Our Safeguarding and
Health and Safety Policies
All our events are risk-assessed. Our staff, including student ambassadors, are DBS checked and adhere to our comprehensive child protection framework.
We deliver all our outreach interventions in line with our Child Safeguarding Framework 2025. This is split into two areas: Child Safeguarding and Health & Safety.
Child safeguarding
Our Child Protection Policy is updated annually. It includes recommendations from the Department for Education, NSPCC and other relevant organisations.
We have a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL), who receive annual training.
Child Protection Policy - March 2025
Staff DBS Checks
To ensure safe staff recruitment, all of our staff (including student ambassadors) receive an Enhanced DBS check before engaging with young people and vulnerable adults. We update our checks every three years.
As per the statutory guidance (paragraph 308, Keeping Children Safe in Education), Outreach staff do not carry physical DBS certificates while visiting schools and colleges. Outreach staff will carry a signed letter from a DSL, which confirms that they hold an in-date Enhanced DBS certificate and the DSL has reviewed the outcome of their certificate.
Health & Safety
Event-specific risk assessments are available from outreach coordinators. These are complemented by the following University policies and procedures:
- University Health and Safety Policy - October 2024
- Academic Hub Health and Safety Policy (Sept 2022)
- Bomb and Fire Procedures (Nov 2022)
On-campus event risk assessment
The following documents have been produced for our one-day school group events.
Risk Assessment - On-campus events 2024-25
On Campus Events - Code of Practice for School & College Staff 2024-2025
Student Protests on-campus
In the event of a student protest, the following procedure will be followed:
The University’s approach to student protest is one of tolerance and understanding, respecting and supporting students' right to protest safely. However, students involved in a protest may be reminded of their commitment to the Newcastle University Student Charter.
External Speakers and the Prevent Duty
Our duty of care includes a commitment to the Prevent Duty. It is one of four work strands that make up the government‘s counter-terrorism strategy.
Sometimes we may partner with external organisations to support the delivery of our events and activities. All external organisations are risk-assessed in line with the following University policies: