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Safeguarding and the Prevent duty

In July of 2015, the UK Government enacted the ‘Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015’ (henceforth referred to as ‘the Act’) which created a duty, known as the ‘Prevent duty’, for a range of authorities and public bodies, including Universities, to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.

To meet this duty, the University has developed guidance, procedures, and training to support our colleagues in being aware of the University’s legal duties and responsibilities for the care, welfare, and the safeguarding of students and employees from being drawn into terrorism. This work has been informed and by the UK Government’s Prevent Duty Guidance for Higher Education institutions in Scotland.

Full details of the procedures, measures, and resources that the University has in place to carry out this duty are detailed in the ‘Safeguarding of children, vulnerable adults, and prevention of radicalisation’ policy document, hosted on the University Governance Zone.

Safeguarding and the Prevent duty

The University’s approach to the ‘Prevent duty’ is to address the care and welfare of the University community as a whole. As any vulnerable individual may be drawn into activities and associations that may lead to radicalisation and potential terrorism, University procedures, resources, and training focus on identifying and supporting potentially vulnerable individuals. This is approach is referred to as ‘safeguarding’.

Security-sensitive and extremism-related research

All researchers undertaking research that involves accessing, possessing, using or disseminating security-sensitive or extremism-related material are required to complete the Security-sensitive and extremism-related research declaration as outlined in the University’s Research Governance.

This declaration is intended to inform researchers of the risks associated in said research and to provide protection against potential misinterpretation of a researcher’s activities by law enforcement authorities.

Training and Communication

The University will ensure that the communication and training in relation to the Prevent duty, and safeguarding in general, addresses different staff groups in a way that is appropriate and proportionate to their responsibilities and their likely exposure to safeguarding issues.

All University employees are required to complete the ‘Safeguarding and the Prevent Duty’ training as part of the University’s mandatory training curriculum for all employees. University employees with specific safeguarding or duty-of-care responsibilities receive additional, job-specific, training to support them in the fulfilment of their safeguarding duties.

Report and Support

If University colleagues, students, visitor, or members of the wider St Andrews community, have any concerns regarding safeguarding they can report them using the University’s Report and Support tool.

Reports may be made anonymously or contact details may be included. Only reports that include contact details in a report will allow for a University colleague to follow up with the reporter to offer support or additional resources.