Grinds - child protection

linguist

Just wondering what people's general approach is to the issue of child protection when giving grinds.

I would never give them in my own home but the issue is what arrangements are appropriate when going to the student's home. Is a parent usually present? I imagine this can be difficult with the hours some people work.

Would this situation be appropriate - two LC students together in one of their homes with a parent present where possible but at least with three people in the room there is a 'witness'?

I would really appreciate advice and experience from colleagues.

byhookorbycrook

I presume you have garda clearance? I certainly wouldn't give a grind unless a parent were in the house and there's no need for a parent to sit in on the grind, just keep the door ajar.

spurious

I would insist on a parent being present in the house/flat with a door open. Too easy to leave yourself open to trouble.

linguist

Yes, absolutely Garda vetted. I'm a teacher. I haven't given grinds in a very long time, however I have had a couple of approaches recently and I haven't made a decision yet.

The door ajar etc is exactly what I would have done. I'm well used to extra-curricular/after school work with my own students. However, I know that lots of people give grinds in people's homes and I'm genuinely unsure of what arrangements tend to apply. In the distant past, when I used to give grinds, things were definitely more lax and there would have been cases where the parents might have been in and out (it tended to be Saturday mornings) - but this is 15-20 years ago, long before the current vetting standards and child protection procedures were in place.

I greatly appreciate those replies. If anyone else with experience of going to students' homes can add something, I'd appreciate it.

AJG

Yeah it's a bit of tightrope situation alright. I work as a private tutor internationally and would work in households where parent's are rarely present. It would generally be me teaching in the family home one to one. I always tutor in a room with the door ajar or in a general living area (kitchen, living area, etc.).

There would also be cases where one or two siblings are in the house while I'm tutoring but in that case there would be a nanny/au-pair/governess present somewhere in the house (these are rarely small houses ). I'm Garda Vetted and DBS/CRB vetted (U.K) and have attended child protection training but in my case from what I can gather the children of the families I work for are used to parent's being rarely present and are used to being left alone with nannies/governesses.

I always err on the side of caution though and try to make the places I tutor as transparent or open as possible.

Geuze

Ah is this the way things are gone now.........................


The odd time, maybe once a year, a parent contacts me looking for tuition.

What is being discussed here never, ever crosses my mind.


I go to their house, meet the parent, [who I may know a small bit before], and go into the room, and sit down at a desk with the LC student.

In other occasions, with 3rd level students, I've gone to a flat to meet two of them, again, this issue never crossed my mind.

icebergiceberg

Geuze wrote: »

Ah is this the way things are gone now.........................


The odd time, maybe once a year, a parent contacts me looking for tuition.

What is being discussed here never, ever crosses my mind.


I go to their house, meet the parent, [who I may know a small bit before], and go into the room, and sit down at a desk with the LC student.

In other occasions, with 3rd level students, I've gone to a flat to meet two of them, again, this issue never crossed my mind.

Thems were the days.

But times and tide wait for no man and we have to move with them.
And rightly so.

linguist

Geuze wrote: »

Ah is this the way things are gone now.........................

And my post was in no way meant to be a criticism of that. Things have gone this way now because a lot of children were abused in this country in the past - including by people in teaching - and never let us forget that.

As other respondents have helpfully stated, it's all about not leaving oneself open to suspicion or allegations. What strikes me is that a lot of kids seem to have grinds from other teachers in the late afternoon which raises the question as to whether a parent is always there. Specifically, what I was wondering is whether taking two students together would be an acceptable way around a parent not being able to supervise since you would effectively have a 'witness' in that scenario. However I'm getting the impression people wouldn't favour that. Thanks again to all who've responded.

PaulieBoy

You could just record, on audio even, the whole session on your phone. No arguing with that!
You shouldn't have to do such a thing but in this day and age it would make for a rock solid insurance policy. And a free one at that!