Safe by design, not by default.
Working with 13–16 year olds in paid work demands more than goodwill. Every Second Corner placement is wrapped in layered, named, accountable safeguards — and a single clear route to raise a concern.
Workplace vetting
Every workplace is visited, risk-assessed and document-checked before a young person sets foot in it. Insurance, supervision ratios, age-appropriate tasks, by-law compliance with the local council, and DBS status of supervising adults are all verified.
Named mentor & supervision
Every young person has a named mentor and a named on-site supervisor. The mentor knows them by name, hears from them weekly, and is the first call if anything feels off. No placement runs without both adults in place.
Weekly check-ins
Lightweight check-ins with the young person, the workplace and the guardian — separately. Anything that comes up is logged, triaged and resolved within a defined response window.
Council work permits & by-laws
Under-16 paid work in England & Wales requires a local council child employment permit. We obtain the permit for every placement and stay within the hours, time-of-day and type-of-work limits set by the relevant by-laws.
Concern reporting
A clear, plain-English route for raising a concern — open to the young person, the guardian, the workplace, mentors and the public. Anything safeguarding-relevant is escalated to a designated safeguarding lead within 24 hours.
Right to withdraw
The young person or their guardian can end a placement at any point, with no questions asked and no penalty. The placement closes within 24 hours and the stipend earned to that point is still paid in full.
Raise a concern
If something feels wrong — at a workplace, in a check-in, online, or anywhere in between — write to our designated safeguarding lead at safeguarding@secondcorner.co.uk. We respond within 24 hours, and you can stay anonymous.
In an emergency, always call 999. To report concerns about a child outside Second Corner, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.
Detailed policies
For partners, parents, regulators and anyone who wants the full picture.