Safeguarding
Responding to concerns and allegations raised
Initial response:
a) Once a concern or allegation is reported, a trained Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) will review the information and determine whether the characteristics reported constitute signs of actual or possible abuse or neglect. Further information may be sought as necessary to support this assessment, with case conferences convened as required. The initial response will also consider the provision of relevant support to the person perceived to be at risk of abuse and, if support needs are evident, to the alleged perpetrator if they are a member of the University community. In conjunction with the Principal Safeguarding Officer, the DSO will decide whether to refer the concern to the safeguarding authorities and, if required, an external referral will be made. All subsequent advice from statutory authorities will be followed.
b) Review of reported concerns: The Principal Safeguarding Officer will seek to identify possible connections between concerns and allegations reported to the University to ensure a full picture of events and incidents is identified. This assessment may also trigger a referral to statutory authorities if cumulative “low-level” concerns or concerning patterns of behaviour are identified.
c) Allegations about staff members: The Principal Safeguarding Officer, in consultation with the HR Designated Safeguarding Officer, will ensure all concerns and allegations made against members of University staff (including volunteers and Council members) are referred externally to the relevant Local Authority Designated Officer, as required by statutory guidance.
d) Suspension of staff or students during investigations: The Director of Education Services (for students) will assess whether suspension or other precautionary actions may be required while investigations are undertaken by external safeguarding authorities, and will liaise with the Principal Safeguarding Officer as appropriate. Any decision to potentially suspend (or take other precautionary actions) a staff member will be accessed in accordance with Part V 11.3 Conduct and Disciplinary proceedings ordinance. These decisions will be influenced by the advice of external safeguarding authorities.
e) Disciplinary action The University will follow relevant disciplinary procedures for any student or staff member who is found to have committed abuse or neglect in the course of their employment or studies with the University. This may result in staff dismissal or expulsion under the University’s Student Regulations. Any decision to instigate disciplinary procedures for staff members will be accessed in accordance with Part III, 11.3 Conduct and Disciplinary proceedings ordinance.
f) References for staff or students disciplined or prosecuted for safeguarding offences: Any request for a reference for a member of staff who has been disciplined or prosecuted for abuse or neglect in the course of their work activities shall in all cases be referred to the Human Resources Directorate. Similarly, reference requests for students in such circumstances will be directed to the Director of Education Services, Director of Student Life or the relevant Director of Faculty Operations.
g) Treatment of malicious reports: Disciplinary action may be taken against anyone found to have maliciously raised a concern or allegation, frivolously, in bad faith, maliciously, for personal gain or for revenge. This would not apply to individuals who have raised a genuine concern that proves to be unfounded. Any decision to instigate disciplinary procedures for staff members will be accessed in accordance with Part III, 11.3 Conduct and Disciplinary proceedings ordinance.
Prevent and Radicalisation
The Concern Reporting Process (Flow Chart Appendix 3)
Where a student or staff member has concerns that an individual is expressing extremist views or is potentially vulnerable to being radicalised into extremism these concerns should be passed on to the Principal Safeguarding Officer or in their absence the A Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) via report and support.
The Principal Safeguarding Officer or DSO will investigate the matter, seeking to collate substantive information and evidence which will allow full consideration of the concerns.
The Principal Safeguarding Officer (PC) or DSO will consider the substantive evidence in discussion with other members of the University, where relevant, through convening the Prevent Duty Referral Panel
A decision will be made as to the seriousness of the case. Three potential outcomes are likely at this stage:
(i) No further action is required. In this case a confidential record of the case will be kept by the Principal Safeguarding Officer and the PVC for Education (Prevent Lead) would be notified that a case had been investigated but no further action is required.
(ii) There is substance to the case but at this stage only internal action is required. The exact nature of the intervention required would be determined by discussion between relevant staff members. Actions and a review date will be agreed. At the review, the case would be assessed again and the appropriate actions taken. It is anticipated that in the majority of cases the intervention would be supportive and of safeguarding in nature and fall under the remit of Student Life or HR for staff. As above, the PVC for Education (PL) and Registrar will be fully briefed.
(iii) A referral to the police is required because there are serious and immediate issues of safety to the student or others, and / or there is evidence to suggest a criminal act may be committed or has been committed. This decision would be taken only in the most serious of circumstances and only by the Principal Safeguarding Officer, PVC for Education, Registrar or by delegated authority in their absence.