Safeguarding Policy

Corestone Education Safeguarding Policy

Last Updated: August 11, 2025

At Corestone Education, the safety and well-being of our students are our highest priorities. This policy is designed to create a secure, respectful, and supportive online learning environment for all students and is in compliance with the laws of Nova Scotia and Canada, including the Children and Family Services Act and the Criminal Code of Canada.

About Corestone Education

Corestone Education is a Nova Scotia, Canada Registered Business (#4737934) that connects tutors, counselors, and speakers with clients and manages sessions, projects, and related administration.

1. Policy Scope & Legal Principles

This policy applies to all Corestone Education tutors, staff, students, and clients. We are committed to upholding our legal and ethical duty of care to protect children from harm.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All individuals involved with Corestone Education have a legal and moral obligation to prioritize student welfare and take immediate action on any safeguarding concern.

2. Tutor & Staff Responsibilities

All tutors and staff must:

Ensure the safety and well-being of all students at all times.
Maintain strict professional boundaries in all communications and sessions. Contact with students must be limited to the professional context of tutoring or counseling.
Conduct all lessons exclusively through the approved Corestone Education platforms (e.g., Google Classroom). Personal contact details (email, phone, social media) must not be exchanged with students.
Foster a safe, inclusive environment free from discrimination, harassment, abuse, or any other inappropriate behaviour as defined by Canadian law.
Disclose any criminal convictions, investigations, or other concerns that may affect their suitability to work with young people.
Face-to-face meetings are strictly prohibited unless specifically authorized in writing by Corestone Education and the client, with appropriate safeguards in place.

3. Fair Treatment & Non-Discrimination

Every student must be treated fairly and with respect, without regard to their background, ability, gender, race, or any other personal characteristic. Tutors must be particularly attentive to the needs of students who may be vulnerable due to age, disability, or other factors.

4. Session Safety & Monitoring

For the safety of all parties and for quality assurance, all tutoring sessions conducted on our platforms may be recorded. Students and their parents or guardians will be notified of this recording prior to the session. These recordings will be stored securely and handled in accordance with Corestone Education’s Privacy Policy.

5. Reporting & Handling Safeguarding Concerns

This section is the most critical part of our policy.

Duty to Report: Under the Nova Scotia Children and Family Services Act, anyone who has reasonable grounds to believe a child is in need of protection has a legal duty to report that suspicion directly to the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services (or the relevant child protection authority in the student’s home province or territory).
Corestone Reporting: You must also inform Corestone Education of any such report you make. The report should be sent as soon as possible to contact@corestone.education and should include the nature of the concern, names of those involved, relevant dates/times, and any supporting information.
Immediate Risk: If a student is at immediate risk of harm, you must contact local emergency services (e.g., 911) first, and then inform Corestone Education.
Confidentiality: All reports will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. Information will only be shared on a strict need-to-know basis as required by law.
Non-Retaliation: Retaliation against anyone making a safeguarding report in good faith is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action.

6. Vetting & Suitability

All tutors undergo a rigorous vetting process, which includes a detailed interview and, where required by law or client request, a Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Check. Tutors are required to keep Corestone Education informed of any new criminal convictions or investigations that could affect their role.

7. Record-Keeping & Compliance

Safeguarding concerns and the actions taken will be securely documented and retained in accordance with legal requirements and Corestone Education’s Privacy Policy. All records will be maintained for the period required by law and will be disposed of securely thereafter.

8. Enforcement

Compliance with this policy is mandatory. Breaches may result in immediate suspension or removal from Corestone Education services and, where appropriate, may be referred to the relevant law enforcement or child protection authorities.

For Questions or to Report a Concern:

Corestone Education: contact@corestone.education
To Report a Child Protection Concern (Nova Scotia):
- Department of Community Services: 1-833-922-2434 (Toll-Free, 24/7)
- In case of an emergency, call 911.