1. Policy statement
TELT (TransformELT Ltd) is an education consultancy that provides teacher professional development, programme design and English language teaching consultancy to ministries of education, institutional partners and international organisations. While TELT does not provide services directly to children, our work in education systems means that children are the ultimate beneficiaries of our programmes. We recognise our responsibility to ensure that our operations, and the conduct of all personnel engaged in our work, do not cause harm to children, young people, vulnerable adults, or any other person.
The purpose of this policy is:
- to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults who are affected by TELT’s work, including the children of adults who participate in our programmes
- to provide all staff, associate consultants and partners with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection
This policy applies to all TELT staff, associate consultants, contractors and any other person acting on TELT’s behalf, in all operating contexts.
2. Our commitment
We believe that:
- children, young people and vulnerable adults should never experience abuse of any kind
- we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults, to keep them safe and to work in ways that protect them
We recognise that:
- the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
- all children, young people and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
- some children, young people and vulnerable adults are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other factors
- working in partnership with children, young people and vulnerable adults, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting welfare
TELT has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and for all other forms of harm to children, young people and vulnerable adults. Any breach of this policy will be treated as a serious matter and may result in immediate removal from TELT’s work and referral to the appropriate authorities.
3. Definitions
For the purposes of this policy:
- Child: any person under the age of 18, regardless of the age of majority in the country of operation
- Vulnerable adult: a person aged 18 or over who has care and support needs and who may be unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect because of those needs
- Safeguarding: the actions taken to promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and to protect them from harm
- Sexual exploitation: any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust for sexual purposes, including profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another
- Sexual abuse: the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions
- Sexual harassment: any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected to cause offence or humiliation
- Harm: physical, emotional or sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation, or any other action that results in actual or potential damage to a person’s health, development or dignity
4. How we keep people safe
We will seek to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe by:
- valuing, listening to and respecting them
- appointing a Designated Safeguarding Lead with responsibility for safeguarding across all of TELT’s operations
- adopting safeguarding best practice throughout our policies, procedures and standards of conduct for all staff and associates
- requiring all associate consultants to read, understand and sign this policy and TELT’s code of conduct as a condition of engagement
- recruiting and selecting staff and associates safely, ensuring appropriate pre-engagement checks are carried out
- providing safeguarding induction for all staff and associates, with periodic refresher training
- assessing safeguarding risks at the programme level, taking account of the operating context, the nature of the work and the populations affected
- recording, storing and using safeguarding information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation
- making sure that anyone affected by our work knows how to raise a concern
- using our safeguarding procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies and authorities who need to know
- managing any allegations against staff or associates promptly and thoroughly
- ensuring that effective complaints and whistleblowing measures are in place
- building a safeguarding culture where all personnel treat each other and those they encounter through TELT’s work with respect and dignity
5. Reporting concerns
If you have a safeguarding concern — whether about something you have witnessed, something that has been disclosed to you, or an allegation against a member of staff or associate — you should report it immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Sarah Mount, Operations Director
Email: [governance@teltglobal.com] — mark your message “Safeguarding — Confidential”
If the concern involves the Designated Safeguarding Lead, contact Alan Pulverness, Academic Director, at [apulverness@teltglobal.com].
What happens when a concern is raised:
- All safeguarding concerns will be taken seriously, recorded and treated in confidence
- The Designated Safeguarding Lead will assess the concern and determine the appropriate course of action, which may include referral to relevant local authorities or law enforcement in the country of operation
- Where a concern relates to a programme commissioned by a client organisation, TELT will notify the commissioning client in accordance with contractual obligations
- Where an investigation is required, TELT will refer the matter to appropriate external specialists or authorities — TELT does not conduct internal investigations into safeguarding allegations
- TELT will cooperate fully with any external investigation
Whistleblowing protection: TELT is committed to ensuring that anyone who raises a safeguarding concern in good faith will not be subjected to any form of retaliation, disciplinary action or disadvantage. This protection applies equally to staff, associates, partners and any other person.
External reporting:
- NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000
- In an emergency, contact the police on 999 (UK) or the local emergency number in the country of operation
6. Recruitment and vetting
TELT takes reasonable steps to ensure that all personnel engaged in its work are suitable to work in contexts where they may have contact with or affect the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Pre-engagement checks for staff and associate consultants include, as appropriate to the role and programme context:
- verification of identity and qualifications
- a minimum of two professional references, including from the most recent employer or engagement
- self-declaration regarding any criminal convictions, disciplinary actions or safeguarding concerns
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where the role meets the threshold for regulated activity or where the programme context requires it
- for associates who have lived outside the UK for six months or more in the past five years, overseas police certificates or certificates of good character from the relevant countries
TELT will not knowingly engage any person who is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
7. International delivery
TELT delivers programmes across diverse legal, cultural and social contexts. Our safeguarding standards apply wherever we operate. Where local legislation provides greater protection than UK law, we will comply with the higher standard.
When working internationally, TELT will:
- identify the relevant safeguarding and child protection reporting obligations in each country of operation before programme delivery begins
- ensure that all personnel deployed to a programme are briefed on the specific safeguarding considerations for that operating context
- assess safeguarding risks as part of programme-level risk management, taking account of factors including the security environment, the availability of local protection services and the populations affected by the programme
- where local child protection or adult safeguarding services are weak or absent, escalate concerns to the commissioning client and seek specialist external support
8. Training
All TELT staff and associate consultants engaged in programme delivery will receive safeguarding awareness training as part of their induction. This covers the content of this policy, TELT’s code of conduct, how to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns, and the reporting procedures set out in Section 5.
Safeguarding training will be refreshed periodically and updated when this policy is reviewed or when significant changes occur in TELT’s operating contexts.
9. Related policies
This policy should be read alongside:
10. Review
This policy is reviewed annually by the Directors and updated as required to reflect changes in legislation, sector standards or TELT’s operating contexts.
Current version approved by Sarah Mount, Director, on 19 April 2026.
11. Contact us
TELT (TransformELT Ltd)
6 Hamilton Court, Trafalgar Square, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 7WS
Company No. 10684195, registered in England and Wales
Safeguarding concerns: [governance@teltglobal.com] — mark “Safeguarding — Confidential”
General enquiries: [governance@teltglobal.com]
Website: teltglobal.com
NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000
