NCC Safeguarding policy

On this page:

• Our safeguarding vision
• What is safeguarding?
• Safe environment
• Reporting/Need help now?

Our safeguarding vision

At CITB, we are committed to safeguarding all learners. Whilst we have a legal duty, we also recognise our moral duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all members of our learning community. This includes when our apprentices are working with our partner colleges or in the workplace.

We believe that everyone has an equal right to be protected from all types of harm, regardless of any personal or social characteristic. As part of our learning programmes, we aim to support learners to keep themselves safe, at home, online and at work and to become valuable members of society.

Our aim is to support the construction industry to develop a skilled, competent, and inclusive workforce for now and in the future. We do this by putting learners first and taking a proactive approach to promote learners’ wellbeing and safety.

Our approach is based on trust and support. We prioritise assessing and managing the needs of our learners and have a trusted approach to identifying, assessing, and responding to risk. 

We aim to empower all stakeholders with the confidence to make decisions, report concerns, and seek additional support.  

• We have a duty to protect you from harm and abuse
• We have a dedicated Safeguarding Team to support you while on programme
• We will support you to stay safe at home, in work, at our sites and online
• We will help you to find support with local agencies to manage your concerns
• We will work with others to ensure that your safety and wellbeing is prioritised.

What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the process of creating a safe and welcoming environment, where everyone is respected and valued. Safeguarding works to actively prevent harm, harassment, bullying, abuse, and neglect. We will listen to learners and will ensure that their best interests are at the centre of all decision making.

All young people and adults are entitled to be safeguarded and protected from harm when they need it.

Our commitment to learners

CITB recognises that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.  We will:

• Support staff to develop their understanding of safeguarding
• Equip learners with the knowledge to keep themselves safe
• Work with all staff, learners, providers, employers, and partner agencies to provide an environment in which every individual is free from abuse and harm
• Tailor our approach to recognise that young people and adults may be at risk of significant harm not only within their home environment but also outside it
• Keep the learner at the centre of all decisions that are taken to keep them safe.

Our safeguarding responsibilities are not restricted to our NCC colleges, but also includes our partner colleges and apprenticeship workplaces.

Safe environment 

We aim to provide an environment in which all learners feel comfortable and have their learning needs met. We want our learners to feel supported and able to ask for help if needed. We do this by providing resources for learners to manage their own wellbeing. We do this through:

Recognition

Recognising the role all staff and stakeholders have in relation to safeguarding, and ensuring it is prioritised by staff appropriately.

Action

Taking appropriate action to prevent safeguarding concerns from escalating and work with other services as needed to support wellbeing.

Partnerships  

Building strong relationships with all stakeholders and external support services to offer a wrap-around approach to all.  We do this by supporting all employers to report concerns to our safeguarding team through our Apprenticeship Officers and Apprenticeship Development Coaches. If employers have safeguarding concerns, they should report to CITB staff who will ensure each learner is fully supported.

Implementation of the Prevent Duty

Through the promotion of British values, we will support learners to develop their responsibilities as citizens, recognising the values of democracy, individual liberty, rule of law and mutual respect and tolerance. 

Reporting/Need help now?

Immediate risks of harm should be reported to the Police on 101, or in an emergency 999. 

​You should contact the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team and speak to one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) if you are: 

• Concerned that you are not safe
• Concerned that another learner may not be safe
• Think a child, young person or adult might be being abused.

All CITB staff are suitably trained in Safeguarding. Concerns can therefore be raised with Apprenticeship Officers, Apprenticeship Development Coaches or Instructors.

Staff are trained to use our national recognised reporting system called MyConcern. This allows all staff to alert the safeguarding team to concerns they may have regarding learners both in college and in the workplace. MyConcern helps us to identify safeguarding trends and training needs for our staff teams.

You can contact the Safeguarding Team at the following email address: apprenticeships.safeguarding@citb.co.uk

The Construction Industry Helpline

The Construction Industry Helpline provides a 24/7 safety net for all construction workers and their families in the UK and Ireland. It is a charitable service funded by the industry, for the industry and provides;

• Emergency financial aid to construction families in crisis
• Advice on occupational health and mental wellbeing
• Support on legal, tax and debt management matters.

Operational Safeguarding Policy

NCC Operational Safeguarding Policy 2024 (PDF, 652KB)

Personal development (curriculum focus)

We focus on giving learners the skills and knowledge to ensure their emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing both during training and their life beyond.