Safeguarding: how to raise a concern

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. 

How and when to raise a safeguarding or serious welfare concern

Do not raise a safeguarding concern in these situations:

• Routine questions: There is no need to raise a safeguarding concern in response to practical inquiries that raise no other issues. Instead, direct the student or colleague to the correct webpage, building, department, etc. for further advice, for instance to the Student Discipline Procedure.
• Recent concern with minimal impact: There is no need to raise a safeguarding concern in response to a short-term issue or difficulty with minor impact on studies, work or personal life, such as sleeplessness affecting class attendance. Instead, you might feel able to offer practical support, else signpost the student or colleague to in-house support services or local agencies. If needing to escalate the situation, liaise with the student's Advisor of Studies, Senior Advisor of Studies, Student Welfare & Safeguarding or People in the case of a member of staff.
• Long-term concern with minor impact on studies and/or personal life: There is no need to raise a safeguarding concern in response to an on-going issue that has a minor impact on the student's or colleague's working or personal life, such as money worries. Instead, help the student or colleague to access specialist in-house support services, for instance in the Student Welfare & Safeguarding team or Disability Inclusion teams for students, or the People Directorate for staff. If later you need to escalate the situation, liaise with the student's Advisor of Studies, Student Welfare & Safeguarding team or People in the case of a member of staff.

Consider approaching the Student Welfare & Safeguarding team ([email protected]) for advice or to make a referral in these situations:

• Serious short-term issues impacting studies and/or personal life without immediate risk of harm to themselves or others: Where there is serious impact on the person's studies, work or personal life but there is no immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, for instance if they are temporarily homeless and a couch-surfing, help the student or colleague to access specialist in-house support services in the Student Welfare & Safeguarding team or People Directorate, or external specialist advice. If needing to escalate the situation, liaise with the student's Advisor of Studies, Student Welfare & Safeguarding team or People in the case of a member of staff, especially if it would help to co-ordinate and implement temporary additional support, such as mitigating or recurring circumstances. Consider making a safeguarding referral if that would help provide co-ordination in a complex (but lower-risk) situation or if it would be useful to put in place longer-term monitoring of a student's attendance and academic progress.

Make a safeguarding referral in these situations:

• Serious long-term issues impacting studies and/or personal life without immediate risk of harm to self or others: Complete the online safeguarding referral form to engage support from safeguarding colleagues where a student or colleague is facing a serious impact from long-term problems. This can be a way of co-ordinating access to a range of in-house specialist support services, liaise with external support and implement precautionary safety measures, for instance in a case of domestic abuse involving two members of the University community.
• Immediate risk of harm to self or others: Where someone poses an immediate risk to themselves or to others, for instance where they intend to act on suicidal plans, you might first need to call the person's GP, police, or social work (as appropriate). Definitely alert safeguarding colleagues by emailing [email protected] and completing the online safeguarding referral form to ensure in-house specialist follow-up to support the individual.

If you are not sure, take advice from a senior colleague or Safeguarding colleagues ([email protected]), and always err on the side of caution.

Who can raise a safeguarding or welfare concern

Everyone is encouraged to use the online safeguarding referral form if you have a serious concern for someone's safety or welfare, or on your own behalf. 

Anyone finding difficulties with using the reporting tool is encouraged to seek support from a trusted third-party, such as a friend, support service advisor or Advisor of Studies, who can make a report on their behalf. 

Welfare concerns identified by other routes, eg to a member of the Student Welfare & Safeguarding team or an Advisor of Studies, will always also be considered. 

Serious, urgent concerns, such as being a victim of crime, should typically be reported first with the individual's consent to the emergency services.

• Self-reporting: students and colleagues are encouraged to report incidents using the online welfare concern reporting tool. Anonymous reporting is an option.
• Reporting on behalf of another – with their consent: a report can be made on behalf of another person with their consent using the online welfare concern reporting tool. Anonymous reporting is an option.
• Reporting on behalf of another – without their consent: typically, a report should only be made on someone's behalf without their consent where there is a serious concern for the welfare. It will often be more appropriate to contact the emergency services and/or social work first before submitting the report.

In emergencies, contact the emergency services first, potentially social work second if appropriate, and then follow-up with a report to the university once the situation allows.

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.

• Safeguarding policy
• Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults guidance
• Safeguarding guidance for researchers
• External speakers protocol
• Make an anonymous complaint or raising a concern anonymously