Targeted Provision - Lone Working Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear guidelines for managing the safety and security of our tutors. Our tutors work independently in various environments, including the homes of young people, public spaces and remotely via online platforms. Lone working is defined as any work activity carried out in isolation from other workers and without direct supervision. This policy is written in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and HSE guidance on the management of lone workers. It should be read alongside the Health and Safety Policy and Risk Assessment Policy.

As per our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, our tutors never work alongside children and young people without another adult present.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all child-facing roles with Targeted Provision, whether delivered via an employee/worker or contractor basis.

Any expectations set out in this document apply to all individuals who deliver services involving children and young people through Targeted Provision, regardless of employment status. They arise from Targeted Provision's statutory and contractual obligations under safeguarding legislation, Health and Safety obligations, and the terms of our contracts with commissioning Local Authorities - not from any exercise of management direction or control over how individuals carry out their work. Compliance with these expectations is a condition of working with Targeted Provision in any capacity and reflects the minimum standards required by law and by the nature of the work, rather than employer-imposed rules of conduct.

3. Risk Assessment

Specific risks surrounding children/young people, where made clear to us at the point of referral, are shared with the tutor via the tutor portal. Targeted Provision Ltd will assess, so far as is reasonably practicable, any known risks relating to the young person or placement prior to sharing this information with the tutor.

Tutors must conduct regular risk assessments to identify specific hazards which may include, but are not limited to workplace violence, medical emergencies and risks specific to home visits or remote teaching. A pro-forma and guidance for completing the risk assessment is available on the Tutor Portal. Assessments should be completed whenever a referral commences and reviewed if there is a significant change in the work environment.

4. Safety Procedures

Pre-session checks: Tutors must inform their trusted contact of their session location, the expected duration of the session, and an agreed check-in time. Where a tutor fails to make contact at the agreed time, the trusted contact should attempt to reach the tutor and, if unsuccessful, contact Targeted Provision Ltd.

Communication: Tutors must have access to a phone to ensure they can call for assistance if needed.

Emergency contacts: All tutors must supply Targeted Provision with the contact details of someone we can contact in an emergency.

First aid: Tutors must carry first aid supplies with them and ensure that an adult is present or nearby (within the home) when tutoring takes place.

If tutors find that there is no additional adult supporting the tuition, whether face to face or online, they must ensure the young person is safe, end the session and contact the additional adult/primary caregiver by phone before leaving the venue or online zoom link, to explain that they cannot undertake tuition if they are not present. If the tutor is unable to contact the additional adult/primary caregiver, they should leave a message and ask them to make contact as soon as possible. The tutor should then report this to TP’s DSL as a safeguarding concern.

Where a tutor assesses that a situation poses an unacceptable risk to their safety or the safety of the young person, they are entitled and expected to withdraw from the session and notify Targeted Provision Ltd immediately. No tutor will be penalised for withdrawing from a situation they reasonably assess to be unsafe.

5. Training

Targeted Provision Ltd requires evidence of equivalent competence prior to commencement of any placement. This may be demonstrated through prior training certificates, professional qualifications or other evidence of relevant experience. It is the responsibility of the self-employed contractor to ensure their competence is current and to source any training or development they require through independent means.

Where Targeted Provision Ltd provides self-employed contractors with compliance briefings, platform inductions or engagement-specific guidance, for example, in relation to the use of the Tutor Portal, the referral process or Targeted Provision's specific reporting procedures, these are provided solely for operational purposes specific to the engagement.

6. Reporting incidents

All security incidents or near misses must be reported the same day to the Safeguarding team via the red button on the tutor portal.

In the event of an immediate threat to safety, tutors should contact emergency services first. Reporting to the Safeguarding team via the tutor portal should follow as soon as it is safe to do so and no later than the end of the same day.

A log of incidents relating to lone working is maintained by the Safeguarding team and reviewed to improve safety measures.

Where an incident may be reportable under RIDDOR, tutors should refer to the Health and Safety Policy for guidance on reporting obligations and timeframes.

7. Support and wellbeing

Tutors have access to Targeted Provision’s Support team who offer debriefing sessions if a tutor has experienced a distressing incident.

8. Review and monitoring

This policy is reviewed every six months to ensure it remains relevant and effective.

All tutors are encouraged to provide feedback to the Support team if they believe that we can provide further lone working support.