Safeguarding

The University’s key policies and procedures linked to safeguarding are:

• University Safeguarding Policy and Procedure
• Safe recruitment procedures for staff and students, including DBS checks
• Recruitment of ex-offenders policies for staff and students

Our safeguarding arrangements also include:

• Safeguarding awareness training including how to recognise possible signs of abuse
• A Safeguarding Behaviour Code
• Clear reporting channels for reporting concerns and/or allegations, all of which are treated in confidence by trained Designated Safeguarding Officers

Some Northumbria students and staff may be under 18 (legally classed as a child) or meet the definition of a vulnerable adult.

Any activity across the university could have safeguarding implications. Below are some examples:

• recruitment and outreach activities in schools and colleges
• fieldtrips
• participation in research or consultancy activities
• sporting or voluntary activities on and off campus
• by being taught or cared for by students training to enter Education or Health services, as part of their academic studies.

Examples of University procedures that cover how we engage with children and vulnerable adults include:

• Student recruitment stage – at application and/or enrolment, all under 18s are identified and flagged with a referral to Student Support and Wellbeing (“SSW”).  Those students who may meet the vulnerable adult definition (e.g. those with an identified disability) are referred to the Disability Team within SSW to ensure that a DSSR (Disabled Student Support Recommendations) is prepared with them and provided to the appropriate Faculty. 
• Health and Safety Risk Assessments (for staff only) for University activities should consider and include any additional risks/controls specific to under 18s or vulnerable adults
• Our Research Ethics procedure ensures that the involvement of under 18s and vulnerable adults is identified at an early stage, with clear policy guidance on related matters (e.g. obtaining consent, carrying out DBS checks, etc)
• The University has a Safeguarding Behaviour Code which gives general guidance for dealing with children and vulnerable adults.
• Online training is available for staff to raise awareness of safeguarding issues and how to recognise possible signs of abuse. 

The safe recruitment of staff and students is an important part of the University’s safeguarding arrangements. 

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaced the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

A DBS check is a pre-appointment safe recruitment check which is carried out on all staff and students (including volunteers) involved in “regulated activity” (i.e. close and unsupervised contact with under 18s and vulnerable groups which cannot be undertaken by a person on the DBS’s Barred List).

The University has appropriate policies and procedures for the recruitment of ex-offenders.


For queries about staff DBS checks

• Staff DBS applications are administered by HR. For further information please contact: Johanna Turl, Human Resources. Telephone: 0191 227 4518. Email: johanna.turl@northumbria.ac.uk

For queries about student DBS checks (incl. Post Graduate students and student volunteers)

• The University's Registry Records and Returns webpages provide further information on the DBS Policy and Procedures (Students) and related DBS Information for Students and Applicants. 

Northumbria University has a duty under the government’s Prevent Duty Guidance to safeguard our student community against the risk of radicalisation. Prevent is a part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy and aims to do three things:

• Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat faced by the UK from those who promote it

• Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support

• Work with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, the internet and health) where there are risks of radicalisation which need to be addressed

More information about Prevent and the University's Prevent Duty policies and arrangements

The University has separate DSOs for staff and students to ensure that, where required, additional student welfare and staff wellbeing support is put in place at the time of any safeguarding concerns arising. 

Safeguarding Champions are also available to have an initial discussion where you are unsure if your concern is related to Safeguarding and there is no immediate risk.

 Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)  and Safeguarding Champion contacts

It is important that everyone knows what to do if they suspect someone is being abused or neglected. You may suspect that someone is being harmed or abused because:

• You have general concerns about someone's wellbeing
• You see or hear about something which could suggest abuse or neglect is taking place
• Someone tells you something has happened or is happening to them which could be abuse or neglect.

You may also like to talk to one of our Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSOs) about your concern.

If an individual is at imminent risk of harm, you should call Security on the emergency number (x3200).

When to refer

If you're a Northumbria University member of staff looking for more information on raising concerns about a student, please see the Whento Refer guide on our intranet.

What we will do with the information raised in concerns

The information contained in safeguarding concern or allegation may include information about a child or vulnerable adult, people known or unknown to them and information about the person raising the concern/allegation. 

The information will initially be restricted to trained members of staff (i.e. the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officer, the Principal Safeguarding Officer and his deputy) who will review the concern in line with safeguarding guidance and legislation.

Depending on the nature of the concern or allegation raised, the University may then:

Contact the person raising the concern;

Hold a case conference to discuss the concern and agree what needs to be put in place to protect the individual.  The case conference will involve a small number of individual staff members from a range of University Service Departments (e.g. Human Resources, Student Library and Academic Services, Legal Services, Security etc.)

Be required to make further referrals in line with our statutory duties including passing on the details of the child or vulnerable adult to the Local Authority’s Children or Adult Services, or in some circumstances, the Police and other agencies, where there is an emergency situation.

All concerns and allegations raised will be treated in confidence. 

Trusted Contacts

At Northumbria, we believe that good health and wellbeing play an important part in academic and personal success. To help us support our students there may be times when we need to speak to someone outside of the University if we have a significant concern about their safety or wellbeing. We call the person who fulfils this role the Trusted Contact; this is different from the Next of Kin, which all students are required to provide on enrolment, though the same person may fill both roles.

It is important that everyone knows what to do if they suspect someone is being abused or neglected. You may suspect that someone is being harmed or abused because:

• You have general concerns about someone's wellbeing
• You see or hear about something which could suggest abuse or neglect is taking place
• Someone tells you something has happened or is happening to them which could be abuse or neglect.

  The University's "Signs and Symptoms of Abuse and Neglect" document also provides an overview of these indicators. 

If an individual is at imminent risk of harm, you should call Security on the emergency number (x3200).

If you have a concern about a member of staff, and there is not an imminent risk of harm, you should contact your HR Manager for your Faculty or Service. 

You may also like to talk to one of our Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSOs) about your concern.

What we will do with the information raised in concerns

The information contained in safeguarding concern or allegation may include information about a child or vulnerable adult, people known or unknown to them and information about the person raising the concern/allegation. 

The information will initially be restricted to trained members of staff (i.e. the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officer, the Principal Safeguarding Officer and his deputy) who will review the concern in line with safeguarding guidance and legislation.

Depending on the nature of the concern or allegation raised, the University may then:

Contact the person raising the concern;

Hold a case conference to discuss the concern and agree what needs to be put in place to protect the individual.  The case conference will involve a small number of individual staff members from a range of University Service Departments (e.g. Human Resources, Legal Services, Security etc.)

Be required to make further referrals in line with our statutory duties including passing on the details of the child or vulnerable adult to the Local Authority’s Children or Adult Services, or in some circumstances, the Police and other agencies, where there is an emergency situation.

Any allegation made about a member of staff will be reported to the Local Authority “Designated Officer” at the relevant Local Authority's Children's Social Care Services, as required by law.  

All concerns and allegations raised will be treated in confidence. 

For general queries about the update of the University's Safeguarding arrangements, please contact Georgina Bailes, Secretary to the Board and Head of Governance who acts as the University's Principal Safeguarding Officer

For information about safeguarding arrangements at NU Nursery, please contact Deanne Cook, Executive Childcare Manager (x4567) 

For information regarding Safeguarding and the effective use of IT 

I have a concern but I’m scared to raise it in case I’m wrong – what should I do?

• Tell us about it. With safeguarding issues, historical cases have highlighted that it is better to think “what if I’m right?” rather than “what if I’m wrong?”. Serious Case Reviews show that it is like gathering pieces of a jigsaw often over a long time period, with different agencies and organisations each holding a separate piece of the jigsaw. 
  
  
• Raising a concern allows the piece of the jigsaw to be considered by trained staff - Designated Safeguarding Officers - who will take appropriate action (such as making a referral to Children or Adult Services), which may include no action. In some cases, it could lead to a person receiving much needed help and support at a difficult time (e.g. domestic violence situations) or receiving a level of protection. In other cases, there may not be sufficient information to take any action at the time but the information may be critical if any similar concerns are raised at a later date. 
  
  
  

What is a Designated Safeguarding Officer (“DSO”)?

• Northumbria University staff who are trained to receive and respond to reported concerns and/or allegations of abuse or neglect, and to make external referrals if required. Our DSOs are located in areas most likely to deal with under 18s and vulnerable adults on a regular basis, including Student Life and Wellbeing, Student Recruitment and Sport, with additional DSOs located in Governance Services.

What is a DBS check and why is it required?

• A DBS check is a pre-appointment safe recruitment check which is carried out on all staff and students, including volunteers, involved in “regulated activity” (i.e. close and unsupervised contact with under 18s and vulnerable groups which cannot be undertaken by a person on the DBS’s Barred List).