Safeguarding & Pastoral Care Policy

Our Commitment

Academy Education Network Ltd recognises that the students we advise — particularly international students arriving in the UK for the first time, and applicants under the age of 18 — may be vulnerable to harm, exploitation, or distress. We are committed to:

• Treating every student with dignity, respect, and care
• Identifying and responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns
• Working in partnership with universities, colleges, parents, and statutory agencies where needed
• Maintaining a culture in which staff feel confident to raise concerns

Scope

This policy applies to all AEN staff, contractors, and partner advisors. It covers all interactions with students — prospective, current, and recently arrived — whether in person at our London office, by phone, video call, email, or social media.

Who We Safeguard

While our students are mostly adults (18+), we take particular care with two groups:

• Under-18s: Children, as defined by the Children Act 1989, including 16- and 17-year-olds applying for Foundation Year or HNC programmes. We follow Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) principles in our interactions with this group.
• Adults at risk: Adults who may have care or support needs and who, because of those needs, may be unable to protect themselves against significant harm. This includes international students experiencing severe culture shock, mental health crises, or financial hardship.

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is one of our Co-CEOs:

• Name: Peter Sula, Co-CEO
• Email: safeguarding@academyeducationnetwork.co.uk
• Phone: +44 1634 305 772

The DSL is responsible for:

• Receiving and recording safeguarding concerns raised by staff or students
• Deciding whether a referral to statutory services is required
• Maintaining safeguarding records securely and confidentially
• Ensuring annual safeguarding training is completed by all staff
• Reviewing this policy at least once per year

Recognising Safeguarding Concerns

Our staff are trained to recognise indicators that a student may be at risk, including:

• Disclosure of abuse, neglect, or exploitation (current or historical)
• Signs of severe mental distress, suicidal ideation, or self-harm
• Pressure from family or others to enrol on a course against the student's wishes
• Indicators of forced marriage, modern slavery, or human trafficking
• Vulnerability to financial scams (fake CAS letters, fraudulent accommodation listings, sextortion)
• Signs of radicalisation or being drawn into extremism (Prevent Duty)
• Concerns about a student's living situation in the UK after arrival

How We Respond

1. Listen and reassure. If a student discloses a concern, we listen without judgement, take the concern seriously, and do not promise confidentiality if safeguarding action is needed.
2. Record promptly. The staff member writes down what was said, in the student's own words where possible, and shares the record with the DSL within 24 hours.
3. Assess risk. The DSL assesses whether the student is at immediate risk and decides on next steps.
4. Refer where appropriate. Where there is risk of harm we refer to the appropriate statutory agency — local authority safeguarding teams, police, NHS, or the student's university welfare team — with the student's consent where it is safe to obtain it.
5. Follow up. We stay in contact with the student and, where appropriate, with the receiving agency, until the concern is resolved.

Working With Partner Universities

Once a student enrols, primary pastoral responsibility transfers to their UK university or college. We maintain communication channels with the international student welfare teams at our partner institutions and will, with student consent, share relevant safeguarding information to ensure continuity of care.

Pre-Departure Pastoral Support

For international students preparing to travel to the UK, we provide:

• Written pre-arrival guidance covering accommodation, banking, mobile phone setup, GP registration, and emergency contacts
• Information about UK norms, cultural expectations, and how to seek help if needed
• Guidance on recognising and reporting scams, including fake accommodation listings and rogue education agents
• Signposting to mental health and wellbeing services available to international students in the UK
• The 24-hour Samaritans helpline (116 123, freephone in the UK) for any student in distress

Safer Recruitment of Staff

We follow safer recruitment practices for staff who advise students:

• Verifying identity and right to work documents
• Taking up references for all hires
• Where staff will work with students under 18 in person, completing an Enhanced DBS check
• Probationary period with active supervision for all new hires
• Mandatory safeguarding training within 30 days of starting, and annual refreshers

Online Safety

Where we communicate with students via social media, messaging apps, or video calls, we follow these standards:

• Communications between an advisor and a student under 18 use shared, monitored channels (email cc'd to a manager, or the student's parent included where appropriate)
• One-to-one direct messaging on personal accounts (e.g. personal WhatsApp numbers, personal Instagram) is not permitted
• Video calls with under-18s require a parent or guardian present, or are recorded for record-keeping

Prevent Duty

We have due regard to the need to prevent students from being drawn into terrorism. Staff are trained to recognise warning signs and to make a Prevent referral where appropriate, via either local authority Channel programmes or directly to the police (101).

Confidentiality and Record-Keeping

Safeguarding records are held securely and confidentially, accessible only to the DSL and Co-CEOs. We share information on a need-to-know basis with statutory agencies. Records are retained for a minimum of 7 years, in line with statutory guidance.

Raising a Concern

If you are a student, parent, partner institution, or member of the public and you have a safeguarding concern about an AEN-associated student, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately:

• Email: safeguarding@academyeducationnetwork.co.uk
• Phone (business hours): +44 1634 305 772
• Emergencies (immediate risk to life): Call 999 first, then notify us

Policy Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Co-CEOs and updated to reflect changes in law, statutory guidance, and learning from incidents. Significant changes are communicated to all staff in writing.

Last reviewed: May 2026 · Next review: May 2027