Guide · For parents

Does my child's tutor have to report to the council?

No. Nothing in the 2026 Act makes tutors or groups report on families. Once the Act is in force, a provider who teaches your child above a set amount of time, without you involved, can be required to answer a council's notice. The answer is limited to a few facts.

Last checked 10 November 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Answering is not reporting

The duty is reactive. A provider does nothing unless a council serves a notice. There is no duty to volunteer information, and no routine returns.

Which providers

Only those who teach your child:

for more than a prescribed amount of time, which is not yet set
while no parent is actively involved in the tuition or supervision

A weekly lesson you sit in on is outside it. A setting where you drop your child for full days may be inside it.

What they can be asked for

your child's name
date of birth
home address
total time with the provider
time without a parent actively involved

Not on the list: your child's work, their progress, the provider's opinion of them, or anything about your family.

How the council knows who to ask

Mostly from you. Register information includes the providers who teach your child above the set time. The council can then check with the provider.

Do I have to consent?

No. Once the duty is in force, a provider who is properly served must answer. The Act also says a disclosure it requires does not breach a duty of confidence.

A good provider will still tell you in advance that this could happen, and tell you if it does.

Can a provider refuse to protect us?

They would risk a monetary penalty. It is unfair to expect that of a tutor or a volunteer-run group.

What you can do

Ask your providers what they record about your child.
Ask whether they will tell you if a council contacts them.
If you stay and take part in sessions, make sure that is noted. That time does not count towards the provider duty.

Safeguarding is separate

Anyone working with children may pass on a genuine concern about a child's safety. That has always been so and is not part of this duty.