Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

Diraasa exists to deliver safe, high quality Quran and Arabic education to learners worldwide, including children. The safety of children using the platform is the highest priority of the company. This policy describes the commitments we make and the procedures we follow to keep children safe.

1. Our commitments

1. Zero tolerance. We have zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, grooming, exploitation, or inappropriate behavior toward minors on the platform.
2. No video recording. We do not record video of any class. Audio is transcribed in real time; only the transcript is retained, for one year.
3. Identity verification of every teacher. No teacher can deliver classes without passing Stripe Identity verification, including a liveness selfie and document authenticity check.
4. Audio transcription of every class with a minor. Transcripts are reviewed by automated moderation systems and are available to parents.
5. A named Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). A specific human being inside Diraasa is accountable for safeguarding decisions.
6. Mandatory reporting. When we have a credible safeguarding concern we report to the appropriate authority in the relevant jurisdiction within 24 to 48 hours.
7. Transparent enforcement. We publish how we detect and respond to concerns and we accept appeals.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is reachable at info@diraasa.com. The DSL is responsible for receiving all safeguarding reports, maintaining internal procedures, liaising with law enforcement and child protection services, coordinating safeguarding training, and reviewing this policy at least annually.

3. Who is a child

For the purposes of this policy, a child is anyone under 18. We apply enhanced protections to children under 13 in line with COPPA, and to children under 16 in the European Union and United Kingdom in line with GDPR Article 8 and the UK Children’s Code.

4. Pre-publication safeguards

Identity verification. Every teacher passes Stripe Identity verification before delivering any class: a government issued ID, a live selfie with liveness check, automated document and face match, and confirmation that the person is at least 18. Teachers under 18 are not allowed.

Profile video. Every teacher submits a YouTube video link demonstrating their teaching style. The video is reviewed by an admin within seven days of the teacher going live. The review checks identity consistency with the verification document, appropriateness of the teaching environment, and absence of any contact information or links to off-platform services.

Acceptance of safeguarding terms. Every teacher must accept this Safeguarding Policy and the Acceptable Use Policy as part of the Teacher Agreement. The acceptance is logged with timestamp and IP address.

5. Continuous safeguards (during every class)

Real time audio transcription. Every class is transcribed in real time by Deepgram. The transcript is checked by a moderation pipeline that flags sharing or solicitation of personal contact information, age inappropriate language, personal meeting requests outside the platform, gift offering language, or any keyword on the safeguarding watchlist. A flag results in a real time alert to the on-call moderator. Severe flags can trigger admin intervention during the class itself.

Voice consistency. After a teacher’s first three classes, Azure Speaker Recognition compares the teacher’s voice in their profile video to their voice in class audio. A mismatch suggests possible account misuse and triggers admin review.

Student confirmation. After a child’s first class with a new teacher, the parent is prompted: “Was this the teacher from the profile video?” Two “no” responses move the teacher into under-review status.

6. Post-class safeguards

Every class transcript is delivered to the parent’s account immediately after the class ends. Parents can read, search, download, or delete transcripts. The full transcript is re-analyzed against a broader pattern set after the class to catch multi sentence circumvention or grooming attempts. A short AI-generated summary of the class is delivered to the parent, covering topics covered, corrections made, and homework assigned.

7. How we respond to concerns

A safeguarding concern can be raised by a parent or student through the in-app Report button or by email to info@diraasa.com, by an automated moderation flag, by a staff observation, or by a third party. A reporter may request anonymity, which we honor to the maximum extent compatible with our legal obligations.

8. Mandatory reporting authorities

We report substantiated safeguarding concerns to the authority appropriate to the affected child’s location and the alleged offender’s location. Examples: in the United States, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org, plus state child protective services as required; in the United Kingdom, the Local Authority Designated Officer for the relevant local authority; in Canada, the local Children’s Aid Society and cybertip.ca; in Australia, the relevant state or territory child protection authority. We cooperate fully with law enforcement and preserve evidence (transcripts, account records, IP logs) in line with our retention policy.

9. Background checks

Stripe Identity is the pre-publication automated identity gate for every teacher. Background checks (criminal record, sex offender registry) are not currently part of the standard onboarding flow. We are evaluating a “Works with Children” badge in a future release that will require a background check via Checkr or Sterling at Diraasa’s expense. Our safeguarding posture currently relies on identity verification with liveness, continuous monitoring through audio transcription and voice consistency, parent oversight through transcripts and confirmation prompts, and rapid incident response.

10. Training

The DSL is required to complete safeguarding training to a recognized standard (NSPCC online safeguarding course or equivalent) and to refresh the training every two years. All Diraasa staff who interact with user reports or moderate transcripts complete annual safeguarding awareness training.

11. Parent guidance

• Be in the same room or nearby during classes for younger children.
• Read the transcripts of your child’s classes regularly.
• Discuss with your child what is and is not appropriate behavior from a teacher.
• If anything ever seems off, report it. You will not be ignored.

12. Contact

Designated Safeguarding Lead: info@diraasa.com. If a child is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number first, then contact us.