutiny. This lack of regulation, especially when it comes to self-employed tutors, is putting children at unnecessary risk.

Read the full article HERE.

The time has come for a robust legal framework that not only protects children but also supports legitimate tutors in proving their commitment to safety. The BBC’s investigation should serve as a wake-up call: if we don’t act now, we will continue to leave children exposed to unnecessary and unacceptable risks.

Originally posted on Professional Security Magazine Online, written by Susie Thomson COO.