What is safeguarding?

Universities have duties under the law towards people who are experiencing abuse or neglect (or are at risk of either). This includes safeguarding children, vulnerable adults and our community, who may be at risk of harm or exploitation (including radicalisation or being drawn into terrorism, as defined in the University’s Prevent Policy (PDF)).

The University has a duty to report suspected safeguarding concerns relating to a child or vulnerable adult to relevant external agencies, regardless of whether the individual is a member of the University community, if that concern is reported to, or identified by, a member of staff in the course of their duties.

To ensure it fulfils its duties, the University has Safeguarding Procedures which are monitored through appropriate governance, including the University Prevent and Safeguarding Steering Group.

If you have a safeguarding query or concern, please contact the Principle Safeguarding Lead on safeguardingadvice@surrey.ac.uk. If you are unsure whether your concern is a welfare concern or safeguarding concern, you can contact the Centre for Wellbeing for further guidance.