Safeguarding policy

EdgeWorks™ is committed to safeguarding the welfare, dignity and rights of all adults who engage with our services, and of all staff, associates, contractors and others acting on our behalf.

EdgeWorks™ delivers training and assessment to adult learners through a distance and online delivery model. We do not normally recruit or deliver to learners under the age of 18. This policy therefore focuses primarily on safeguarding adult learners, particularly adults at risk, and on related risks including abuse, neglect, exploitation, coercion, radicalisation and serious welfare concerns.

Where a safeguarding concern arises in relation to a child or young person encountered through our work, EdgeWorks™ will respond promptly and escalate the matter in line with relevant statutory safeguarding procedures.

Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. All staff, associates, contractors and partners working on behalf of EdgeWorks™ must recognise safeguarding concerns, understand reporting routes, and act without delay where concerns arise.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

Protect adult learners from abuse, neglect, exploitation, coercion, radicalisation and other forms of harm.
Promote a safe, respectful and inclusive online learning environment.
Set out clear safeguarding roles, responsibilities and reporting arrangements.
Support early identification of welfare concerns and timely intervention where appropriate.
Confirm how EdgeWorks™ will respond if a concern relates to a child, even though children are not part of our normal learner cohort.
Underline our commitment to the Prevent duty and wider safeguarding responsibilities.

Scope

This policy applies to:

All employees.
Directors and senior managers.
Freelance associates, assessors and IQAs.
Contractors and consultants.
Volunteers, where engaged.
Employer partners and other third parties, where relevant to delivery or learner welfare.

It applies to safeguarding concerns arising:

During online, remote and distance learning.
During assessment, review, feedback or learner support activity.
Through digital communication or platform use.
Through phone, email, video call or messaging contact with learners.
Through disclosures made by learners, staff or third parties.

Definitions

Safeguarding

Safeguarding means the arrangements, policies and actions taken to protect people from abuse, neglect, exploitation, radicalisation and avoidable harm, and to promote their welfare.

Adult safeguarding

For the purposes of this policy, adult safeguarding concerns relate primarily to adults who:

Have needs for care and support, whether or not a local authority is meeting those needs.
Are experiencing, or are at risk of, abuse or neglect.
Are unable to protect themselves from that abuse or neglect because of those care and support needs.

EdgeWorks™ also recognises that adults may be vulnerable to harm even where the statutory section 42 threshold is not met, and staff must still report concerns appropriately.

Child safeguarding

A child is anyone under the age of 18. EdgeWorks™ does not normally deliver to children. However, if a concern is identified relating to a child, whether through disclosure, employer contact, or another work-related context, the concern must be treated seriously and reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Abuse and neglect

Abuse and neglect may include, but are not limited to:

Physical abuse.
Emotional or psychological abuse.
Sexual abuse.
Domestic abuse.
Financial or material abuse.
Neglect and acts of omission.
Discriminatory abuse.
Organisational or institutional abuse.
Modern slavery, trafficking and exploitation.
Coercive or controlling behaviour.
Online abuse.
Self-neglect, where relevant.
Radicalisation or being drawn into terrorism.

Legislative and guidance framework

This policy is intended to reflect relevant safeguarding law and guidance in England, including, where applicable:

Care Act 2014.
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.
Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Equality Act 2010.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
Working Together to Safeguard Children, where concerns relate to a child.
Prevent Duty Guidance, where applicable to our provision.

This policy should be read alongside the following EdgeWorks™ policies and procedures:

Prevent Policy.
Equal Opportunities E&D Policy.
Health and Safety for Learners Policy.
Data Protection and Usage Policy.
Recruitment and Selection Policy.
Whistleblowing Policy.
Acceptable Behaviour Policy.
Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy.
Appeals and Complaints Policy.

Where overlap exists, the relevant specialist policy will apply in parallel or take procedural precedence as appropriate.

Safeguarding principles

EdgeWorks™ recognises that:

The welfare and safety of the individual is paramount.
All adults have the right to live free from abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination.
Safeguarding concerns may arise in remote, online and employer-linked settings.
Abuse, exploitation and radicalisation can affect adults of any background.
Some adults may face increased barriers to disclosing harm, including those with disabilities, mental ill health, communication needs, social isolation, dependency, trauma or insecure circumstances.
Safeguarding responsibilities must be carried out in a way that is person-centred, proportionate, lawful and respectful.
Effective safeguarding depends on timely reporting, appropriate information sharing and partnership working.
Preventing radicalisation forms part of our wider safeguarding responsibilities.

Risks relevant to EdgeWorks™ adult learner model

EdgeWorks™ recognises that adult learners may be at risk from:

Abuse or neglect in domestic, workplace or care settings.
Financial abuse or coercion.
Bullying, harassment or discrimination.
Mental health crisis or serious emotional distress.
Substance misuse affecting welfare or safety.
Modern slavery, trafficking or labour exploitation.
Domestic abuse or coercive control.
Radicalisation and exposure to extremist content.
Online harm, including grooming, fraud, intimidation or exploitation.
Isolation or reduced visibility of welfare concerns because learning takes place remotely.

What EdgeWorks™ will do

EdgeWorks™ will endeavour to safeguard learners and others within scope by:

Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Providing safeguarding and Prevent training at induction and refresher training thereafter.
Maintaining clear reporting and escalation routes.
Promoting a culture in which concerns are raised promptly and without fear of retaliation.
Using safer recruitment processes, including DBS checks where a role is legally eligible and the nature of the work requires it.
Sharing safeguarding information on a need-to-know basis and in accordance with data protection law.
Working with employers, local authorities, police, adult safeguarding teams and other agencies where appropriate.
Reviewing safeguarding concerns, trends and lessons learned through governance processes.
Ensuring online and remote delivery arrangements support learner welfare and safe professional boundaries.
Responding appropriately where concerns relate to a child, despite children not being part of our normal learner cohort.

Roles and responsibilities

Board of Directors

The Board is responsible for:

Approving and reviewing this policy.
Ensuring appropriate safeguarding governance, oversight and resources.
Holding senior leaders to account for safeguarding effectiveness.
Reviewing significant safeguarding risks, incidents and trends.

Managing Director and Senior Management Team

Senior leadership is responsible for:

Ensuring safeguarding systems and reporting arrangements operate effectively.
Supporting the Designated Safeguarding Lead in the discharge of that role.
Ensuring staff receive appropriate safeguarding training and supervision.
Taking action where safeguarding risks, policy breaches or systemic concerns are identified.

Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for:

Acting as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns.
Receiving, recording and assessing safeguarding reports.
Deciding on appropriate referral, escalation and information-sharing action.
Liaising with external agencies, employer partners and statutory bodies where required.
Supporting staff and maintaining safeguarding records.
Overseeing Prevent-related safeguarding concerns where this sits within the same role.
Reporting safeguarding themes, risks and actions to senior leadership and the Board as appropriate.

Managers

Managers are responsible for:

Reinforcing safeguarding expectations within their areas of responsibility.
Ensuring concerns are reported without delay.
Supporting staff to follow this policy.
Escalating concerns immediately rather than attempting to investigate alone.

All staff, associates and contractors

All staff, associates and contractors must:

Read and follow this policy.
Complete mandatory safeguarding and Prevent training.
Remain alert to indicators of abuse, neglect, exploitation, radicalisation or serious welfare risk.
Report concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Record facts accurately, promptly and without opinion where a concern arises.
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
Share information only with authorised persons and on a need-to-know basis.
Never assume that someone else has taken action.

Learners

Learners are expected to:

Treat others with dignity and respect.
Raise safeguarding or welfare concerns promptly.
Engage with support and safeguarding processes where appropriate.
Follow EdgeWorks™ policies and reasonable safety guidance.

Safer recruitment

EdgeWorks™ is committed to safer recruitment. Recruitment arrangements will:

Include appropriate identity, right to work and reference checks.
Include DBS checks only where the role is legally eligible and the duties justify this.
Include safeguarding responsibilities in relevant job descriptions and induction.
Require staff and associates to understand professional boundaries and safeguarding reporting duties.

Reporting safeguarding concerns

Any safeguarding concern must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. This includes concerns relating to:

Abuse or neglect.
Exploitation or coercion.
Serious mental health or welfare risk.
Disclosures of domestic abuse.
Concerns involving a child encountered through work.
Unsafe conduct by staff, contractors, employers or other learners.

If there is an immediate risk of serious harm or danger, emergency services must be contacted without delay and the Designated Safeguarding Lead informed as soon as possible afterwards.

If the concern relates to the conduct of the Designated Safeguarding Lead, it must be escalated directly to the Managing Director or the Board.

Staff must not:

Promise absolute confidentiality.
Delay reporting while seeking more evidence.
Conduct their own full investigation before escalating.
Dismiss a concern because the individual is an adult.

Recording concerns

All safeguarding concerns must be recorded promptly and accurately. Records should include:

The date, time and method by which the concern arose.
The factual nature of the concern or disclosure.
The name of the individual or individuals involved, where known.
The action taken.
The person to whom the concern was reported.
Safeguarding records will be:
Kept secure and access restricted.
Retained in line with the Data Protection and Usage Policy and relevant retention arrangements.
Shared only where necessary, lawful and proportionate.

Information sharing and confidentiality

EdgeWorks™ will handle safeguarding information sensitively and in accordance with data protection law. However:

Data protection law does not prevent the sharing of safeguarding information where it is necessary, lawful and proportionate.
Information may be shared without consent where there is a safeguarding risk, a legal obligation, vital interests, public protection concerns, or another lawful basis.
Only relevant information will be shared, with appropriate agencies and individuals, on a need-to-know basis.

Working with external agencies

Where appropriate, EdgeWorks™ may liaise with or make referrals to:

Adult safeguarding teams.
Local authorities.
Prevent or Channel processes.
Mental health crisis or support services.
Employer safeguarding or HR contacts.
Awarding organisations or regulators, where qualification integrity or learner protection requires this.

If a concern relates to a child, EdgeWorks™ will escalate through the appropriate child safeguarding route without delay.

Prevent and radicalisation

EdgeWorks™ recognises that safeguarding includes protecting people from being drawn into terrorism.

Prevent concerns must be treated as safeguarding concerns and reported immediately through the safeguarding route. Staff must remain alert to indicators such as:

Expressions of extremist ideology.
Sudden changes in behaviour linked to extremist narratives.
Online activity suggesting radicalisation risk.
Justification of violence or terrorism.
Attempts to influence others towards extremism.

The Prevent Policy should be read alongside this policy.

Online and remote safeguarding

As EdgeWorks™ delivers learning and assessment through a digital-first, distance and online model, safeguarding arrangements must reflect the reduced direct visibility that comes with remote delivery. Staff must:

Maintain appropriate professional boundaries online.
Use approved systems and communication channels.
Report concerns arising from online contact, learner communications or digital behaviour.
Remain alert to online harm, coercion, intimidation, exploitation and radicalisation risks.
Recognise that changes in behaviour, engagement, tone or communication may be indicators of welfare risk in a remote setting.

Concerns involving staff or associates

Where a safeguarding concern relates to the conduct of a member of staff, associate, contractor or volunteer:

The concern must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and a senior manager.
If the concern involves the Designated Safeguarding Lead, it must be reported to the Managing Director or Board.
Appropriate safeguarding, HR, disciplinary and referral action will be considered.
External reporting will be made where required by law, regulation or safeguarding necessity.

Child safeguarding contingency

Although EdgeWorks™ does not normally deliver to learners under 18, staff may encounter child safeguarding concerns through disclosures, employer contact, workplace settings or other professional interactions.

In such cases:

The concern must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
The matter must be escalated through the appropriate child safeguarding route.
Staff must not treat the matter as outside scope simply because the child is not an EdgeWorks™ learner.

Training and awareness

EdgeWorks™ will ensure that:

All staff complete safeguarding and Prevent training during induction.
Refresher training is completed at appropriate intervals.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead receives training appropriate to that role.
Staff are informed of safeguarding contacts, reporting routes and policy updates.
Training records will be maintained centrally.