Safeguarding

Safeguarding is about protecting children, young people or adults who may be vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Safeguarding in the context of the University also refers more broadly to concerns about the well-being of students, staff and visitors. 

The University context

• The University of Leicester has a legal and moral duty to safeguard the wellbeing and safety of children and adults at risk involved in any University activities, whether they are conducted in person or online. The University encounters children and adults at risk in a variety of settings, including through its teaching and research activities, as well as through its outreach programmes.
• The University of Leicester is committed to adopting the highest possible standards and taking all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children and adults at risk, in order to ensure that they are safeguarded whilst enjoying opportunities to realise their full potential.
• The below information details how to report a concern and information on training and DBS checks. 

Who is responsible for Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Staff and students alike have a role to play in keeping each other and themselves safe. We all have a duty to take action if we have a cause for concern about the well-being of others, whether this is on university property or in our own communities.

The University as an organisation has a general duty of care under common law to take reasonable steps to ensure that children, young people and adults who may be at risk are safe and that foreseeable harm does not occur as a result of careless acts or omissions of the university. In some cases, the University may also have a legal duty which must be fulfilled.

In response to this duty of care, the University has appointed a team of Designated Officers responsible for receiving and acting upon reports of safeguarding concerns. These officers are trained to respond appropriately to reports and to support anyone who makes a report. It is also the responsibility of the Designated Safeguarding Officers to create a local Safeguarding protocol in line with University policy and the training they have received as part of their role. This is especially vital for departments who have additional professional body requirements such as the Medical School and School of Education. 

To access guidance on creating the local protocol for your area, please contact concerned@le.ac.uk and you will be put in touch with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

In these pages you will find information, advice and guidance to help staff and students understand what safeguarding means and how you can help ensure that the University of Leicester is a safe place to work, study and succeed.