TripPA Safeguarding Policy

Last updated: 4th May 2025

1. Purpose

TripPA Ltd is committed to safeguarding children and young people. While we do not provide direct educational or care services, our platform is used by schools, teachers, and parents to manage school trips, and may contain or display data relating to children. This policy outlines our approach to ensuring safeguarding risks are identified, responded to appropriately, and referred to the correct authority when necessary.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All TripPA staff and contractors
  • Any interactions with data or content involving children
  • Any safeguarding concerns that may be raised by users via the platform

3. Our Position on Safeguarding

TripPA:

  • Does not supervise or have direct contact with children
  • Acts as a Data Processor for subscribing schools, who remain responsible for safeguarding their pupils
  • Acts as a Data Controller for trial users using only sample student data
  • May display user-generated content (e.g. via the “Moments” feature), which could reference or include children

Although we do not act in a safeguarding capacity, we recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

4. Staff Checks and Training

  • All TripPA employees undergo Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
  • We encourage a culture of awareness and responsibility regarding user content and behaviour.

5. Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

TripPA is not responsible for investigating safeguarding matters but will act in a proportionate and responsible manner if concerns arise.

If a safeguarding concern is identified (e.g. through user-uploaded content, support tickets, or other reports), TripPA will:

  1. Log the concern internally
  2. Immediately refer it to the appropriate party, such as:

    • The subscribing school’s safeguarding lead
    • The user’s school or organisation, if known
    • Local authorities or the police, if there is an imminent risk of harm and no responsible organisation is identifiable

If the concern relates to a trial user and cannot be referred to a school, TripPA will assess the need to contact the police or other relevant authorities.

TripPA will not attempt to investigate concerns.

6. User Content and Platform Monitoring

  • TripPA reserves the right to moderate or remove any content uploaded to the platform that appears to breach safeguarding principles.
  • Users are encouraged to report any content or behaviour they believe may pose a safeguarding risk via our in-app support tools or by emailing info@trippa.net.

7. Data Protection

TripPA processes personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Any safeguarding concerns involving data subjects will be managed in line with our Data Breach Response Plan and Subject Access Request (SAR) Policy.

8. Review and Oversight

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if there are changes in legislation or safeguarding expectations in the education technology sector.

For questions about this policy, contact info@trippa.net.