Safeguarding of children and adults at risk policy

This policy operates alongside and in addition to the University Policy for Safeguarding of Children and Adults at Risk. In recognition of the School of Education, Humanities and Languages’ work with children and adults in primary, secondary, and post-compulsory school and college settings, this policy clarifies safeguarding andrisk procedures and imposes additional requirements on staff in the School of Education, Humanities and Languages (EHL) that exceed those imposed by the University’s policy.

This policy has been written in conjunction with the following policies and guidance. Those reading this policy should do so in conjunction with these.

• DfE Initial Teacher Training: Criteria and Supporting Advice
• DfE Assessment Only Route to Qualified Teacher Status: Criteria and Supporting Advice
• Disclosure and Barring Service
• Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Inspection Framework
• Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Oxford Brookes University Policy for Safeguarding of Children and Adults at Risk
• Prevent Duty Guidance (2023): England and Wales
• The Teachers’ Standards
• Working Together to Safeguard Children

EHL regularly works with schools and other education providers for the purposes of teaching, student placements, and research. This may entail working directly or indirectly with children and adults at risk.

This policy applies to all staff and researchers of EHL who are in contact or involved in any activities involvingchildren or adults at risk as part of their work. It also applies to any staff member visiting a nursery, primary or secondary school, or college teaching children. This policy also sets out the expectations for students who are involved in any activities involving children or adults at risk as part of their Education placement.

EHL staff work as part of the wider system to safeguard children as described in the statutory guidance for schools (Keeping Children Safe in Education). EHL is committed to training and equipping trainee teachers to safeguard children in accordance with their legal duty to keep children and young people safe.

Any definitions in the University’s Policy for Safeguarding of Children and Adults at Risk also applies to this policy, including that the term ‘child’ refers to any person under the age of 18. 

The key contacts for safeguarding in EHL are:

Staff and students should use the University’s incident report form to report any incidents to the School’s orUniversity’s Safeguarding Lead. In the event of a crime in progress, the Police (tel. 999) and for on-campus incidents University Security (tel. 01865 603060) should be called.

If a student is on placement in a partnership school or college or a member of staff is visiting a placementsetting, the safeguarding policy of the setting should be followed in the first instance. As soon as practically possible after the event, the student or staff member should report the incident by completing the Safeguarding on Placements Form.

6.1 Safeguarding training

All staff and students who are visiting/ on placement in schools, researching with children or in child-caresettings, or otherwise engaging in activities with children at work are required to:

• Annually read the University and EHL Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk Policies
• Annually read the national Keeping children safe in education guidance.
• Read or watch any briefings circulated by the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Staff and students complete online Prevent training every three years
• Staff also complete Oxford Brookes University Prevent / FGM training every three years.
• Complete Generalist Safeguarding trainingevery three years.

In addition to this, further safeguarding training is provided that is pertinent to the staff and students on particular programmes. This includes Level 3 training from designated safeguarding leads every two years.Decisions regarding the training provided to students and staff is made by the designated safeguarding lead in conjunction with programme leads.

6.2 Prevent training

As stated in the Government Prevent Duty Guidance, ‘the aim of Prevent is to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Prevent also extends to supporting the rehabilitation and disengagement of those already involved in terrorism’ (2023, p.3). It is our duty as professionals working in the education sector to support the Prevent duty and help to ensure that people who are susceptible to radicalisation are supported as they would be under safeguarding processes.

To support the University in meeting the requirements as outlined in the guidance, students and staff who are visiting/ on placement in schools, researching with children or in child-care settings, or otherwise engaging inactivities with children at work are required to:

• Complete online Government Prevent training every three years
• Engage in any further training/updates as provided by the University
• All University staff also complete the Prevent Moodle training module.

Staff and students are advised to follow University procedures in the management of a Prevent-related issue. This information can be found on the Brookes website. To report a Prevent-related issue, students should speak to the designated safeguarding lead. Staff should speak to their line manager or can report directly to case-conference@brookes.ac.uk.

7.1 General Expectations

• All staff and students working with children will follow a child-centred approach as an important part of the wider safeguarding system for children.
• All staff and students must read and understand the statutory guidance Keeping children safe in education before having any contact with children or entering a school, nursery, or college.
• All staff and students must report any safeguarding concerns to the designated safeguarding lead following appropriate reporting procedures.
• Allegations and concerns raised about safeguarding are initially reviewed by the Education Designated Safeguarding Lead (SoE-DSL). The SoE-DSL may bar staff and students alike from visiting education settings temporarily until allegations or concerns have been investigated adequately. The SoE-DSL will notify the Head of School and the Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead for the University of any temporary barring.

7.2 Staff Expectations and Processes

• All staff visiting schools, researching with children or in child-care settings, or otherwise engaging in activities with children at work are required to:
  • Annually read the University and EHL Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk Policies.
  • Annually read the national Keeping children safe in education guidance.
  • Read or watch any briefings circulated by the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
  • Complete Prevent / FGM training every three years.
  • Complete Generalist Safeguarding training every three years.
• Staff must inform their line manager and the Head of School if they receive any convictions, police cautions, reprimands, or final warnings as soon as possible and before having any further work-related contact with children or adults at risk. They must inform the SoE-DSL if these convictions,cautions, reprimands, or final warnings relate to crimes involving children or adults at risk.
• Staff must inform the SoE Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Head of School if they becomeaware that they are subject to an ongoing investigation in relation to crimes involving children or adults at risk.
• All staff visiting education settings for children, including schools, or conducting research with childrenmust hold a valid Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate.
• For staff visiting nurseries, primary or secondary schools, EHL will request a new DBS certificate every three years. Staff are encouraged to sign up for the DBS Update Service.
• The Education Designated Safeguarding Lead will, with administrative support from the PlacementTeam, hold a single centralised record (SCR) of staff DBS certification, safeguarding training and Prevent / FGM training.
• The Education Designated Safeguarding Lead, the Placement Lead, and the Head of School will meet once per semester to review staff compliance with certification and training requirements in the SCR.
• Staff involved in recruitment processes, including interview, must undergo safer recruitment training as provided by the university.

7.3 Student Expectations and Processes

1. Any students / trainees on a programme with placements in a nursery, primary or secondary school must:
   • Read the Keeping children safe in education guidance.
   • Complete OSCB online Level 2 Awareness of Child Abuse and Neglect training prior to commencement of the programme
   • Complete Prevent / FGM training and Generalist Safeguarding training on entry to the programme and every three years thereafter. The certificates for this training must be shared with the relevant university staff so their training can be recorded and monitored.
   • Attend all safeguarding lectures and seminars, and make provisions with the EducationDesignated Safeguarding Lead to catch up on any teaching that was missed.
   • Adhere to safeguarding and child protection protocols in operation in their placement setting.
   • Observe and comply with the Trainee Code of Conduct
2. Any student in placement must comply with the levels of conduct set out in the training and guidance, and report instances of actual or suspected abuse of children or adults at risk following the placement procedures in the first instance. As soon as practically possible after the event, the Education Designated Safeguarding Lead must also be informed using the reporting form.
3. Students must inform the Education Designated Safeguarding Lead if they receive any convictions, police cautions, reprimands, or final warnings as soon as possible and before having any further work-related contact with children or adults at risk.
4. Any students / trainees on a programme with placements in a nursery, primary or secondary school must have received Enhanced DBS certification prior to commencing placements.
5. The Education Designated Safeguarding Lead will, with administrative support from the Placement Team, hold a single centralised record (SCR) of student DBS certification and safeguarding training.
6. The Placement Team will monitor student compliance in the SCR on an ongoing basis and only place students who are compliant.

7.4 Placement Settings - Expectations and Processes

When students are on placement in school and college settings, they have a duty to follow the policies and procedures of that particular placement setting. In order for them to discharge this responsibility, we expect our school partners to:

• Provide all students with an induction to their placement which include specific information and guidance on safeguarding policy and procedures
• Sign Part 2 of the Code of Conduct to indicate the induction has been completed
• Direct students to a copy of their Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and any other associated policies, such as the staff code of conduct, behaviour policy etc.
• Introduce the trainee to the designated safeguarding lead/s and provide an overview of their role
• Provide an outline of the procedures a student should follow in the event of a safeguarding incident or concern
• Provide an outline of relevant health and safety procedures - such as fire procedures, door access/fob use etc.
• Regularly check-in with the student regarding their understanding of school practices and procedures (this may be via the placement mentor)

Any concerns regarding safeguarding in the placement setting should be referred to the student’s universitytutor in the first instance. Concerns will then be escalated to the designated safeguarding lead as appropriate.

For students who are studying for qualified teacher status via a Salaried Schools Direct or Assessment Only Route, the settings are responsible for ensuring that satisfactory safeguarding checks are carried out.Settings with students on these routes are required to provide confirmation of this to Oxford Brookes University.

Oxford Brookes University is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk. Therefore, this process of safeguarding begins at the point of application.

EHL screens applicants to programmes with placements involving children or adults at risk for their suitability to work and study with children or adults at risk. This screening process will always include:

• Review of personal statement
• Review of two references
• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) with barred list check

Applicants to Initial Teacher Education programmes will additionally be screened through the following measures:

• Suitability Declaration
• Health and Physical Capacity to Teach declaration stating that they understand the requirementsof being a teacher and the activities that a

teacher must be able to perform, as set out in the Education Health Standards 2003, and that they deem themselves fit to teach.

• Occupational Health survey (and subsequent medical assessment where relevant) to be declared ‘fit’ to train to teach
• Check against Teachers Services Restriction List (sometimes called a Prohibition Order Check)
• Identification check (and confirmation of right to study in the UK where relevant)
• If the applicant lived abroad in last 5 years for a period of 6 months or more, then Certificate ofGood Conduct / police check and references from the relevant countries

If it comes to the attention of the University that a student’s circumstances have changed during the course of the programme (e.g. they have gained a criminal record or an incident has occurred), the Fitness to PractisePolicy will be applied.

We support our students to understand their online presence and the importance of safe and appropriate practice as a professional working in an education context.

Where it is identified that a student’s online presence, which is publicly available, may impact theirprofessional role we will discuss this with the student and identify appropriate next steps. It is important to note that, on rare occasions, a student’s behaviour online may lead to an investigation under the Fitness toPractise Policy.

The University is committed to the highest standards of openness, probity and accountability and expects employees, students and others who work with the University who have serious concerns about any aspect of the University’s work to voice those concerns. Whistleblowing is a disclosure by a worker concerning wrongdoing on the part of their employer. It is important to note that whistleblowing is not the same as making a complaint or grievance. For further information about whistleblowing, staff and students should refer to the relevant Brookes webpages.

Policy last reviewed: September 2023

Date of the next routine review through Faculty QLIC: September 2024 Responsibility for leading review: Education Designated Safeguarding Lead