Safeguarding
Safeguarding
Anyone in our community can be at risk of abuse or neglect which means safeguarding is a shared responsibility for all of us. We all have a role to play in keeping each other safe.
Whilst there are groups who may be more vulnerable to abuse or neglect, risk is more likely to be increased by circumstances rather than personal characteristics and is often the result of a culmination of factors.
Safeguarding children and adults at risk means:
- Protecting them from abuse and neglect
- Making sure that their health and development aren’t impaired in any way
- Making sure that they can grow up safely and take full advantage of the opportunities offered by life
Safeguarding Support
The University works together with our staff, students, Students’ Union and regional networks to help safeguard our community. We work in partnership with local Councils, the Police and other statutory agencies to share information, identify issues and respond to challenges.
As part of this local partnership activity, the University meets its statutory duty in relation to preventing vulnerable people from being drawn into extremism or terrorism.
If you are concerned about yourself or others being drawn into extremism or are at risk of radicalisation then please follow the Cause for Concern reporting route.
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Emergency
If you have an emergency and you are on campus you should contact the 24/7 Operations Team on 07767 842738.
If you have an emergency and you are off campus you should call 999.
Keep Safe
If you are concerned about another student, please complete the Cause for Concern form. You can report your concerns anonymously if you choose to. Your concerns may include issues around a student’s health, wellbeing or behaviour or circumstances that may be impacting their academic progress or general management of life at University.
Student Wellbeing Services
The University recognises that students may require support during their studies. The Wellbeing team offers a range of services designed to support students to engage effectively with their studies. The Well-Being team provide professional and confidential advice and guidance in relation to student well-being and mental health. Information about the Wellbeing services provided and how to access them can be found here.
University Commitment
The University is committed to supporting and promoting the welfare and safety of students, staff and visitors throughout our operations and environment.
Occasionally students may become vulnerable and the University has a range of services and policies in place to respond to presenting need and help to safeguard them.
Our published Safeguarding Policy explains the framework in place to safeguard against potential risk, abuse and harm, and to appropriately respond to concerns.
The principles set out in the Policy are that the University of Wales Trinity Saint David is committed to:
- Providing a safe environment for all its staff, students and visitors;
- Providing an environment that is safe from harm for those under the age of 18;
- Upholding the rights of children, young people and vulnerable adults to protection from harm, freedom from injury and a safe and healthy environment.
The Policy is based on the National Wales Safeguarding Procedures. The Policy also acknowledges the University’s wider responsibilities in respect of the UK Prevent Duty and the requirement to prevent people from being drawn into radicalisation and/or terrorism. If you have any concerns in relation to Prevent themes then please contact the Interim Prevent Lead Officer, Rhys Dart.
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PREVENT Duty
Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 all universities have a statutory responsibility to ensure ‘due regard to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. There is specific guidance in relation to this duty for higher education institutions in England and Wales.
The Prevent duty has three main objectives:
- Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat faced from those who promote it
- Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and give them advice and support
- Work with sector bodies and relevant external institutions where there are risks of radicalisation
To comply with the legislation, the University:
- has published a Prevent Duty Policy which details how we take a reasonable and proportionate approach to concerns based on the assessment of risk;
- maintains a Prevent action plan.;
- has a Prevent Risk Assessment in place.
These documents are reviewed and updated regularly through the Safeguarding Forum, with oversight provided by the University Council, our governing Body.
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) is the monitoring body for Prevent for HE providers in Wales. Additionally, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) is the monitoring body for Prevent for Higher Degree Apprenticeship provision. The University reports to its monitoring bodies on a regular basis.
The University manages Prevent as part of its welfare and safeguarding activities. At UWTSD we are committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all members of our community.
Training
The University delivers induction training on the Prevent duty for all new staff. It also has internal short courses that cover both safeguarding and the Prevent Duty which are available to all staff. There is also introduction to Safeguarding resources which form part of student induction and make reference to Prevent. These resources in particular identify how to raise a cause for concern and seek support within the University.
Anyone can access national Prevent training via the Home Office e-learning hub.
The UK government has published a series of resources via their ‘Action Counters Terrorism’ campaign. This includes advice about being vigilant and what behaviour or activity might require the submission of a report.
External Support
Safeguarding leads at the University are actively involved in the South Wales Higher Education (HE) Prevent Group and are embedded within regional and national Prevent structures. University representatives also sit on relevant regional Channel panels and Contest boards, as well as associated other fora. This enables the university to maintain up to date knowledge about the local risks, as well as an understanding of regional, local and national policy frameworks.
Raising a concern:
The university has a process for reporting concerning behaviours or safeguarding concerns via the Cause for Concern form. This is open and available to anyone to use. Trained University staff will take forward concerns and decide an action, linking in with statutory authorities as required.
Please remember, in an emergency you should always call 999.
University Approach
Our Prevent safeguarding responsibilities are applied on the basis on a person’s vulnerability to be radicalised and not as a result of any individual’s protected characteristics. Our Prevent responsibilities are balanced against our responsibilities to uphold individuals’ right to freedom of speech within the law under relevant legislation. Further detail of how the Prevent duty is applied at the University is detailed in our External Speakers and Events Code of Practice.
Our aim is to implement the Prevent duty with the due consideration, consultation and care to allow both academic freedom and the protection of staff and students to sit together side by side.
Contacts:
If you have any questions with regard to these pages or any aspect of the Prevent duty, please contact the University’s Prevent Lead
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Director of Student Services: Rhys Dart r.dart@uwtsd.ac.uk
Associate PVC (Academic Experience): Mirjam Plantinga m.plantinga@uwtsd.ac.uk
Executive Director of Human Resources: Jane O’Rourke J.ORourke@uwtsd.ac.uk