Call to tighten law enabling sex abusers to work as tutors

More than 90 private tutors in the UK have been convicted of sexual offences involving children over the past 20 years, the BBC has found.

The children’s commissioner for England is now calling – in light of our findings – for reform of the system, which doesn’t require people offering private lessons to be checked before working with young people.

Dame Rachel de Souza says private tutors should undergo the same checks as teachers.

Research published in 2023 by the educational charity, the Sutton Trust, suggested that 30% of 11–16-year-olds in the UK had received private tutoring at some point.

Jane (not her real name) found out that the man who had tutored her daughter had touched her sexually.

He had been tutoring her and a number of other children in his own home for several years.

Jane only found out after her daughter finally broke down and told her.

She felt she had failed as a parent in the most basic duty of keeping her child safe: “It was one of those ‘bottom falling out of your world’ moments.”

“I guess I kind of assumed there was some sort of protection in place,” says Jane.

Teachers in schools must undergo what are known as enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) background checks. These reveal details of any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer.

However, there is no legal obligation for private tutors to undergo any background checks or be qualified to teach.

The Tutors Association, which represents more than 50,000 tutors across the UK, does require all its members to have enhanced DBS checks and follow a strict code of conduct.

But its president, John Nichols, says the current legal situation can’t be allowed to continue: “Anyone could call themselves a tutor, in any subject, and advertise themselves as such, regardless of their suitability.”

Mr Nichols says he has written to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, to ask that DBS checks become mandatory for anyone seeking to operate as a professional tutor.

Unless a tutor is registered with an agency requiring background checks, parents have no easy way to check if they have previous convictions.

One mother told us she had been advised to go to her local police station to consult the Sex Offenders’ Register.

The BBC investigation has found that, over the past 20 years in the UK, 92 private tutors have been convicted of sexual offences involving children.

The figures were obtained by combing through newspaper reports and court filings. They are likely to be an underestimate.

Men such as Thomas Rodgers, a music tutor who was found guilty of abusing two boys aged under 11.

Rodgers was convicted in December 2023 at Snaresbrook Crown Court in East London, but continued to offer private music lessons until he was given a four-year prison sentence in January 2024 (later reduced to two years).

Under the current law, Rodgers could offer tutoring on his release from prison, with no obligation to undergo checks.

George (not his real name) was one of the boys abused by Rodgers.

He is now an adult, and is appalled that Rodgers might be able to tutor children in the future and that parents may not know about his background.

“He’s never admitted what he’s done. He’s been in complete denial.”

“They can literally open up a door and send their kid in with someone that’s done these horrific crimes. It’s just insane,” he says.

George feels the law needs immediate reform: “The system’s 100% broken, and it needs change before there’s serious damage done to other children.”

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The Childrens Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, describes the present situation as “shocking”.

“Anybody who is working one-on-one with a child as a tutor, should have a DBS criminal record check. It’s an absolute basic minimum.”

She believes the government could quickly move to close the loophole and require checks for private tutors.

“This is about keeping children safe. It’s about safeguarding, it’s a number one priority.”

The Department for Education, which covers England, has told us that ministers are considering what further action might be appropriate “to protect children from harm across all out-of-school settings, including private tutors”.

In the meantime they recommend that parents follow the government’s safeguarding guidance to help them choose tutors, and to ask whether they have been DBS-checked.

Jane wants the system reformed as soon as possible.

“When you hire a tutor to help your child, it’s like this dreadful irony that you can be putting them in the worst danger of your life.

“It would be almost comical if it wasn’t so tragic.”