Fees, policies & safety
Protecting Yourself and the Student: Safety, Boundaries, and Integrity
Safeguarding essentials — boundaries with minors, Hong Kong child-protection duties under Cap. 650, escalation protocols, objective documentation, and academic-integrity rules.
By MatchMax Team · 3 min read· Updated Oct 2026
Tutors must protect the student, the tutor, and MatchMax by maintaining boundaries, documenting concerns objectively, and escalating according to verified MatchMax guidance.
Protect Students and Maintain Boundaries
- Transparent communication: No secret or disappearing messages with minors.
- Safe teaching space: For home lessons with minors, ensure an appropriate study space and a responsible adult's presence.
- Privacy: Share student information and work only for authorised purposes. Do not record lessons without required consent.
- Ask for support: Contact MatchMax if you are unsure what to do or face inappropriate requests, harassment, or unsafe behaviour.
Child Protection & Cap. 650
Independent private tutors are excluded from the statutory list of mandated reporters who face criminal penalties under Hong Kong's Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance, but tutors still operate under an ethical duty to report suspected abuse to the Social Welfare Department.
Home-alone protocol: If a child under 12 is unaccompanied by an adult:
- Keep the main front door latched or open to the hallway if safe.
- Maintain instruction in open living spaces.
- Immediately contact the parent to confirm arrival times.
Risk Categories and Escalation Actions
| Risk category | Observable indicators | Immediate escalation protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Abuse | Unexplained patterned bruising (matching canes or belts), symmetrical scalds, cigarette burns, severe regressions in behavior, intense flinching. | Document objectively. Notify MatchMax Admin. Report to SWD (2343 2255) using verified current contact details. |
| Severe Neglect | Severe malnutrition, untreated injuries, or young primary students consistently left home alone. | Ensure immediate safety. Keep instructional spaces open. Notify MatchMax Admin. |
| Imminent Danger | Active physical violence or immediate threat to the child's life. | Call Hong Kong Police at 999 immediately. |
Documentation standard: Record objectively observed facts, dates, times, exact words, and visible conditions. Avoid assumptions, emotional labels, diagnoses, and unverified conclusions. Safety concerns should be reported promptly and confidentially to MatchMax, rather than in the group chat.
Decision Tree Utilization: Tutors are encouraged to utilize the SWD's E-version of Decision Trees, an analytical framework provided by the government to help evaluate the severity and primary concern of a given scenario.
A flowchart mapping: Observe indicator (injury, neglect, danger, disclosure, unsafe setting) → Immediate danger? → (Yes) Call 999 immediately / (No) Document objectively and inform MatchMax → Report or escalate to the appropriate authority according to verified MatchMax policy.
Academic Integrity
Tutors must never draft, rewrite, or directly produce assessed coursework for a student to submit, including:
- IB Extended Essay
- HKDSE SBA
- TOK or other assessed submissions
Check school and examination-board rules before helping with graded assignments—including feedback and editing. Tutors may support students by:
- Helping formulate research questions
- Discussing structure
- Evaluating outlines created by the student
- Asking guiding questions
- Teaching relevant skills
- Demonstrating how to improve future independent work
Related guides
- Lesson safety and supervision guidelines
- The 1.5-lesson admin fee and unlocking parent contact
- Confirm lesson dates, reschedules, and tutor sick days
Still stuck? Email contact@matchmax.hk or message the MatchMax team on WhatsApp. — MatchMax Team
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