Safety
How we keep young people safe
Lenny is for under-18s, so safeguarding comes first, not last. This page sets out plainly how it works. No marketing gloss.
A parent/guardian is always in control
A parent or guardian says yes before a young person joins, and can withdraw at any time. Withdrawal takes effect immediately and stops all sharing.
High privacy by default
Profiles are never public and aren't indexed by search engines. Businesses see first name, rough area, age band, availability and a short intro, never a full postcode.
Contact is protected
A young person's email is never shown by default. We don't even collect a phone number. Their email is only shared with a business once that business is approved and the parent has agreed to sharing.
You're told every time
Each time a business is given a young person's contact details, we email the parent, with a link to withdraw.
We make sure that businesses are genuine hospitality businesses with a named safeguarding lead
Businesses self-register, then an admin approves them, checking a real business with a named safeguarding lead. No access to any young person until approved.
We collect only what's needed
Just enough to make a safe first-shift match. Nothing extra, no tracking of young people for advertising.
Working-hours guardrails
Young people can only offer times they're allowed to work for their age, so no one signs up for hours they legally can't do.
No dark patterns
No countdown timers, no "others are ahead of you", no pressure aimed at a young person. Ever.
Work permits and the law
Young people aged 13 to 16 usually need a work permit from their local council, and local byelaws set the hours they can work. We surface reminders in the app, and the rules that shape availability are configurable so they can be kept in line with each council.
This is a pilot service. A full Data Protection Impact Assessment and a review against the ICO's Children's Code accompany our rollout. See our resources for official guidance, or how we look after data.
Questions about safety?
We're happy to talk it through with any parent, guardian or business.