In-Home and Centre Safety Policy
Purpose
This policy sets out how a TutorMunk session is run safely, in a family home and at our centre. It protects the student first, and it also protects the tutor, who is often working alone in someone else's house.
It applies to every tutor and staff member and forms part of the Tutor Engagement Agreement. It is also given to families at enrolment, because several of the rules only work if the family plays their part.
The Non-Negotiables
Five rules apply to every session, every time. There is no session important enough to break one.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| A responsible adult is present in the home for the whole session | A tutor is never alone in a house with a child |
| Sessions happen in an open, accessible area, never a bedroom | Visibility is the single most effective safeguard |
| No closed doors | At home or at the centre, the tutor is always able to be seen |
| No tutor transports a student in a vehicle | No exceptions, including an emergency. Call the parent |
| No private contact and no private tutoring | Everything goes through TutorMunk, where the safeguards apply |
If a rule cannot be met, the session does not go ahead. A tutor who ends a session for this reason has done the right thing and will be supported.
In-Home Sessions
Before the Session
- Confirm the address, the time and the adult who will be present.
- Arrive on time. Do not arrive early without agreement and do not wait inside.
- Park legally and considerately, on the street where possible.
- Do not enter the home unless a responsible adult is present.
The Working Area
The session takes place at a table in an open, accessible part of the home, such as a dining room, kitchen or lounge room. The area must be reasonably quiet, adequately lit, free from hazards, and free of smoking or vaping during the session. Dogs and other animals must be secured away from the working area. Bedrooms are never used, and doors to the working area stay open.
During the Session
- A responsible adult remains in the home throughout. If that adult leaves, the session stops.
- The tutor does not go into other parts of the home except to use a bathroom, and asks first.
- The tutor does not accept food or drink beyond a glass of water or a cup of tea, and never accepts money, gifts or loans.
- The tutor does not use the family's computer or accounts, and does not photograph the student or their work without written parental consent.
- If another adult in the home behaves in a way that makes the tutor uncomfortable, the tutor ends the session politely and reports it.
Ending the Session
The tutor completes the session record, covering what was taught and what to practise, and the responsible adult signs it. The signature confirms the session took place, for how long, and that an adult was present throughout. The signed record is returned to TutorMunk.
Students Aged 16 and Over
A student aged 16 or over may be tutored without an adult present only where the parent or guardian has given written permission in advance and TutorMunk has recorded it. Every other rule in this policy still applies, including the open area, the open door and the session record.
Group Sessions in a Home
Where a small group session takes place in a family home, the host family's responsible adult is present throughout, and every other family must have consented in writing to their child attending that address. All other rules apply unchanged.
Centre Sessions
Sessions at TutorMunk Gregory Hills, The HUB, 31 Lasso Road, Gregory Hills NSW 2557 run on the same principles.
- Rooms used for tutoring are visible from outside through a window or internal glazing, or the door stays open.
- A student is never taken to a part of the centre out of sight of others.
- Students are signed in on arrival and signed out on collection.
- A student is released only to a parent, guardian, or an adult the family has authorised in writing. If an unknown adult arrives, the student is not released until we have spoken to the parent.
- Group sessions are capped at six students in the same stage.
- A student who is not collected is supervised by a staff member in a visible area until the family is reached.
- A staff member may observe any session at any time.
Arrival, Departure and Supervision
Families must tell us in advance who will be present at an in-home session, and who is authorised to collect a student from the centre. Changes must be given in writing. A tutor may decline to start or continue a session where the arrangements do not match what was agreed.
Illness and Hygiene
- A tutor who is unwell with a contagious illness must not attend. Tell TutorMunk as early as possible so the session can be moved.
- Families should not proceed with a session where the student is unwell. Tell us as soon as you reasonably can and we will normally reschedule without penalty.
- Tutors wash or sanitise hands on arrival and take reasonable hygiene precautions.
Injury, Incident and Emergency
If a student is injured or becomes unwell during a session, the tutor alerts the adult present immediately, or at the centre alerts a staff member and contacts the family. In an emergency, call 000 first.
Every incident, injury, near miss or property damage is reported to TutorMunk the same day by email to hello@tutormunk.com.au, recording the date, time, location, who was present, what happened, what was done and who was notified. Incidents are reviewed and the record is kept.
Tutor Safety
Tutors work alone in unfamiliar homes, and their safety matters too.
- TutorMunk holds the address and time of every scheduled in-home session.
- A tutor may leave any situation where they feel unsafe, without warning and without needing permission, and must report it as soon as they are safe.
- A tutor is never required to enter a home where no responsible adult is present.
- A tutor may decline a placement where the environment is unsafe, and will not be disadvantaged for doing so.
- Concerns about aggression, intoxication, unsecured animals or unsafe premises are reported and acted on, and we will not send the tutor back until it is resolved.
Photography and Recording
No tutor may photograph, film or record a student, a student's work, or any part of a home, without the written consent of the parent or guardian. Students must not photograph or record the tutor.
What Families Need to Provide
- A responsible adult present for the whole session.
- A suitable, quiet working area at a table in an open part of the home.
- Safe access and somewhere sensible to park.
- Animals secured away from the working area.
- A smoke free and vape free room during the session.
- Notice of anything that affects safety, including illness in the home.
If these are not in place, the tutor will not be able to run the session, and the session is treated as a late cancellation under the Cancellation and Refund Policy.
Breach of This Policy
A breach by a tutor is a material breach of the Tutor Engagement Agreement and may result in immediate termination. Where a family cannot or will not meet the requirements in section 11 after we have raised it with them, we may end the enrolment.
Review
This policy is reviewed every six months and immediately after any incident. It is owned and approved by Indy Singh.
Contact Us
Email: hello@tutormunk.com.au
Phone: 1300 00MUNK (1300 006 865)
Business address: Level 27, International Towers, 100 Barangaroo Avenue, Sydney NSW 2000
Tutoring centre: TutorMunk Gregory Hills, The HUB, 31 Lasso Road, Gregory Hills NSW 2557
Website: tutormunk.com.au