Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Last updated: 26 August 2026

Study Consulting LTD is committed to promoting the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk who may come into contact with our services.

We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness and to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and inappropriate behaviour.

This policy explains how Study Consulting identifies, responds to and reports safeguarding concerns.

1. Purpose of This Policy

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • promote a safe environment for students and prospective students;
  • explain our approach to safeguarding children and adults at risk;
  • help staff recognise potential safeguarding concerns;
  • establish clear procedures for reporting concerns;
  • support appropriate information sharing;
  • promote professional boundaries;
  • reduce the risk of abuse, exploitation or inappropriate conduct.

Safeguarding is a shared responsibility. Current government guidance emphasises the importance of organisations and professionals working together to help, support and protect children. 

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to:

  • directors;
  • employees;
  • consultants;
  • contractors;
  • temporary workers;
  • volunteers, where applicable;
  • anyone acting on behalf of Study Consulting.

It applies to interactions taking place:

  • face to face;
  • by telephone;
  • by email;
  • through our website;
  • through WhatsApp;
  • through social media;
  • during online meetings;
  • during events or other Study Consulting activities.
3. Children and Young People

For the purposes of this policy, a child is anyone under the age of 18.

Study Consulting primarily supports prospective higher education students, many of whom are adults. However, we recognise that some university applicants may be under 18.

Where we interact with a child, their welfare and safety will be treated as a priority.

Government safeguarding guidance also defines a child as a person who has not yet reached their 18th birthday.

4. Adults at Risk

An adult may require safeguarding support where their circumstances increase their risk of experiencing abuse or neglect.

We will approach concerns involving adults with consideration for the principles of:

  • empowerment;
  • prevention;
  • proportionality;
  • protection;
  • partnership;
  • accountability.

These principles underpin adult safeguarding within the Care Act statutory guidance. 

5. What Safeguarding Means

Safeguarding includes taking reasonable steps to protect people from harm and responding appropriately when concerns arise.

Concerns may involve:

  • physical abuse;
  • emotional or psychological abuse;
  • sexual abuse or exploitation;
  • neglect;
  • financial abuse or exploitation;
  • domestic abuse;
  • discriminatory abuse;
  • online abuse;
  • bullying or harassment;
  • coercive or controlling behaviour;
  • modern slavery or trafficking;
  • exploitation;
  • grooming;
  • radicalisation concerns;
  • self-neglect where relevant to an adult at risk.

A safeguarding concern does not require proof before it can be reported.

If there is a reasonable concern that someone may be at risk, it should be taken seriously.

6. Our Safeguarding Principles

Study Consulting aims to:

  • place safety and welfare at the centre of safeguarding decisions;
  • listen carefully to concerns;
  • treat individuals respectfully;
  • take concerns seriously;
  • respond without unnecessary delay;
  • avoid making promises of absolute confidentiality;
  • share information only where appropriate and necessary;
  • maintain professional boundaries;
  • keep appropriate safeguarding records;
  • refer serious concerns to the appropriate authorities where required.
7. Professional Boundaries

Anyone acting on behalf of Study Consulting must maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

Staff should not:

  • form inappropriate personal relationships with students;
  • use threatening, sexual, discriminatory or humiliating language;
  • send inappropriate personal messages;
  • request unnecessary personal or intimate information;
  • ask students to keep inappropriate communications secret;
  • make inappropriate physical contact;
  • use a student’s vulnerability for personal, financial or other advantage.

Communication should remain professional and related to legitimate Study Consulting activities.

8. Communication With Under-18 Applicants

Where Study Consulting communicates with an applicant under 18, additional care should be taken.

Where reasonably appropriate:

  • communication should take place through official business channels;
  • unnecessary private communication should be avoided;
  • meetings should have a legitimate educational or application-related purpose;
  • staff should maintain clear professional boundaries;
  • parents or guardians may be involved where appropriate and lawful.

Study Consulting will not intentionally create situations where a child is placed at unnecessary safeguarding risk.

9. Online and Social Media Safeguarding

Study Consulting may use:

  • WhatsApp;
  • Facebook;
  • Instagram;
  • TikTok;
  • LinkedIn;
  • email;
  • online meeting services.

These tools must be used professionally.

Staff must not:

  • use social media to develop inappropriate personal relationships with students;
  • publish confidential information;
  • share student documents publicly;
  • request inappropriate photographs or material;
  • engage in sexualised or abusive communication.

Students should avoid sending highly sensitive documents through public social media messaging where a more appropriate communication method is available.

10. Recognising a Safeguarding Concern

A concern may arise because:

  • a student tells us directly that something has happened;
  • someone else reports a concern;
  • staff observe worrying behaviour;
  • communications suggest exploitation or abuse;
  • a student appears frightened, controlled or unsafe;
  • there are concerns about fraudulent or coercive activity;
  • someone appears to be grooming or exploiting a student.

Staff are not expected to investigate allegations themselves.

Their responsibility is to recognise, record and report concerns appropriately.

11. If Someone Discloses Abuse or Harm

If a person tells a member of staff that they have experienced abuse or are at risk:

The member of staff should:

  • remain calm;
  • listen carefully;
  • take the disclosure seriously;
  • avoid expressing disbelief;
  • avoid asking leading or unnecessary questions;
  • explain that information may need to be shared to keep someone safe;
  • record the relevant information accurately;
  • report the concern promptly through the safeguarding procedure.

Staff should not attempt to conduct their own investigation.

12. Reporting a Safeguarding Concern Internally

Any safeguarding concern should be reported as soon as reasonably possible to the person responsible for safeguarding within Study Consulting.

Before publishing this page, complete this section with your actual contact:

Safeguarding Lead: Metodi Dalov, Founder & Managing Director
Safeguarding email: safeguarding@study-consulting.co.uk

13. Immediate Danger or Emergency

If a child or another person is believed to be in immediate danger, safeguarding concerns should not wait for an internal business process.

In the UK:

Call 999 where there is immediate danger or an emergency.

For a child who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, concerns can also be reported to the children’s social care team at the child’s local council.

If the matter is not an emergency but may involve a crime, the police can be contacted on 101.

GOV.UK specifically advises that people do not need to be certain abuse has occurred before reporting a reasonable concern. 

14. Concerns About an Adult at Risk

Where a concern relates to an adult who may be experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, Study Consulting may consider contacting the relevant local authority adult safeguarding service, emergency services or another appropriate organisation.

The response should consider:

  • the level of risk;
  • the individual’s wishes and circumstances;
  • whether immediate protection is required;
  • whether information needs to be shared;
  • whether a crime may have been committed.

Where immediate danger exists, 999 should be used.

15. Information Sharing and Confidentiality

Safeguarding information will be handled carefully.

However, safeguarding concerns cannot always be kept confidential.

Where appropriate, information may need to be shared with:

  • police;
  • children’s social care;
  • adult safeguarding services;
  • an education provider;
  • another relevant safeguarding organisation.

Information should be shared only where there is an appropriate reason and should normally be:

  • relevant;
  • necessary;
  • proportionate;
  • accurate;
  • shared securely;
  • limited to people who need it.

Government safeguarding guidance makes clear that data protection law does not prevent appropriate information sharing for safeguarding purposes, and in some situations information may be shared without consent where there is a lawful basis to do so. 

16. Record Keeping

Where a safeguarding concern is raised, Study Consulting should maintain an appropriate record of:

  • the date and time;
  • the nature of the concern;
  • what was observed or disclosed;
  • who reported it;
  • action taken;
  • referrals or information shared;
  • reasons for important decisions.

Records should be factual rather than speculative and stored securely.

Access should be limited to those who require it for legitimate safeguarding or legal purposes.

17. Allegations or Concerns About Staff

Any allegation that a Study Consulting employee, contractor or representative has:

  • harmed someone;
  • behaved inappropriately;
  • breached professional boundaries;
  • exploited a student;
  • acted sexually or abusively towards a student;

must be taken seriously.

The concern should be referred to senior management or the Safeguarding Lead.

Where the concern may involve criminal conduct or risk to a child or adult at risk, external authorities may need to be contacted.

An allegation should not be dismissed simply because the person concerned works for Study Consulting.

18. Recruitment and Suitability

Study Consulting aims to ensure that people working in roles involving students are suitable for their responsibilities.

Depending on the nature of a role, recruitment measures may include:

  • identity checks;
  • employment history;
  • references;
  • appropriate interviews;
  • professional expectations;
  • safeguarding guidance;
  • DBS checks where legally appropriate to the role.

A DBS check should only be requested where the role is legally eligible for the relevant level of check; not every employee automatically requires one.

19. Safeguarding Training

Staff whose responsibilities involve meaningful contact with students should receive safeguarding information appropriate to their role.

Training or guidance may cover:

  • recognising concerns;
  • responding to disclosures;
  • reporting procedures;
  • professional boundaries;
  • online communication;
  • information sharing;
  • escalation of urgent concerns.

The level of training should reflect the nature and level of safeguarding risk within the role.

20. Universities and Education Providers

Where a safeguarding concern relates to a student applying to or enrolled with a university or other education provider, Study Consulting may need to liaise with the relevant organisation.

Universities and colleges may have their own:

  • safeguarding procedures;
  • student welfare teams;
  • designated safeguarding personnel;
  • emergency support procedures.

Where appropriate, Study Consulting may direct the student to the relevant institution’s safeguarding or welfare service.

21. Safer Online Working

Study Consulting staff should use official business communication wherever reasonably possible.

Staff should:

  • protect passwords and accounts;
  • avoid sharing confidential information publicly;
  • use appropriate privacy settings;
  • report suspicious or abusive messages;
  • avoid storing sensitive student information unnecessarily on personal devices;
  • follow company data protection procedures.

Safeguarding and data protection should work together rather than being treated as competing responsibilities.

22. Equality and Non-Discrimination

Safeguarding concerns will be considered without discrimination based on characteristics such as:

  • age;
  • disability;
  • race;
  • nationality;
  • sex;
  • sexual orientation;
  • religion or belief;
  • gender reassignment;
  • pregnancy or maternity;
  • other protected characteristics.

Current safeguarding guidance places particular emphasis on inclusive and anti-discriminatory organisational cultures. 

23. Whistleblowing and Speaking Up

Anyone working with Study Consulting should feel able to report a genuine safeguarding concern.

A person raising a genuine concern in good faith should not be disadvantaged simply because they have raised it.

Where someone believes a safeguarding concern is not being dealt with appropriately internally, they should consider escalating it to senior management or the appropriate external safeguarding authority.

24. Support for Students

Where appropriate, Study Consulting may signpost students to:

  • their university or college welfare service;
  • local authority safeguarding services;
  • police;
  • healthcare services;
  • specialist charities;
  • other appropriate support organisations.

For concerns relating to a child, adults can also contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 for advice.

Children and young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111. 

25. Relationship With Other Policies

This Safeguarding Policy should be read alongside our:

Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Website Terms
Complaints Policy

Where appropriate, internal staff procedures may provide additional safeguarding instructions.

26. Policy Review

Study Consulting will review this policy periodically and when appropriate following:

  • changes to safeguarding guidance;
  • changes to our services;
  • significant safeguarding concerns;
  • changes to relevant legislation;
  • changes to the way we work with students.

The latest version will be published on our website.

27. Contact Us

For safeguarding concerns relating to Study Consulting, contact:

Study Consulting LTD
London, United Kingdom

Safeguarding Lead: Metodi Dalov, Founder & Managing Director
Safeguarding email: safeguarding@study-consulting.co.uk
General enquiries: info@study-consulting.co.uk
Website: www.study-consulting.co.uk

In an emergency or where someone is in immediate danger, call 999.