If something has happened at work that has affected your safety, dignity or wellbeing, you can use Report and Support to tell the University what has happened and ask for support.
You might be concerned about something you have experienced yourself, something you have witnessed, or the safety or welfare of somebody else.
Making a report through Report and Support does not automatically mean that you are making a formal HR complaint or starting a formal employment process.
You can report something because you want support, advice or help understanding your options before deciding what, if anything, you would like to happen next.
If you later decide that you want to formalise your concern, you should not normally need to start again or unnecessarily repeat what you have already told us.
With your knowledge and, where appropriate, your permission, the Safeguarding Team can support a handover to Human Resources (HR) so that the appropriate staff procedure can be considered.
Safeguarding support can continue where it remains helpful.
What can I report?
Report and Support can be used to tell us about experiences or concerns such as:
- harassment, bullying or discrimination;
- sexual harassment or sexual misconduct;
- domestic abuse;
- stalking or harassment;
- threats, intimidation or violence;
- hate incidents;
- exploitation or abuse;
- concerns about somebody's safety or welfare; or
- another experience which has left you feeling unsafe or concerned.
You do not need to know which University policy or procedure applies before contacting us.
Tell us what has happened. We can help you understand the options available.
The University's Dignity at Work and Study Policy makes clear that the University is committed to a working and studying environment in which people are treated with dignity, respect and fairness and that harassment and bullying are not tolerated.
Report and Support is not automatically a formal HR process
This distinction is important.
Making a named report allows the Safeguarding Team to contact you, understand what has happened and consider with you what support or action may be appropriate.
At this point, you may simply want:
- somebody to listen and help you make sense of what has happened;
- safeguarding advice or safety planning;
- information about your options;
- help accessing specialist support;
- support with the impact the situation is having on you;
- advice about other University services;
- to understand whether an informal or formal employment route might be available; or
- time to consider what you would like to do.
You do not have to decide that you want to make a formal complaint before asking for support.
Equally, contacting Safeguarding does not remove your ability to use an HR procedure later.
What if I decide I want to formalise my concern?
Tell your Safeguarding practitioner.
They can discuss with you what you would like to happen and, where an employment procedure may be appropriate, support a handover to HR.
This is important because Safeguarding does not investigate or determine an employment complaint and does not make disciplinary decisions about members of staff.
HR can advise on the appropriate employment procedure and what happens next.
The University's policies provide for HR involvement in staff cases. Under the Dignity at Work and Study Policy, HR can advise throughout the process and supports formal proceedings involving staff. The current Disciplinary Policy gives HR responsibility for overseeing the disciplinary procedure and providing advice, guidance and support to managers and employees.
You should not normally have to start again
If you have already provided relevant information through Report and Support, the aim should be to avoid asking you to unnecessarily repeat a difficult experience.
Where appropriate, and with your permission, relevant information can be included in the supported handover to HR.
HR may still need to ask you for further information. A formal employment process has different requirements from a safeguarding assessment and may require particular allegations, evidence, dates, witnesses or other information to be established.
But that is different from simply asking you to tell your whole story again because you have reached another University team.
What happens after a handover to HR?
That will depend on what has happened and which University procedure applies.
A concern does not automatically lead to disciplinary action against another employee.
For example, the University's procedures recognise that some matters may be capable of being addressed informally, while others may require formal consideration or investigation. The current Disciplinary Policy specifically provides for minor matters to be considered informally and for more serious matters, or matters that cannot be resolved informally, to progress through the formal procedure.
Where an investigation is required, its purpose is to establish the relevant facts before decisions are made. The University's policy requires investigations and disciplinary matters to be managed in a timely way, and an employee who is the subject of allegations must be informed of them and allowed to respond before a decision is made.
Safeguarding therefore does not promise or determine the outcome of an HR process.
Our role is to help you access support, understand your options and, where appropriate, make sure you reach the team responsible for the next part of the process.
Your safeguarding support does not have to stop
Formalising a concern does not mean that the Safeguarding Team has to withdraw.
The two functions are different.
Safeguarding can continue to consider your safety, wellbeing, support needs, risk management, safety planning and access to specialist services.
HR can advise upon and manage the relevant employment procedure.
Those activities can therefore take place alongside one another where appropriate.
For example, you may be participating in an HR process while still receiving safeguarding support because what happened continues to affect your sense of safety or wellbeing at work.
What if I don't know what outcome I want?
You do not have to know when you first contact us.
It can be useful to think about what you would like to be different.
You might want the behaviour to stop, to feel safe at work, to understand your options, to access support, for something to be addressed informally, or for your concern to be considered formally.
The Dignity at Work and Study Policy specifically recognises the importance of understanding the redress sought by the person raising the concern — in other words, what they feel would help resolve the situation.
We cannot guarantee a particular outcome, but understanding what matters to you can help identify the most appropriate next step.
Will everything I tell Safeguarding remain confidential?
We will handle information sensitively and only share information where there is an appropriate reason to do so.
If you want your concern handed over to HR, your Safeguarding practitioner can discuss with you what information needs to be shared, with whom and why.
However, confidentiality cannot always be absolute.
There may be circumstances in which the information you provide indicates a serious risk to you or somebody else, raises a significant safeguarding concern, or engages another responsibility which means the University needs to consider taking action.
This is also reflected in the University's existing policy. It recognises that managers have a duty of care towards staff and that there can be circumstances in which formal action needs to be considered even when the person affected does not wish to pursue the matter themselves.
Wherever it is appropriate and safe to do so, we will explain this to you and keep you informed.
What if my concern is about another member of staff?
You can still use Report and Support.
Depending on what has happened, Safeguarding can help you consider your immediate support and safety needs and the options available to you.
If you want the matter formally considered as an employment concern, Safeguarding can support the handover to HR.
It is important to distinguish this from disciplinary action.
Reporting somebody is not the same as the University finding that they have done something wrong.
If a matter enters a formal employment process, the relevant procedure will determine how allegations are considered. The current Disciplinary Policy provides for investigation where appropriate, an opportunity for the employee concerned to respond, consideration of evidence and formal procedural safeguards.
What if my concern is about a student?
Tell us that when you make your report.
A concern involving a student may need to be considered through a different University procedure rather than an HR process.
The Dignity at Work and Study Policy expressly recognises that staff can experience bullying, harassment or victimisation by students and indicates that more serious or persistent cases may need to be considered through the University's student conduct arrangements.
You do not need to work out which procedure applies yourself.
Safeguarding can help identify the appropriate route.
What if I witnessed something rather than experienced it myself?
You can report that too.
Staff have an important role in creating a safe University community.
The University's Dignity at Work and Study Policy recognises that colleagues and witnesses can play an important role in identifying unacceptable behaviour, supporting somebody affected and bringing concerns to the University's attention.
If what you have witnessed raises a safeguarding concern about a student, child or adult at risk, you should report the concern promptly in accordance with the University's safeguarding arrangements.
You should not assume that somebody else will report it.
What if I am a manager and a member of staff tells me something concerning?
Being told something by a member of staff is not always the same as that employee making a formal complaint.
Listen, take the concern seriously, and help the person understand the available support and reporting routes.
However, managers also have responsibilities of their own.
The Dignity at Work and Study Policy states that managers have a duty of care towards staff, should take allegations seriously, seek HR advice where appropriate and consider the appropriate next step. It also recognises circumstances where a manager may need to consider action even though the affected member of staff does not want to pursue the matter.
Where what you have been told is also a safeguarding concern, follow the University's safeguarding reporting arrangements promptly rather than attempting to investigate the matter yourself.
Support, reporting and formal action are different things
I need support
→ Report and Support can connect you with Safeguarding.
I want to understand my options
→ Safeguarding can talk these through with you.
I want my employment concern formally considered
→ Safeguarding can support a handover to HR.
I have reported a safeguarding concern about somebody else
→ Safeguarding will assess the concern and determine what safeguarding action may be required.
The concern may amount to misconduct
→ The appropriate University process determines whether investigation or disciplinary action is required. Safeguarding does not make that finding.
A supported journey rather than starting again
The experience we want staff to have is:
Something has happened or you have a concern
↓
You tell us through Report and Support
↓
Safeguarding contacts you and considers immediate safety, support and safeguarding needs
↓
We listen to what has happened and help you understand your options
↓
You decide that you would like your own employment concern to be formally considered
↓
With your permission, Safeguarding supports a handover of relevant information to HR
↓
HR advises on the appropriate employment procedure and next steps
↓
You are not unnecessarily asked to start again
↓
Safeguarding support can continue alongside the HR process where it is still needed