Child safety is part of the service design.

Purpose

This policy describes the minimum controls used by the study circle to support safe, respectful mentoring.

Core commitments

• Students are treated with dignity, listened to and included in decisions affecting participation.
• Parent or carer consent and student assent are obtained before direct mentor-student communication.
• Mentors complete identity, suitability, reference and required Working with Children Check screening.
• Communication occurs only through approved business-controlled channels that can be supervised and recorded.
• Concerns are documented promptly and access is limited to authorised people.

Communication boundaries

• No personal social-media contact, disappearing messages, personal accounts or undisclosed channels.
• No request for secrecy, private gifts, favouritism, sexualised discussion, romantic contact or relationship outside the mentoring role.
• Messages must relate to study planning, service administration or agreed educational support and occur at approved times.

One-to-one online sessions

• Sessions use an approved calendar and business meeting platform. A parent knows the scheduled time.
• Participants join from an appropriate setting and remain appropriately dressed.
• Recording is off by default. Any recording requires a defined purpose, prior parent consent, student assent, secure storage and a deletion schedule.
• Mentors complete a factual session note and escalate boundary or wellbeing concerns.

If a student shares a safety concern

1. Listen calmly, take the student seriously and do not investigate, promise secrecy or ask leading questions.
2. If immediate danger appears present, contact emergency services on 000 and follow the reviewed urgent procedure.
3. Record the student’s words and relevant facts, separating observation from assumption.
4. Notify the designated Child Safety Lead immediately.
5. The Lead determines parent contact, mandatory reporting, regulatory notification and record preservation using the jurisdiction-specific procedure.

the study circle is not an emergency, counselling or mental-health service.

Mentor concerns and records

Alleged misconduct is escalated immediately. Student contact and access may be suspended while safety, reporting duties, evidence preservation and procedural fairness are addressed. Child-safety records must not be deleted through ordinary customer-cleanup processes.

Raise a concern

Contact the designated Child Safety Lead at nitesh@thestudycircle.com.au or 0422 884 806. For concerns involving that Lead, contact the additional Child Safety Lead at anshu@thestudycircle.com.au.