Safeguarding Policy

This policy reflects the safety and verification steps actually built into CARE today. It has not been reviewed by clinical or legal leadership — please confirm it with them before treating it as final.

Last updated: 26 August 2026

1. Our commitment

CARE exists to connect people with verified professional support, including children and other vulnerable individuals. This policy sets out how we work to keep everyone using CARE safe.

2. Working with minors

CARE does not allow a minor to create their own client account directly. A booking made "for my child" or another dependant must be made by a parent or legal guardian, who confirms their authority to do so and consents on the child's behalf to the data handling described in our Privacy Policy.

3. Screening consultants before they can be booked

Every consultant must apply and provide: proof of identity (PAN card and Aadhaar card), proof of educational or professional qualification, a reference contact, and an explicit declaration that they are 18 or older and genuinely qualified for the category they've applied under, with an acknowledgement that providing false information may result in rejection, removal, and legal consequences. A consultant only becomes bookable once these are in place and their application is approved.

Important limit on this process: verification today confirms that these documents were submitted — it does not independently verify that a document is genuine or that the person submitting it is who they claim to be. This is a real gap CARE should close over time (for example, through a proper ID-verification service) rather than something this policy should overstate.

4. Recognising and responding to risk

Every person starting a CARE journey is asked a direct safety-check question about immediate danger or thoughts of self-harm, before anything else proceeds. Anyone who answers that they need urgent help is shown emergency guidance immediately, rather than being routed further into the booking flow.

5. Confidentiality and its limits

What you share with CARE and with a consultant is treated as confidential. That confidentiality does not extend to situations where there is a genuine, immediate risk to someone's safety — in those cases, CARE or the consultant may need to share information with emergency services or another appropriate authority.

6. Raising a concern

If you have a concern about a CARE consultant's conduct, or about how a safety issue was handled, contact CARE directly. [Insert the actual safeguarding contact name/email/phone number here before publishing.] Concerns are reviewed by CARE's admin team, and a consultant's account may be suspended while a concern is investigated.

7. This is not an emergency service

CARE is not equipped to respond to emergencies in real time. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, experiencing a medical emergency, or at risk of harm, contact India's emergency number 112 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department immediately — do not wait for a CARE booking or response.

8. Reviewing this policy

This policy will be reviewed as CARE's verification and safety processes develop, particularly as identity-verification capability improves.