Employer’s Guide to Safeguarding & PREVENT

Education providers of government-funded training have a legal responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and to take such steps that always try to ensure the safety of their students.

Part of this responsibility will be to report and work with others to safeguard students from all types of harm, abuse or neglect. BCE is committed to working with employers to inform them about what they can do to ensure that students are not exposed to threats or dangers.

The legislation defines children as those under 18 years old. Vulnerable adults a redefined as over 18, but for various reasons may not be able to care for themselves or protect themselves from being harmed or exploited.

The following important information will ensure that you have an understanding of what safeguarding is and why it is important to be aware of the consequences of abuse.

More importantly, it will enable you to be confident in your own understanding of the subject and your responsibilities as an employer.

Statutory Guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, came into existence in April 2014 and was updated in September 2023. You are strongly advised to download this document from www.gov.uk/government/publications for your own use for reference purposes.

The key areas of safeguarding include:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• Child Criminal Exploitation
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Drugs
• Fabrication or induced illness
• Faith abuse
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Forced Marriage
• Gang and youth violence /violence against women and girls (VAWG)
• Homelessness
• All types of Peer on Peer Abuse including:
• Bullying
• Cyberbullying
• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Violence
• Sexual Harassment
• Sexting
• Initiation and Hazing type violence
• Domestic violence
• Private fostering
• Radicalisation
• So-Called Honour-based Violence (HBV)
• Teenage relationship abuse

What employers need to know?

Employers providing any form of work-related learning have the primary duty of care for students on placements or apprenticeships. Responsibilities include:

• Assessing any risks to students before placement begins, including welfare and safeguarding. This will include protecting them from harm in any setting where they may be most at risk, for example in 1:1 situations with an adult for long periods.

• Providing appropriate induction, training and supervision for students.

• Looking after the welfare of students on placement, including having suitable supporting procedures, including named contacts in case of emergencies.

• Ensuring systems are in place to prevent unsuitable people working with students.

• To understand what is meant by safeguarding and promote the welfare of students.

• Be aware of their statutory duties towards the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.

• Be familiar with Acacia Training and Development Ltd’s guidance, in particular, the reporting arrangements.

Students are designated as employees for the purposes of health and safety.

Understanding the PREVENT duty.

Another aspect of safeguarding is the Prevent duty, which requires the education sector to have due regard to the need to prevent people from:

• being drawn into terrorism
• supporting terrorism
• being drawn into non-violent extremism

As an employer you’re required, under the Counter-Terrorism & Security Act 2015, to be aware of the ‘Prevent Duty’ as laid out in the HM Government document “Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales 2015”. Guidance is issued under Section 29 of the Act:

• Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it.
• Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support.
• Work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address

IF AN APPRENTICE DISCLOSES INFORMATION, YOU SHOULD:

If a student discloses anything that gives you a reason to suspect that they may be at risk of harm, you should:

• Reassure the apprentice that they have done the right thing
• Record what the apprentice said, using their words where possible. Sign and date the record.
• Inform the Safeguarding team at BCE as soon as possible and pass on the written record
• Maintain confidentiality & do not discuss with others
• Listen without making judgements
• Stay calm
• Try not to ask questions, but if you must, make sure they are open-ended questions to clarify
• Use understanding & don’t probe or investigate
• Don’t give an opinion or offer advice
• Don’t promise confidentiality – explain you may need to talk to the Safeguarding team

Employees working closely with children or vulnerable students should be alert to the possibilities of harm & employers should inform only & not investigate or offer advice.