Safeguarding & Inclusion
Safeguarding Policy
Achievers Training College Ltd (ATC) is committed to a learning environment where children, adults at risk, learners, staff and people encountered through training are treated safely and with dignity. Safeguarding means preventing and responding to abuse, neglect, exploitation and avoidable harm; it is everyone’s responsibility.
Website draft — legal and operational review required.
This document is a substantial working draft for ATC. Confirm the bracketed or course-specific details and obtain appropriate legal and operational review before relying on or publishing it as an approved policy.
Effective
Draft for ATC confirmation before publication
Last updated
[Policy date: To be confirmed by ATC before publication]
Review
Review at least annually and sooner if legislation, awarding requirements, services or delivery arrangements change.
Owner
Achievers Training College Ltd (ATC)
Version
0.1 draft
Purpose and scope
Purpose
Protect learners and other people from abuse, neglect, exploitation, harm and unsafe practice while supporting learning.
Scope
Children, young people and adults who may be at risk, including learners, service users, placement contacts and people affected by ATC activity online or in person.
Responsibilities
ATC
Maintain a proportionate safeguarding approach, provide a reporting route, act on concerns and share information when safety or law requires it.
Staff, tutors and assessors
Recognise concerns, maintain professional boundaries, record facts and report promptly rather than investigating themselves.
Learners and visitors
Report a concern, follow safe practice and avoid promising secrecy where someone may be at risk.
How the policy works
In an emergency call 999; otherwise report to the ATC safeguarding contact, tutor or published ATC email route.
Record what was seen, heard or disclosed, when, by whom and what immediate safety action was taken.
ATC will assess risk, consult the appropriate safeguarding partner or authority and share the minimum necessary information.
Offer appropriate welfare support, preserve confidentiality as far as possible and review any learning or assessment impact.
What safeguarding covers
Concerns may involve physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, domestic abuse, financial abuse, discriminatory abuse, modern slavery, exploitation, self-neglect, radicalisation, online harm or unsafe professional practice. A concern can relate to a learner, staff member, placement, household, online contact or another person.
Recognising and reporting
You do not need proof to report a concern. Listen calmly, take the person seriously, avoid promising secrecy, record their words as accurately as possible and report promptly. The safeguarding officer / designated safeguarding officer (DSO) and Deputy DSO remain to be appointed: [Safeguarding Officer / DSO: To be confirmed by ATC before publication]; [Deputy DSO: To be confirmed by ATC before publication]. Until those appointments are made, contact Emily Douglas at info@achieverstrainingcollege.co.uk as the interim safeguarding route. If there is immediate danger, call 999; for a non-emergency concern, contact the appropriate local authority or police route.
| Situation | Action | ATC route to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger | Call 999 first and then notify ATC when safe | Interim ATC route: Emily Douglas at info@achieverstrainingcollege.co.uk |
| Safeguarding concern | Report promptly; do not wait for proof | info@achieverstrainingcollege.co.uk |
| Concern about the named lead | Use the interim route until the DSO and Deputy DSO are appointed | [Alternative safeguarding route: To be confirmed by ATC before publication] |
Online safety
Use approved platforms responsibly, protect passwords, avoid sharing personal or patient information, and report harmful, coercive or inappropriate contact. ATC may set boundaries for online sessions and moderate learning spaces. Highfield Vault, where used for the Level 3 Adult Care programme, is a separate third-party platform with its own provider arrangements; ATC remains responsible for learner support, assessment, IQA and centre records.
Responding and escalation
ATC will assess immediate safety, record the concern, share information on a need-to-know basis and refer to the appropriate safeguarding, social care, health, police or awarding organisation route. ATC will not investigate beyond its competence or promise an outcome. Emergency action takes priority over internal procedures.
Professional boundaries and safer practice
Staff, tutors, assessors and learners must maintain appropriate boundaries, protect confidentiality and avoid conflicts of interest. Workplace or placement concerns should also be reported through the employer’s safeguarding route where appropriate. Training does not authorise a learner to act beyond their role or competence.
Support after a concern
ATC will consider welfare support, reasonable adjustments, special consideration and safe learning arrangements. Information may be shared without consent where necessary to protect someone or comply with law. Retaliation against a person who reports a concern honestly is not acceptable.