Safety Standards
SkillForage is built on the assumption that most people are good, but trust is verified, not assumed. Here's how we protect students and hosts.
Business verification
Every business on SkillForage goes through a multi-step onboarding before they can list classes:
- Business identity submitted: legal name, physical address, phone, and public web presence (website, EIN, or social profiles)
- Signed Host Agreement with timestamped acceptance, legally binding the host to comply with all applicable laws, permits, and licensing
- Business verified securely through Stripe when connecting their payout account
- Manually verified by our staff before a business can list any classes
More details
Stripe handles KYC and business verification as part of payout account setup, meeting the same standard used by major booking platforms. The Host Agreement is a binding contract: hosts are contractually responsible for their venue and legal compliance, and agree to indemnify SkillForage for claims arising from their classes or venue. On top of that, our staff manually reviews and verifies every business before it's allowed to publish, and can re-review a business at any time after that.
Minors & guardian consent
Classes are adults-only unless a host explicitly opts in and sets a minimum age for their space and activity. Minors never have their own SkillForage account.
- A parent or guardian adds a child profile to their own account
- The guardian signs a consent record (timestamped, tied to their account) when booking for their child
- The guardian must be present and remain on the premises for the length of the scheduled class
More details
SkillForage does not independently vet families. The guardian's signed consent is the mechanism, the same way the Host Agreement is a signed contract rather than a background check. Hosts may refuse admission to a minor who arrives without their supervising guardian.
Host responsibility
Hosts are solely responsible for their venue, the activities they run, and compliance with all applicable local laws and permits. SkillForage does not operate or control class venues. By accepting the Host Agreement, hosts acknowledge these responsibilities in writing.
Prohibited venues & activities
The following are not permitted on SkillForage:
- Private residences or non-commercial venues
- Venues not licensed for the activity being taught
- Activities prohibited by local law or requiring special permits the host does not hold
- Classes that misrepresent the host's qualifications
Moderation & reviews
All public reviews come from confirmed attendees only, not anonymous submissions. Our team monitors flagged content and can remove listings that violate our standards.
More details
Businesses can be flagged for review by students, staff, or automatically based on complaint volume. Flagged businesses cannot take new bookings until the review is resolved. Repeat or serious violations result in permanent removal.
Incident reporting
Both students and hosts have access to a formal incident reporting system for:
- Injuries or medical emergencies
- Harassment or discrimination
- Fraud or misrepresentation
- Property damage
- Safety hazards
Every report is timestamped with IP and device information and reviewed by our Trust & Safety team within 2 business days.
Sign in to file a report