Raising Concerns

Notice – check - share

Many members of staff contribute to the provision of welfare and pastoral support to students and staff and so may notice that a member of the University community is experiencing difficulties.

Where you are concerned about the wellbeing of a student, it is reasonable for you to share personal information about the student with a colleague whose role is to provide support. (If you have concerns regarding sharing personal information, you should take advice from the University’s Records Management Section).  

If you have concerns that a member of the University community might be at risk of being drawn into terrorism, you should check what to do by seeking further advice from one of a number of more senior staff who have received training and briefings in relation to the Prevent duty. Contact details of these staff are available to University staff members here.  The result of this discussion may be an agreement that no further action is needed, or an arrangement to provide further support to the individual, eg through counselling or other services.

However if there is consensus that a meaningful risk exists, the case must be referred to the Institutional Lead for Prevent, Lucy Evans, who will review it.  They will decide whether or not it is necessary to share the information and refer the case through the Prevent Professional Concerns (PPC) mechanism to Police Scotland. PPC is a safeguarding process involving police and relevant partners. Where an individual has been identified as being vulnerable and at risk from extremist radicalisation; a multi-agency approach is used to develop an appropriate support plan.

Note: under the Terrorism Act (2000), if you believe or suspect that another person is already engaged in illegal terrorist-related activity, you must report this to the Police.