Safeguarding & Prevent Policy

1. Purpose

Qualify Nation® is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all learners, including apprentices, and to creating a safe learning environment in which concerns about learners’ welfare are promptly identified, reported, and addressed.

This policy sets out how Qualify Nation® meets its safeguarding responsibilities as an online education provider, including its duties under the Prevent strategy to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

• All learners enrolled on Qualify Nation® programmes, including apprentices
• All staff, contractors, associates, tutors, assessors, and volunteers
• All interactions through the Qualify Nation® platform and communication channels
• Activities conducted at employer premises where staff visit or assess apprentices

This policy covers safeguarding of both children (under 18) and adults at risk.

3. Legislation and Guidance

This policy is informed by and aligned with:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) — Department for Education
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 — HM Government
• The Prevent Duty Guidance for England and Wales 2023 — HM Government
• Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, Section 26
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• The Care Act 2014 (safeguarding adults at risk)
• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Equality Act 2010
• UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
• Online Safety Act 2023
• ESFA funding rules and conditions of acceptance
• Ofsted Education Inspection Framework

4. Key Principles

• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All staff must be alert to signs that a learner may be at risk of harm, abuse, neglect, or radicalisation
• The welfare of the learner is paramount in all decisions
• Concerns will be acted upon without delay
• All learners have the right to learn in a safe environment free from bullying, harassment, discrimination, and intimidation
• Concerns will be handled confidentially and shared only with those who need to know

5. Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is the senior point of contact for all safeguarding matters. The DSL is responsible for:

• Receiving, recording, and assessing all safeguarding concerns
• Making referrals to local authority children’s social care, the police, or the Channel programme as appropriate
• Maintaining the Safeguarding Incident Log
• Ensuring all staff receive appropriate safeguarding and Prevent training
• Reporting safeguarding activity to senior leadership
• Keeping this policy under annual review

DSL Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 7426 985335

6. Types of Harm and Abuse

Staff are trained to recognise the following categories of harm. Any concern about a learner’s welfare should be reported to the DSL.

6.1 Children (Under 18)

• Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child criminal exploitation (CCE)
• Peer-on-peer abuse, including bullying and cyberbullying
• Female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage
• Radicalisation and extremism

6.2 Adults at Risk

• Physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse
• Neglect and self-neglect
• Domestic abuse
• Modern slavery and human trafficking
• Discriminatory abuse
• Radicalisation and extremism
• Mental health crisis, self-harm, or suicidal ideation

6.3 Online-Specific Risks

• Cyberbullying or targeted harassment through platform channels
• Sharing of inappropriate, harmful, or extremist content
• Grooming through online learning environments
• Coercion or manipulation in online interactions
• Welfare concerns for learners studying remotely without in-person support networks

7. Online Safety Measures

7.1 Automated Content Moderation

All learner-generated content visible to other learners is monitored in real time by automated moderation. This system screens submissions for profane, abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or sexually explicit language, and prevents bullying or demeaning behaviour directed at learners seeking help. Flagged content is reviewed by staff, and persistent or serious violations are escalated to the DSL.

7.2 Platform Access Controls

• Secure authentication with multi-factor authentication capability
• Role-based access controls
• Session management and audit logging
• Learner discussions are visible only within enrolled course environments, not publicly

7.3 Proctored Assessment

Examinations use AI-assisted invigilation with identity verification and violation tracking, subject to privacy protections documented in our Privacy Policy.

7.4 Accessibility as a Safeguarding Measure

Inaccessible learning environments can contribute to learner isolation and disengagement, which are welfare concerns. The platform provides built-in accessibility controls that learners can configure independently, including text size adjustment, contrast modes, dyslexia-friendly fonts, reading guides, and animation suppression. These are available on every page without requiring disclosure of a disability.

8. Prevent Duty

Under Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, Qualify Nation® has due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

8.1 What Is Prevent?

Prevent is one of four strands of the UK Government’s counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST). It aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Education providers are required to assess risk, maintain appropriate policies, ensure staff are trained, and make referrals to the Channel programme where appropriate.

8.2 Staff Training

All staff involved in learner-facing activity complete Prevent awareness training before commencing delivery and refresh annually. Staff are trained to understand indicators of radicalisation and the process for reporting concerns to the DSL.

8.3 Indicators of Radicalisation

Staff are alert to changes in a learner’s behaviour or views that may indicate radicalisation, including:

• Expressing support for violent extremist ideologies or organisations
• Accessing or sharing extremist content through platform channels
• A sudden and significant change in behaviour, associations, or attitudes
• Expressing feelings of injustice or alienation that could be exploited by extremist narratives
• Using language associated with extremist ideologies in discussions or assessments

No single indicator should be taken in isolation. Context is important, and concerns should always be reported to the DSL for assessment.

8.4 Channel Referral

Where the DSL assesses that a learner may be at risk of being drawn into terrorism, a referral will be made to the local authority Channel programme (or the police in urgent cases). Channel is a voluntary, confidential programme that provides support to individuals identified as vulnerable to radicalisation.

9. British Values

Qualify Nation® actively promotes the fundamental British Values:

• Democracy — Learners are encouraged to express views, participate in discussions, and provide feedback that shapes programme development
• The Rule of Law — Programme content covers legal and regulatory frameworks, and the Academic Integrity Policy models a fair and transparent rule-based system
• Individual Liberty — Learners choose their own pathways, study at their own pace, and configure the platform to suit their needs
• Mutual Respect — Clear expectations for respectful communication, with automated moderation protecting learners from harassment
• Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs — Discrimination on the basis of religion, belief, or any protected characteristic is prohibited. Course content encourages examination of bias and fairness

10. Reporting a Concern

10.1 How to Report

Immediate risk (life-threatening situation): Call 999 immediately, then notify the DSL.

Urgent concern (not life-threatening but requiring prompt action): Contact the DSL by phone or email within the same working day.

General concern: Report to the DSL within 24 hours.

Learners can report through:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +44 7426 985335
• The platform support contact form
• Speaking directly to any member of staff

10.2 What Happens Next

• The DSL acknowledges receipt within 1 working day
• The concern is assessed and the appropriate response determined
• Where required, referrals are made to external agencies without delay
• The concern, assessment, actions, and outcome are recorded in the Safeguarding Incident Log
• Feedback is provided to the person who raised the concern (subject to confidentiality)

10.3 Confidentiality

Safeguarding information is shared only with those who need to know in order to protect the learner. Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in safeguarding situations — the welfare of the learner takes precedence.

11. Safer Recruitment

Qualify Nation® follows safer recruitment practices to ensure unsuitable individuals are not employed in learner-facing roles:

• Enhanced DBS checks with barred list checks for all staff in regulated activity
• Identity verification for all learner-facing roles
• References obtained and verified for all new appointments
• Gaps in employment history explored and recorded
• Safeguarding and Prevent training completed during induction, before unsupervised contact with learners
• A Single Central Record of all checks maintained and available for inspection

12. Learner Welfare Support

Studying online over extended periods can present welfare challenges including isolation and anxiety. The following support is available:

• Academic advising through assigned advisors
• Personal and wellbeing support through the dedicated support team
• Career support through the Grow platform
• Platform accessibility controls to reduce barriers to engagement
• Flexible self-paced study to accommodate personal circumstances

External Support Services

• Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7)
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (free, 24/7)
• Childline: 0800 1111 (free, under 19s)
• NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
• Anti-Terrorist Hotline: 0800 789 321
• Mind: 0300 123 3393 (mental health)
• Shout: text 85258 (crisis text support)

13. Training

• Designated Safeguarding Lead: Advanced safeguarding training and Prevent lead training, refreshed every 2 years
• All delivery staff, tutors, and assessors: Safeguarding awareness, Prevent awareness, and online safety training, refreshed annually
• Senior leadership: Safeguarding governance awareness, refreshed annually

Training records are maintained in the Single Central Record.

14. Review

This policy is reviewed:

• Annually (minimum) by the DSL with sign-off by the Director
• Following any safeguarding incident
• Following changes to legislation, government guidance, or Ofsted requirements
• Following any change in delivery arrangements

15. Contact

Safeguarding concerns:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 7426 985335

General enquiries:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 7426 985335
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00AM – 5:00PM

Qualify Nation® is a registered trademark of Group Everest Ltd (Company No: 10588069, UKPRN: 10099377).