The following good practice guidance has been created to help support all Ravensbourne staff in their work with under 18 year old students. 

In line with our admissions policy, within our General Academic Regulations, all course leaders will meet with a Safeguarding Lead or their representative to discuss any under 18 year old student and the course leader will be reminded of this guidance.

This guidance is also of particular value when working with vulnerable adults who are learners at Ravensbourne. In a teaching setting not all vulnerable adults may have identified themselves to the University, so these examples should always be considered in all teaching settings. 

These common sense examples aim to create a positive culture and climate within Ravensbourne.

  1. Always put the welfare of an under 18 year old first.
  2. Wherever possible, maintain a register of under 18 year olds working with you at any given time.
  3. Work in an open environment, avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication.
  4. Avoid spending time alone with under 18 year olds away from others. Staff should ensure they meet their under 18 year old students either in a public place or in an office with other employees within sight and hearing.
  5. All under 18 year olds, regardless of any protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, must be treated with respect and dignity and provided with the same equality of opportunity. 
  6. Maintain a professional relationship with under 18 year olds. Under no circumstances should employees engage in a sexual relationship with an under 18 year old.
  7. Ensure that if any form of manual/physical touching is required as an element of a seminar, workshop or similar, it is provided openly and with the person’s explicit consent. It is better to ask and risk embarrassment than to not ask and risk a serious misunderstanding.
  8. Be an excellent role model. E.g., use appropriate language and do not aggressive or sexually suggestive comments to an under 18 year old even in fun.
  9. Where required give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.
  10. Do not invite or allow an under 18 year old to stay with you at your home.
  11. Do not give an under 18 year old personal details such as your phone number, email or home address (if it is essential to disclose any such details, please ensure that a Designated Safeguarding Officer is aware of this before you do so);
  12. Do not take photographs or videos of an under 18 year old unless consent has been obtained (this includes the use of camera phones).
  13. Do not give or receive gifts from an under 18 year old.
  14. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.

For more guidance and safeguarding contacts please visit Ravensbourne's safeguarding homepage.