Checking a private tutor: a verification and child-safety checklist for Hong Kong parents

What a profile can and cannot tell you

A tutor profile is a set of claims, not facts. Qualifications, experience, and current enrolment or employment are entered by the tutor, and the platform does not verify them for you.

Even if you confirm every claim, the result only shows that the claims are true. It does not measure teaching quality and cannot guarantee your child's safety during or after lessons. The purpose of checking is to remove the claims you cannot confirm, so the decision rests on verifiable facts plus your own observation of the lessons.

On cost: one evening of checks before the first lesson is cheaper than discovering a problem after several months of fees.

Identity, certificates and references: what to ask for

Meet the tutor once before lessons start; if you prefer, arrange it somewhere another adult is present. At that meeting:

• Check the tutor's Hong Kong identity card against the name on the profile.
• Ask to see originals, not photos: DSE result slip, degree certificate, language or teaching certificates.
• For a claim of current university enrolment, ask for a student card or recent enrolment record.
• For a claim of currently teaching at a school, be more careful: ask what proof the tutor can offer. Reluctance to show anything is itself a signal.
• Ask for contact details of one or two families the tutor has taught, and call them yourself. Ask three things: what the tutor did well, what they were not satisfied with, and whether they would hire again.

The Sexual Conviction Record Check (SCRC): how a parent makes the request

The Hong Kong Police Force states that an individual employer, including a parent or guardian engaging a private tutor, may ask a prospective self-employed tutor to undergo the Sexual Conviction Record Check at an advanced stage of selection. The scheme is voluntary: the eligible tutor submits the application, while the parent provides documentary proof of possible employment.

After accepting the application, Police issues the tutor a checking code for the employer to verify under the current procedure. Eligibility, documents and steps can change, so read the current Police page, "Sexual Conviction Record Check: Frequently Asked Questions", together before starting.

Two limits to keep in mind. First, the check covers Hong Kong records only, not overseas records or unreported history. Second, a result with no convictions says nothing about future conduct. Treat it as one input among several, not a guarantee.

First lessons, boundaries and records

Verification does not end before the first lesson. The arrangement itself matters just as much:

• Home lessons: hold them in the living room or another common area, not the child's bedroom. Stay within earshot for the first few lessons, and keep checking in afterwards.
• Online lessons: have your child work in a common area with the door open; agree in advance whether lessons may be recorded and who keeps any recording.
• Personal data: the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data advises parents to minimise children's personal data and use restrictive privacy settings. A contact number and a name are enough; leave out the school name, home address and photos.
• Fees: agree them directly with the tutor — HKTutorPro does not set or collect fees — and keep a simple record afterwards: transfer receipts, dates and hours. If a dispute ever arises, these records are your evidence.
• Important claims in writing: the Consumer Council advises consumers to obtain written confirmation of important service claims. One short message is enough: "Please confirm in writing that you are a final-year student at [university] and have tutoured DSE maths for three years." A reply saying "confirmed" is your record.

When the details do not match

People change surnames after marriage, lose certificates, and misremember their own grades. So when something does not match the first time, ask once, calmly. What you do next depends on the answer:

• Ask directly: "The profile says X, but the certificate shows Y — can you help me understand?"
• Pause lessons until the answer satisfies you. A delay of a week or two costs less than continuing on a wrong premise.
• If documents never appear, or the story changes with each telling, end the arrangement. "It isn't a fit" is a complete explanation.
• If you believe a tutor made false or misleading service claims, the Consumer Council's consumer reminders on this subject outline your options; you can also report the profile to HKTutorPro. Anything concerning a child's safety goes to the Police.