What is Safeguarding?
The Open University follows the definition below and defines safeguarding in this education context.
‘Safeguarding’ is the actions taken to promote the welfare of children and adults at risk and protect them from harm. This involves putting in place measures to create a safe environment in which individuals can thrive and achieve.”
The Open University is committed to protecting individuals’ wellbeing and helping them to live free from risk or harm, exploitation, victimisation, abuse, neglect, sexual harassment and violence, and to creating a safe learning and working environment.
What are Safeguarding Concerns?
Safeguarding concerns take many forms, including, but not limited to:
- Physical abuse: including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, inappropriate use of medication.
- Sexual abuse: including rape, and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the person has not consented or could not consent
- Psychological abuse: including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, verbal abuse, isolation or removal from services or support networks
- Domestic Abuse (DA): includes threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality’ For more information about domestic abuse see: Domestic Abuse Support
- Gender Based Violence (GBV): includes behaviours recognised as being both the cause and consequence of gender inequality. Although GBV mostly affects women it can and does also affect individuals of any age, gender, sexual orientation, faith or ethnicity. For more information about Gender Based Violence see Domestic Abuse Support
- Coercive control: is the act or a pattern of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten the victim
- Financial/material abuse includes the mistreatment of someone's money or assets, such as their property. It can include stealing money or destroying personal property
- Neglect: including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to health care, the withholding of the necessities such as food or heating.
- Homelessness and/or significant financial issues which involve under 18s, pregnant students and/or adults at risk
- So-Called Honour-Based Violence/Abuse can take many forms, including child marriage, forced marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Child protection concerns, including severe mental health difficulties of children or concerns about the safety of children.
- Unsafe living conditions including concerns about exploitation/modern day slavery or cuckooing.