Safeguarding & Prevent Policy

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service’ management must consider how the whole of the organisation can implement safer working practices, environments and policies. A safer learning environment is more than safer recruitment of staff, and it is also more than protecting children and adults from harm. These are both vitally important but should be part of the overall strategy and processes to promote an ethos of well-being, safety and security which applies to all learners and all staff.

A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ therefore means ‘children and young people’ throughout, LALS has a separate policy for safeguarding of apprentices and trainees which is in addition to this policy.

Operational responsibilities – All staff and volunteers must ensure that a safe and secure environment is provided for children and adults and that policy and procedures are put into operation for recruiting staff and volunteers; risk assessments; record keeping; and dealing with concerns and allegations of abuse. In the case of abuse having taken place there should be clear arrangements to support individuals involved as the top priority and consideration. Support for those involved in a wider context including learners, staff and local community should also be a consideration.

This policy and procedure document also refers to those adults who are deemed to be at risk and is driven by Section 14 of the Care Act 2014 which has set out a clear legal framework and states that local authorities have a duty to promote wellbeing and protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect. The policy recognises the definition of an ‘adult at risk’. This is someone who:

• Has needs for care and support (whether the local authority is meeting those needs).
• Is experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect.
• As a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service is committed to meeting the following key messages from the Care Act 2014:

• Empowerment, Prevention, Proportionality, Protection, Partnerships and Accountability.

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service is committed to ensuring it works in a person- centred way to meeting the needs of adults at risk and will:

• Provide a safe environment for all adults to learn in.
• Safeguard all adults who may be at risk of radicalisation (PREVENT).
• Take any appropriate action to ensure that adults who are deemed to be ‘at risk’
  are kept safe.

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service will endeavour to approve and review the policy and procedure annually to:

• Raise awareness of issues relating to the welfare of adults deemed to be ‘at risk’.
• Promoting the identification of vulnerable adults from harm and radicalisation (PREVENT) and providing that correct and clear procedures are available to report concerns.
• Ensuring that it has a procedure in place for reporting and dealing with allegations of abuse against staff.

The service has in place a senior adult learning manager with designated lead responsibility for all matters relating to Safeguarding including:

• Ensuring the policy and procedures are consistent wih those of Leicester City, Leicestershire, and Rutland Safeguarding Adults Board.
• Ensures that the service has a written policy for safeguarding learners who are enrolled on work-based learning courses.
• Ensures that alerts and referrals or safeguarding and PREVENT are made to the relevant authorities in a timely manner.
• Provide monthly Safeguarding reports to the Quality Board.

In September 2021, Ofsted released new guidance on Safeguarding and the expectation of Further Education and Adult Education Providers regarding safeguarding responsibilities.

Leaders and managers should make sure approaches to safeguarding were adapted
during the pandemic and that these adaptations were effective. These include measures such as ensuring face to face learning was prioritised for vulnerable learners and that safeguarding procedures remained effective for learners in remote education settings as well as face to face learning.

Leaders and managers should be able to discuss how safeguarding measures were adapted and how safeguarding measures remain effective over the pandemic. Records of safeguarding should be available, and this will include records relating to sexual harassment and violence and online sexual abuse.

Further information on the expectations of safeguarding as set out by Ofsted in the Education Inspection Framework September 2023.

Children and adults can be put at risk of harm through a variety of actions, inadequate
policies and procedures and failures to act.

Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger, for example via the internet. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. Abuse may be physical, emotional, or sexual. Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a person’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of their health or development.

Adult abuse has been defined by the Department of Health as a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons and includes the following six categories: physical; sexual; psychological/emotional; financial or material; neglect and acts of omission; and discriminatory abuse.

Further information about abuse of children and adults at risk is contained in Appendix
2 of the PDF document linked below.

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service is committed to providing a supportive, friendly, safe and positive learning and working environment for all learners and staff so that everyone can function in a secure atmosphere, which will enable them to maximise their experience and personal potential. Bullying, harassment, and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in any form.

Staff at every level are responsible for ensuring that the learning environment is free from bullying and harassment. In particular, tutors have a vital role to play with learners in ensuring that they manage the learning environment appropriately, setting an appropriate tone and putting in place standards (ground rules) from the outset so as to eliminate opportunities for bullying and harassment. Managers are responsible for the implementation of this policy, for ensuring that all their staff, including tutors, as well as their learners, partners, stakeholders, and other individuals that learners have contact with, are aware of this policy, and for taking corrective action to ensure compliance with it.

From September 2012 legislative changes came into force as a result of the Protection of Freedoms Act (PoFA) 2012. These changes included the following:

• The merger of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and Criminal
  Records Bureau (CRB) which re-launched as the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) on 1st December 2012.
• The introduction of a minimum age (16) at which someone can apply for a DBS
  check.
• Changes to the definition of Regulated Activity. Activities and work which have
  been removed from Regulated Activity relating to adults (which include teaching and training adults unless in relation to personal care) will still be eligible for, but not legally required to have, an enhanced criminal records check without barred list information.

Information on Regulated Activity in relation to adults, as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 as amended by the Protection of Freedom Act 2012, is contained in Regulated activity (adults) August 2012 (Department of Health).

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service will develop safer recruitment procedures for paid and voluntary staff. All employers of volunteers and paid staff engaged in the post-16 learning and skills sector must have robust procedures that minimise the risk of recruiting unsuitable people. Vetting staff and volunteers by conducting various checks is one of a menu of actions that education and training providers should undertake when recruiting. It is important to remember that none of the processes are fail-safe, and that obtaining clear DBS or other checks does not guarantee that the person is suitable to work with children and adults. Furthermore, the nature of the job role must be looked at on a case-by-case basis and decisions about the suitability of applicants for the role should be taken. It is important to reduce risk as much as possible.

Leicestershire County Councils recruitment portal helps staff and managers throughout the recruitment process. Staff with log ins to EMSS Share Point Intranet can access all documentation, guidance and LCC policies relating to the recruitment of new staff.

The primary role of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is to help employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups including children. It is responsible for:

• Processing requests for criminal records checks.
• Deciding whether it is appropriate for a person to be placed on or removed from a
  barred list.
• Placing or removing people from the DBS children’s barred list and adults’ barred
  list for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The service will search police records and, in relevant cases, barred list information, and then issue a DBS certificate to the applicant and employer to help them make an informed recruitment decision.

LALS must take responsibility for the safer recruitment and ongoing management of their staff and volunteers, including requesting criminal records and barred list checks if they are eligible, and checking is deemed necessary based on each person’s role and responsibilities.

Leicestershire Adult Learning’s requirements for safeguarding will include carrying out appropriate Enhanced DBS Checks with barred list information (children’s or adults) for:

• Tutors delivering Family Learning or Family English, Maths and Language classes
  which involve children, with or without parental supervision.
• Tutors delivering adult learning courses in ‘specified places’ which include schools
  and children’s centres.
• Tutors delivering adult learning classes in which a young person under the age of
  18 is enrolled.
• Assessors working with 16-18-year-old Trainees and apprentices.

In addition, in some cases where a tutor is working with groups of adults where the adults in the group and the activities fall into the pre-September 2012 definition of regulated activity (i.e., within the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 before it was amended by the PoFA 2012), the tutor may be eligible for, but not legally required to have, an enhanced criminal records check without barred list information.

All employees and volunteers will receive relevant induction that includes advice on appropriate conduct with children and adults and should be given direct access to the LALS Safeguarding Policy and clear guidance on safeguarding procedures. Appropriate ongoing training for staff will be provided, including training on the issues of safe working practices and on creating safe environments for children and adults.

All staff need to be aware of the processes to be followed if there are concerns about the conduct of colleagues or other adults towards children and adults and the need to record and share all such concerns, however, minor. Staff should be alert to any indications that a child or adult may need to be safeguarded from harm and know who to contact if they have concerns.

Where appropriate, staff appraisal reviews should include discussion about safeguarding issues.

Relevant ongoing training and CPD opportunities should be made available to all staff. Managers are responsible for ensuring that staff are conversant with the policies and procedures, have undertaken initial training and receive regular and ongoing training and support. All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding and are required to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.

Learner involvement in the management and organisation of the learning provision is important for the quality improvement agenda. Learners should be involved in creating a safe and secure learning environment through induction, consultation, reviews, and curriculum-based activities.

Initial assessment and individual reviews provide opportunities for tutors to identify areas of concern for learners and address these through individual learning and/or course plans. These should be regularly reviewed by tutors and learners. Learners are asked for feedback during and at the end of their course and their personal safety and
well-being should be included in this process.

All learners should be able to access appropriate advice and guidance safely and effectively. All engagement staff and information and guidance officers will have the appropriate safeguarding training that allows learners to raise safeguarding concerns that can be dealt with quickly and effectively at every stage of the learner journey.

Managers and all other staff should ensure that information and knowledge about discrimination, equality, wellbeing, personal safety, and security are conveyed and embedded in the curriculum.

Reference to these aspects should be included in learner and staff handbooks, learner contracts, posters and information leaflets, web-based resources, and any other forms of communication with staff and learners.

Information sharing is vital in identifying and tackling all forms of abuse. It is important that we recognise the importance of information sharing between professionals and local agencies. Practitioners must have due regard to the relevant data protection principles which allow them to share personal information, as provided for in the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Where there are concerns about the safety and well-being of children or adults it is vital that information is shared with relevant organisations: most decisions to share information require professional judgement. There must be a legal basis for sharing information and a legitimate purpose for doing so. Whenever information is shared, it is important that the information should be recorded along with the date, the person(s) it was shared with and for what purpose.

A failure to share information, even at a level of ‘niggling worry’ may have serious consequences for the welfare of a child or adult and it is important that individuals are not deterred from sharing information because of perceived legal hurdles, or assuming that the ‘safer’ course is not to share information.

It is unlikely that the Data Protection Act will be a barrier when information is being shared to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child or adult if there is an established legal basis for sharing the information. Confidential information may be shared without consent where there is an overriding public interest in disclosure. There is a statutory or professional duty to share relevant information in circumstances where children need to be safeguarded.

The main principles of obtaining, recording, and sharing information in relation to employees, as well as guidance for tutors and other staff, are contained in Appendix 5 of the PDF document linked below.

Since the introduction of the Data Protection Act in 1998 (Now updated to the Data Protection Act 2018), there is a requirement to obtain the permission of anyone appearing in photographs, DVDs, and webcam images. This includes children and adults.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that clear guidance is available to staff and volunteers; that staff are aware of the requirements; and that appropriate consent forms are readily available and are appropriately used.

Staff should be made aware of the procedures to follow if there is a concern about any child’s or adult’s welfare. In cases where a child or adult discloses that they are being, or have been, harmed or abused, the member of staff should record the nature of the concern in writing and speak to the person responsible for Alerting the Local Authority, this information is on the ‘Safeguarding Referral Rota’ in SharePoint. It is the role of the person responsible for Alerting the Local Authority to assess the concerns to determine whether an external referral to Children’s Services, Adult Services, the Prevent Team, or the police needs to take place. The designated persons’ responsible for Alerting the Local Authority will have received adequate safeguarding training.

In all cases where there are allegations of abuse, it is vital that these are dealt with fairly, quickly, and consistently.

If an allegation is made against a member of staff this should be reported immediately to a senior officer or a member of the senior management team. Actions should be taken both to protect adults and the accused member of staff. These may include ensuring that the member of staff is not placed in a vulnerable situation while investigations take place. Where it is appropriate, relevant Human Resources procedures may be initiated and/or a referral made to an external agency.

Children or adults may allege that abuse or harm has occurred at home or in other
situations outside of the training provider’s remit. It is important that these allegations are treated seriously, and that staff follow reporting procedures. Learning providers should work in partnership with local safeguarding partnerships in dealing with these situations.

It is important that LALS has a quality assurance framework for safeguarding practice. This quality process, and any subsequent evaluation of the quality process, is an effective way of ensuring that safeguarding practice is checked.

This framework outlines guidelines for good practice in safeguarding. However, it is the responsibility of each learning provider to identify the most appropriate strategic approach and adapt this to their circumstances.

LALS safeguarding is managed by the Safeguarding team who meet bi-monthly. This meeting is chaired by the safeguarding lead. The team has responsibilities including:

• Reviewing and implementation of the safeguarding Policy.
• Monitoring and reviewing the process of DBS for staff and volunteers.
• Ensuring that staff receive training in safeguarding.
• Ensuring that staff receive training in PREVENT.
• Ensuring that all policies on bullying, harassment and discrimination are implemented, monitored, and reviewed.
• Ensuring that safe learning environments are promoted in the workplace and other
  learning rooms.
• Reviewing and monitoring the E-Safety Policy.
• Identify emerging issues related to radicalisation and PREVENT and provide up to
  date information relating to extremist activity nationally and locally.
• Quality assurance and improvement.

• Prevent Strategy.
• Recruitment and selection Policies.
• E communications Policy.
• Community Engagement Policy.
• Information Security Policy.
• Freedom of Information Policy.
• Data Protection policy.
• Health and Safety policy.
• DBS Policy and Process.
• Learner Risk Assessment Procedure.
• Security policy.
• Volunteer Policy/Procedure.
• External Speakers and Room booking Procedures.
• LCC Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement.

If you have any concerns about your own safety, the safety of someone you know, or allegations against a member of staff, please talk to your tutor or contact Andrew Day (Designated Safeguarding Lead) on freephone 0800 988 0308.

Leicestershire Adult Learning Service takes its responsibility for Prevent seriously and
will endeavour to maintain relationships and share information with:-

• Regional HE/FE ‘Prevent’ Coordinator – Sam Slack (sam.slack@education.gov.uk).
• Police ‘Prevent’ teams.
• Safer community partnerships – Anita Chavda – Officer.
• Leicestershire County Council Prevent lead – Chris Thomas.
• Learners.
• Employers.
• External visitors.
• Local communities.

All LALS staff are required to undertake. Prevent training as part of their induction with is updated regularly. This is delivered face to face or online.

IT Policies, procedures & programmes are in place to ensure that learners stay safe whilst using LALS equipment. Learners are closely monitored by staff whilst in the learning environment and inappropriate use of IT is monitored and challenged.

LALS will challenge all ideologies that support terrorism and those who promote it to protect our learners and communities.

LALS Prevent procedures mirror safeguarding and ALL staff are clear that Prevent issues are safeguarding issues.

LALS will ensure that staff and visitors including external speakers are aware of and maintain British Values. Checks of background information will be carried out on external speakers attending classes and a record of their visit will be logged.

Resources have been available for staff and learners to access on the Moodle site from Summer 2017 for the purpose of educating them and refreshing their memory of British Values.

British Values will be covered in a basic awareness raising session during induction for all learners. Reinforcement will be encouraged throughout the course. Teachers will be encouraged to develop a wide range of resources & activities to promote and develop tolerance, democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect, and the rule of law.

LALS subscribes to and references Leicestershire County Council’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement.

Staff will:

• Raise an awareness of modern slavery and raise awareness of what constitutes
  modern slavery.
• Raise awareness of the warning signs to look out for.
• Create an environment that informs and encourages learners to discuss the
  subject openly.
• Enable learners to disclose any concerns.
• Enable learners to access information, advice, and support.
• Be alert to the signs, and open to receive disclosure from learners.
• Follow the standard alerters’ procedure to report concerns.

All providers should have a culture of safeguarding. This means they should have effective arrangements to:

• Always act in the best interests of children and learners to protect them online and offline, including when they are receiving remote education or self-isolating due to COVID-19.
• Identify children and learners who may need early help, and who are at risk of harm or have been harmed. This can include, but is not limited to, neglect, abuse (including by their peers), grooming or exploitation.
• Secure the help that children and learners need and, if required, refer concerns in a timely way to those who have the expertise to help.
• Ensure safe recruitment and manage ongoing compliance and allegations about adults who may be a risk to children and vulnerable adults.

The care act recognises 10 types of harm. These are listed with examples below. These examples are illustrative and not exhaustive.

Other forms of harm not in The Care Act but relevant to safeguarding adults are:

Significant Harm

If the incident under consideration on its own, or in combination with other concerns, could reasonably constitute significant harm to a child or vulnerable adult, then this information will need to be shared with an appropriate person or authority. In all cases where you suspect abuse, you should talk to your referrer in the first instance and keep a record of relevant information.

Patterns of Abuse

Most incidents of abuse by staff and volunteers towards children or adults, when seen
with hindsight, contain prior indications of the potential for abuse that have been missed, ignored, or overlooked by the department. Sexual abuse is likely to be characterised by a process of grooming of one or more people prior to a specific act. This will often consist of blurring of boundaries to allow opportunities for abuse to take place. It is essential that managers are fully aware of this possibility and are alert to indications of conduct that could be part of a grooming process.

“Grooming” can constitute an offence and applies to specific behaviour towards children up to 16 years. Further, whilst the age of consent for sexual activity is 16, any sexual activity between a pupil/student up to the age of 18 and a member of staff, even if perceived to be with the consent of a pupil, is an ‘Abuse of Trust’ offence and should be brought to the immediate attention of the Safeguarding Officer who will liaise with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Activities that might arouse suspicion or merit further investigation, especially when conducted in a clandestine manner, and are contrary to the department’s policy, and which occur in combinations in relation to the same member of staff or volunteer might include:

• Meeting or visiting Learners outside of the activity.
• Offering extra support to individual Learners.
• Placing themselves in closed rooms or inappropriate situations with a learner.
• A series of minor concerns about physical contact.
• Inappropriate behaviour/conduct/boundaries with learners.
• Use of inappropriate and/or familiar language.
• Texting or e-mailing learners from private address/number.
• Underperforming in their job linked to other behavioural concerns.
• A history of frequent moves from job to job working with young people or children.
• Constantly ignoring rules about safe levels of staff to learner ratios.

What you should do if you think a child or vulnerable adult is being abused If you have any concerns because you think that a child might be being abused, don’t assume that someone else is doing something about it, you must do the following:

• In an emergency (i.e., a serious incident, the child needs medical attention, or a crime may have occurred) call 999.
• Contact the LALS designated safeguarding officer who will report your concerns.
• Keep a record of your concerns and any action taken.

It is recommended that guidance for learners and staff should include information about well-being, personal safety, security, and safeguarding issues.

For learners this may include:

• A description of the provider that includes the mission statement, organisational structure with a message stating a commitment to well-being, security, and a safer environment.
• What to expect from the organisation regarding its commitment to learners and their safety and well-being.
• Details of the learner induction programme which should include sessions on individuals’ rights and responsibilities in relation to personal safety, security, and well-being.
• How to use the Internet, to include guidance on internet security.
• Arrangements for learning support; how to access support and counselling, (available within the provision as well as from external bodies and providers) and where to go to seek help.
• Reporting procedures for ill-health, health and safety incidents, abuse, bullying and harassment.
• Policies and procedures on expected behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Equality and diversity policies that make it clear that discrimination, abuse, harassment, and bullying is not tolerated.
• Who to contact in different situations such as reporting abuse, security issues or unreasonable behaviour.
• Children and adult safeguarding procedures.

For staff this may include:

• The aim of the provision showing how its work fits into both the national and local context.
• Details of partners, including those involved in well-being initiatives, personal safety, and safeguarding adults.
• Who to contact in different situations such as dealing with allegations of abuse, security breaches or unreasonable behaviour.
• The services available including include learning support, human resources, staff counselling and where to go to seek help.
• Reporting procedures for ill-health, health and safety incidents, abuse, bullying and harassment.
• How to use the Internet, to include the policy and practice on Internet security.
• Information, policies and procedures on expected behaviour and codes of conduct.
• The policy on providing transport and safer recruitment of transport staff for adults with safeguarding needs.
• Equality and diversity policies that make it clear that discrimination, abuse, harassment, and bullying is not tolerated.
• Adult safeguarding procedures.
• Details of the staff induction programme to include sessions on staff responsibility in relation to personal safety, security, and well-being.
• An explanation of how diversity issues, safer practice and appropriate conduct are embedded into the curriculum.
• Safer recruitment of staff and volunteer’s policy and risk assessment procedures.

• Proper and thorough pre-employment checks must be carried out on all potential staff prior to offers of employment, including full references, DBS checks, verification of qualifications etc. Further advice can be found in the LCC Recruitment Policy.
• Managers must seek full information on previous employment records from past employers and examine this to assess whether there is any basis for concern.
• Managers must keep secure records of any concerns or incidents relating to individual staff, on confidential files. This includes where there is insufficient evidence to determine whether they are true or false. Patterns of such incidents over time may be significant. Such records should be made accessible to the member of staff.
• Any disciplinary or capability warnings about issues relating to child protection or adults with safeguarding need must be retained beyond their expiry date as part of recording patterns of concern.
• Managers must be willing to share full and relevant information concerning allegations or concerns relating to child protection and adults with safeguarding needs about an employee when they are moving to a new employer, prior to any offer of employment being made.
• References should include all relevant matters which relate to the job for which the employee has applied, to assist the recognition of patterns of behaviour, which may not be obvious when considered in isolation.
• Employees should be allowed to see any reference a manager has prepared.
• All staff and volunteers must be encouraged to discuss issues relating to child protection and adults with safeguarding needs and to share in confidence any concerns they may have about other staff, volunteers etc. It must be made clear to all staff to whom such matters should be reported, which would normally be a Designated Senior Officer.
• Information or concerns raised by people outside of the department about the actions of staff or volunteers must be treated with the same level of seriousness and addressed in accordance with these guidelines, even if those concerns are raised anonymously.
• These approaches will enable complete information to be shared openly and the identification of an ‘audit trail’ in those rare cases where a genuine child

protection or vulnerable adult with safeguarding need exists.

Sharing Information in relation to concerns about children and adults with safeguarding needs

• You should explain to children and adults at the outset, openly and honestly, what, and how information will or could be shared. You should seek their agreement. The exception to this is where to do so would put that child, adult, or others at increased risk of significant harm.

• You must always consider the safety and welfare of an individual when making decisions on whether to share information about them. Where there is concern that the individual may be suffering or is at risk of suffering significant harm, the individual’s safety and welfare must be the overriding consideration.
• You should, where possible, respect the wishes of children or adults who do not consent to share confidential information. You may still share information, if in your judgement there is sufficient need in the public interest, or in the case of children where there is risk of significant harm to override that lack of consent.
• You should seek advice where you are in doubt.
• You should ensure that the information you share is accurate and up to date.
• You should always record the reasons for your decision, whether it is to share information or not.

1. Partnership – is there a commitment to working with existing local safeguarding boards?
2. Accountability, roles, and responsibility – are there clear lines of accountability within the senior management of LALS that show where responsibilities lie? Is there a clear indication of who has the responsibility and at what level for different aspects of safeguarding children and adults?
3. Rights and values – is there a clear statement that shows LALS values and belief in relation to individual rights to freedom from abuse and harm? Does it state the expectation for the whole of LALS to demonstrate these values through corporate and individual behaviour?
4. Tolerance levels – is there a clear statement for all learners and staff which indicates that there is zero tolerance of abuse and other harmful behaviours? Do policies and procedures direct both staff and learners towards taking appropriate actions when abuse and harmful behaviours occur? Are these policies and procedures having an impact?
5. Risk assessment – does the risk management system work in relation to safeguarding vulnerable groups?
6. Policy – are there policy and procedures for safeguarding children and adults? Do all staff know about these?
7. Staff and volunteer recruitment – does LALS demonstrate their commitment to good quality processes in the recruitment and vetting of new staff and the monitoring of existing staff and volunteers?
8. Capacity and capability – is there a clear commitment to training all staff at all levels on the issue of safeguarding vulnerable adults? Is there a range of staff training opportunities?
9. Information and communications – is information for learners and staff (on safeguarding, abuse and how to seek help) both available and accessible? Is there a clear communications system for issues of safeguarding, including reporting of allegations or concerns? Does information on safeguarding and health feature in all communication processes, such as on the Internet, intranet, in handbooks and on notice boards?
10. Curriculum – are personal safety rights and responsibilities embedded into the curriculum for all learners?
11. Involving learners / learner induction – has LALS ensured that learners are included in identifying, developing, and monitoring the impact of safeguarding work, from developing the partnerships, policies, and procedures to monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness? Is safeguarding part of induction for all learners and staff?

All allegations of abuse or concerns about children and adults must be recorded without delay. This is to ensure that accurate information is passed on to the relevant person and that there is a written record of the key information. It is the duty of ALL staff and volunteers to Alert, without delay, any concerns, suspicions, or evidence of abuse that they may see or hear, including suspicions of extremism or radicalisation.