Safeguarding

Cheryl Pierce

Julian James 

Stevie Kingshott

Safeguarding Inbox

safeguarding@swansea.ac.uk 
Please note, the Safeguarding Inbox is monitored Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm. 
The inbox is not monitored during University closure periods including bank holidays.

For any concerns outside of these hours, please contact the security team: 
securitysupervisor@swansea.ac.uk or
01792 604271

Safeguarding is about protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from abuse or neglect.

Safeguarding principles 

At Swansea University Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. Effective safeguarding practice, in line with legislation and guidance, is most likely to take place if there is consistency between the principles underpinning legislation, guidance and those promoted in the Safeguarding procedures for Wales. 

Effective Safeguarding requires: 

• Everyone at Swansea University and the organisation itself, to play their part and contribute to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children and adults at risk. 
• Share information in accordance with sharing information to safeguard people; and information sharing to safeguard children guidance
• Work together within the University or with external agencies to better understand the individual and their circumstances and their needs for care, support, and safety. 
• Work cooperatively with the child or adult at risk to establish what matters to them and to ensure they feel respected and informed. 

More specifically, every person in contact with or working with children and adults at risk of abuse and neglect, their carers, and their families; or with adults who may pose a safeguarding risk; or are responsible for arranging services for children and/or adults, should: 

• Understand their role and responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults at risk of abuse and neglect. 
• Be familiar with and follow Swansea University’s procedures and protocols for safeguarding and know who to contact to discuss concerns about a child or an adult at risk of abuse and neglect and their duty to report. 
• Be alert to indicators of abuse and neglect. 
• Have received training to a level in-line with your role and responsibilities. 
• Know when and how to report any concerns about abuse and neglect to social services or the police. 
• Be alert to and aware of the risks which individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to children or adults at risk of abuse and neglect. 
• Recognise when a care giver has compromised caring capacity, that is, problems which may affect their capacity to provide effective and appropriate care, or which may mean they pose a risk of harm. 
• Be aware of the impact and effects of abuse and neglect on children and adults at risk. 
• Understand the safeguarding process. 
• Contribute as necessary at all stages of the safeguarding process. 

Abuse means physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, or financial abuse and includes abuse taking place in any setting, whether in a private dwelling, an institution, or any other place. Abuse involves the mistreatment of a child or adult at risk. Abuse can be caused by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm and can be perpetrated by adults and/or children.

Neglect means a failure to meet a person’s basic physical, emotional, social, or psychological needs, which is likely to result in an impairment of the person’s well-being (for example, an impairment of the person’s health or, in the case of a child, an impairment of the child’s development). Neglect is likely to result in the serious impairment of an individual’s health or development.

Children, young people, and vulnerable adults are more at risk of abuse or neglect. An adult can become vulnerable at any time in their life as their circumstances may change. A personal, incidental, or situational change may mean that an adult who is not vulnerable today, may be vulnerable in the future.

An adult at risk is defined as an adult who:

1) is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect
2) has needs for care and support due to a vulnerability
3) as a result of those needs, is unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect or risk of it

It is important to note that the use of the term ‘at risk’ means that actual abuse or neglect does not need to occur, rather that early interventions to protect an Adult at Risk should be considered to prevent actual harm, abuse, and neglect.

A child at risk is a child who:

1) Is experiencing or is at risk of abuse, neglect, or other kinds of harm.
2) Has needs for care and support (whether the authority is meeting any of those needs).

It is important to note that the use of the term ‘at risk’ means that actual abuse or neglect does not need to occur, rather that early interventions to protect a child at risk should be considered to prevent actual harm, abuse, and neglect.

Safeguarding is everybody's responsibility, and everyone has a part to play. Your part will depend on your job role within the University.  
If there is an immediate risk of harm to life, you must call the appropriate emergency services before calling the University security team.  
If there is not an immediate risk of harm, then appropriate steps must be taken. Those steps will more than likely be to approach the person, assess the situation and assist them by listening to what they have to say. If a disclosure is made about abuse or neglect you will need to report it.

See the Safeguarding Practice guides for additional support

Children, young people, and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect need to be safeguarded.  

It is important to note that the use of the term ‘at risk’ means that actual abuse or neglect does not need to occur, rather that early interventions to protect a child at risk or Adults at Risk should be considered to prevent actual harm, abuse, and neglect. 

If you have a safeguarding concern, report it here.  

The University recognises that it has a duty to report suspected abuse of any child or adult at risk (whether or not that person is a member of the University community) if that concern is reported to the University.  

The process for reporting concerns and/or allegations are as follows:  

If you think a child or Adult at Risk connected with the University community is in immediate danger, contact the Emergency Services and University Security on 01792 60427

If you are concerned about a child or Adult at Risk connected with the University community or are concerned that someone connected with the University may be harming a child or Adult at Risk, you should: 

• Make a careful note about your concerns, so that you do not forget anything. See the Safeguarding Practice guides for additional support
• complete the online reporting form (advice can be sought from your line manager) 
• Tell the Designated Safeguarding Officer for your faculty or department.  

There are several DSOs (including the Lead Safeguarding Officer, the Principal Safeguarding Officer, and the Deputy Safeguarding Officer) across Swansea University within different Faculties and Professional Services. You can find the full list of DSOs below. 

If you have any questions or concerns and you are unsure what to do, please contact us via the Safeguarding inbox: safeguarding@swansea.ac.uk  

Avoid using any personal equipment to take photos and videos of children – only use cameras or devices belonging to your organisation. It’s important that images and videos are saved securely, using a security code for example. Devices should be stored away safely and securely when not in use.

Photographing and filming children | Images guidance | NSPCC Learning