How Do You Make Sure the Tutors are Qualified and Safe To Work With My Child?
By Julie Diamond, OCT
Choosing a tutor isn’t just about academics; it’s about trust, safety, and compatibility. At Diamond Teachers Group, we take a rigorous approach to screening every tutor, so parents can feel confident their child is learning with a qualified, professional, and supportive educator.
Here’s how we do it and how you can take extra steps too:
1. All Tutors Are Provincially-Certified Teachers
Every tutor in our network is a certified teacher, meaning they have met provincial teaching standards and are in good standing with their regulatory body. We verify each tutor’s credentials using official online registries:
Alberta: Find a teacher here
British Columbia: Find a teacher here
Ontario: Find a teacher here
Saskatchewan: Find a teacher here
Parents can use these tools to confirm that their tutor is legally qualified and in good standing.
2. Criminal Record Checks
Safety is a top priority. Every tutor completes a criminal record check before joining our team. After that, they submit an annual offence declaration to confirm nothing has changed in their record. This process mirrors what school boards require, ensuring tutors remain safe and accountable year after year.
3. Professional References
Every prospective tutor provides two professional references, usually from administrators or colleagues. These references give us insight into the tutor’s teaching style, reliability, and ability to connect with students.
4. In-Depth Tutor Interviews
In addition to verifying credentials and references, we conduct an in-depth interview with every tutor. During this interview, we ask questions designed to understand their teaching style, strategies, and personality. This helps us determine if they will be a good fit for tutoring in a one-on-one online environment, ensuring they can engage students effectively and adapt to different learning needs.
5. Session Recording and Privacy
To maintain quality and accountability, all tutoring sessions are recorded. Recordings are never shared with tutors, other families, or anyone outside the administration team. Only administrators can view these recordings to monitor quality and provide support when needed, giving parents reassurance that sessions are professional and secure.
6. Privacy and Confidentiality
Tutors can see your email address and phone number if needed, but cannot view your payment information. Administrators only see the last four digits of your card, and all payment information is entered securely on your end. Providing us with your address or additional information is optional, which gives you control over your personal information.
7. Tips for Parents When Choosing a Tutor
Even with our thorough screening, parents can take extra steps to ensure a safe and productive experience:
Check Certification: Use provincial registries to confirm the tutor is in good standing as a teacher. This is optional but ensures that the tutor knows the curriculum and how to break it down to teach the material to different learners.
Ask About Experience: Ask the tutor about experience with your child’s grade level or learning needs.
Request References: Even if a service has screened the tutor, personal references can provide reassurance and validate their credibility.
Clarify Privacy Policies: Know what personal information the tutor can access about you and your family.
Observe Sessions: If possible, sit in on the first session to see how the tutor interacts with your child. Ask if they offer a trial or free session to give you and your child the opportunity to meet the tutor without obligation. At DTG, we offer a free Meet and Greet which is about 15 minutes and gives you the chance to meet the tutor and check out the online tutoring platform.
Ask About Strategies: Good tutors can explain how they approach learning challenges or support executive functioning skills.
8. Why Our Screening Matters
Some tutoring services do not verify credentials or conduct thorough background checks. We take a different approach because learning is personal and students thrive when guided by qualified, trustworthy educators. Our process ensures verified teaching credentials, ongoing safety checks, professional accountability, privacy safeguards, and secure session monitoring.
Choosing a tutor is about more than academic skills. It is about trust, safety, and reliability. At Diamond Teachers Group, we combine rigorous screening, professional references, criminal record checks, in-depth interviews, session recording protocols, and privacy safeguards to give parents peace of mind. You can even verify your tutor’s credentials yourself using the official provincial registries for Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Taking these steps ensures your child is learning in a safe, effective, and supportive environment.