Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the term used when talking about protecting vulnerable adults and young people from abuse or neglect. Across all of our colleges, we are committed to ensuring that every member of staff is safeguarding-trained to help ensure our college is a safe place for your child to study.

We have a dedicated safeguarding team who lead on all safeguarding matters at each college. Every member of staff in our group is trained and inducted in Safeguarding procedures. You can find details of our safeguarding teams by visiting each of our college websites:

All complaints, allegations or suspicions of abuse or Safeguarding concerns are dealt with through our Safeguarding, Child Protection and Adults at Risk Policy. The policy can be found on our policy page here.

For more information on Safeguarding, take a look at the following links:

Safeguarding Contacts

All complaints, allegations or suspicions of abuse or Safeguarding concerns are dealt with through our Safeguarding, Child Protection and Adults at Risk Policy. The policy can be found here.

Safeguarding also requires collaboration with parents. We know that parenting a young person can sometimes be very challenging. Maintaining a positive relationship can at times be difficult as they grow and become independent, develop new relationships and seek to find their own identity.

There have been many reports in the media recently of young people being targeted by adults who hold extreme views that advocate violence. A number of young people have been persuaded to leave the UK in secret against the wishes of their families, putting themselves in extreme danger. This page aims to help parents and carers recognise when their child may be at risk of radicalisation and where to get help if they are worried.

What is Extremism and Radicalisation?

Extremism is where someone holds views that are intolerant of people of a different ethnicity, culture, religion, gender or sexual identity. These views can be used to justify political, religious, sexist, homophobic, transphobic or racist violence.

Radicalisation happens when a person’s thinking and behaviour become significantly different from how most of the members of their society and community view social issues and participate politically.

People who become radicalised can be from a diverse range of ethnic, national, political and religious groups. As a person radicalises they may begin to seek to change significantly the nature of society and government. However, if someone decides that using fear, terror or violence is justified to achieve ideological, political or social change – this is violent extremism.

Why do young people become Radicalised?

Violent far-right or Islamist extremists, usually attract people to their cause through a persuasive narrative which will attempt to explain why a person may feel certain grievances, thus justifying any violent or criminal actions which are seen to avenge any perceived wrongs suffered.

Young people may be drawn to extreme views because:
– They may be searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging
– They are trying to make sense of world events
– They have a personal grievance or experience of racism or discrimination and feel they want to change things
– They are under pressure from their peers who have links with these

How do young people become Radicalised?

Young people may come into contact with adults and peers with extremist views both online and in everyday life. This person may be a relative or stranger they meet online.

Contact online may be through sites such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube or other social sites. Children may need to spend a lot of time on the internet while studying, but sometimes young people can be invited to use other less well-known sites such as KiK, Whisper or Yik Yak. Extremists often use these sites because they are harder to monitor and they can hide their identity.

These can be useful tools but we need to be aware there are powerful programmes and networks that use social media to reach out to young people and can communicate extremist messages.

Extremists often manipulate young people by using emotional triggers to engage with them and may target them when they are experiencing difficulties such as bereavement, emotional trauma, mental health issues or social isolation.

Recognising the signs of being Radicalisation

The following could describe general teenage behaviour but together with other signs may mean a young person is being radicalised:

Out of character changes in dress, behaviour and peer relationships
Spending increasing amounts of time online
Becoming quick to condemn others who do not share their beliefs without interest in their point of view
Secretive behaviour
Losing interest in friends and activities
Becoming isolated or withdrawn
Showing sympathy for extremist causes
Justifying or even glorifying violence
Possessing illegal or extremist literature