Safeguarding policy

Introduction

University staff and students should be able to study and work in a safe, positive environment. Students and staff are expected to act and behave in a respectful and inclusive manner, reflecting the University's values.

This policy has been created to ensure that safeguarding concerns affecting students or colleagues are dealt with in a fair and effective manner with the best interests of the University community at the heart of decision making.

Responsive, reactive safeguarding work should sit in a context of positive pro-active work to nurture a safe and supportive working and studying environment. That work includes challenging discrimination and supporting the capacity and resilience of every member of the University.

Reporting a concern

Anyone can raise a concern about a student, member of staff or another member of the University community. The recommended way to raise a concern is by completing the Safeguarding Reporting form.

Safeguarding privacy notice

Report a safeguarding concern

Purpose of the policy

The purpose of this policy is to help the University to:

• Promote an environment in which all members of the University community can feel safe, respected and protected from harm and abuse regardless of race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, age or social background.
• Respond effectively and timeously to safeguarding and welfare concerns raised by or about a member of the University community.
• Meet its legal requirements and sector expectations, as outlined in Appendix 1.

Key terms and definitions

• Safeguarding is used to refer specifically to situations as defined by the Adult Support & Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 in which a person:
  
  • Is unable to protect their own wellbeing, property, rights or other interests;
  • Is at risk of harm; and
  • They are more vulnerable to harm because of a disability, mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity.
• Welfare Concern is used as a broad term covering the range of negative situations that students and colleagues might experience, including harassment, racism, sexism, assault, and physical or mental ill-health. It also includes a sudden and unexplained change in a student's behaviour, for instance an extended absence from class after previous good attendance. The key distinguishing factor between a welfare concern and a safeguarding matter will be that if the individual has capacity to protect their own interests, then it is considered a welfare concern and not a safeguarding concern.
• General Duty of Care is used in this paper to cover the standard of response students and colleagues could reasonably expect from the University when experiencing a welfare concern.
• University Community means all matriculated students at the University; non-matriculated students at the University who have associate status; applicants; employed staff, secondees, contractors and visiting staff from other institutions while they are undertaking business on behalf of the University; honorary, emeritus and associate staff while they are undertaking business on behalf of the University; and contractors while participating in University-contracted activity.

Principles

• Person-centred: support offered to an individual when there is a safeguarding or welfare concern will be led by that individual's needs and interests unless they are unable to advocate for themselves and are at serious risk of harm.
• Trauma informed: support for an individual at risk of harm will look to establish a sense of safety, restore personal agency, support the person to cope with the immediate situation, and facilitate connections through signposting and referrals.
• Culturally competent: support will be informed by an awareness of the diversity of the University community.

Responsibilities

• Chair of Court: formal owner; to review with Court an annual summary report of activity under this policy from the Safeguarding Operational Group.
• Chief Operating Officer: executive owner, responsible for ensuring effective delivery of the safeguarding policy; to receive and review with UEG a semesterly summary report of activity under this policy.
• Faculty Director of Operations: operational owner, responsible for ensuring effective delivery of the safeguarding procedure.
• Director of People: operational owner for co-ordination of delivery of the safeguarding procedure in cases involving staff.
• Head of Student Experience: operational lead for co-ordination of delivery of the safeguarding procedure in cases involving students.
• Student Welfare & Safeguarding: the lead team for student welfare and safeguarding concerns. Meeting weekly to review referrals, coordinate action and monitor progress.

Scope

The safeguarding responsibility is universal, shared by all members of the University community and covering all activities, including

• Safeguarding visitors: including school parties.
• Safeguarding in teaching, learning and assessment: including placements, research projects and apprenticeships through liaison with host organisations.
• Safeguarding away from the course: including routine pastoral support and additional support for residents in university accommodation.
• Safeguarding in research.
• Safeguarding and the wider community: including children of students and staff, visitors to university events.

How the safeguarding policy is put into practice

More information on how the University's implements the Safeguarding Policy and how you can play a part can be found in the Safeguarding Toolkit.

If you have a concern but are not sure what to do, or have questions about reporting a concern, please email [email protected]

In an emergency, a safeguarding concern should be reported to the police, following up with an email to [email protected] to inform the team.