{"id":148,"date":"2026-01-15T12:37:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T12:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/?p=148"},"modified":"2026-01-15T12:37:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T12:37:50","slug":"safeguarding-in-apprenticeships-what-every-student-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/safeguarding-in-apprenticeships-what-every-student-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Safeguarding in Apprenticeships: What Every Student Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>What Is Safeguarding?<\/strong><br>In today\u2019s complex world, safeguarding isn\u2019t just a buzzword\u2014it\u2019s an overarching term used to describe the protection of the health, well-being, and human rights of individuals. Safeguarding is everyone&#8217;s responsibility, and at the University of Westminster, it is woven into every aspect of apprenticeship delivery, fostering a culture of care that prioritises wellbeing, safety, and respect, keeping individuals safe and protected from harm, abuse and neglect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>A Tripartite Commitment<\/strong><br>Safeguarding in the context of apprenticeships is a collaborative effort. The University, employers, and apprentices each play a role in creating a safe and supportive ecosystem:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From Employers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Comply with UK legislation and statutory safeguarding requirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure staff working with apprentices are suitable and trained.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Designate safeguarding coordinators where possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Refer concerns promptly using the University\u2019s Wellbeing Webform<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>From the University:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Offer safeguarding training to staff working with apprentices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain partnerships with local authorities and NHS services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide clear pathways for apprentices to access support services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your role as an Apprentice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Understand your role in helping to keep your learning environment safe<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attend training or discussions provided by your employer or the University.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Speak up if you have any concerns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Together, we can maintain open communication and act swiftly when concerns arise, ensuring apprentices are never left to navigate challenges alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Safeguarding also includes protecting apprentices from radicalisation and extremism. Under the Prevent Duty, universities must actively prevent individuals from being drawn into terrorism. This is treated as a safeguarding issue, with a focus on transparency, equity, and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Online Safety Matters<\/strong><br>In an increasingly digital world, online safety is a critical part of safeguarding. As an apprentice, you should be aware<br>of the ways in which you can protect yourself online and ensure the security of your personal data. The University<br>and employers work together to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Educate apprentices on safe internet use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide training to identify and respond to online threats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure clear policies are in place regarding acceptable online behaviour.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to Turn for Help<\/strong><br>Speak up! If you have concerns around any area of safeguarding, you can seek help via the Report and Support Platform here: www.reportandsupport.westminster.ac.uk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>In urgent cases, apprentices are encouraged to contact emergency services directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Safeguarding is more than a policy\u2014it\u2019s a promise. A promise that every apprentice will be seen, heard, and supported. Whether you&#8217;re just starting your apprenticeship or nearing completion, remember: your safety and wellbeing are paramount. And you\u2019re never alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Is Safeguarding?In today\u2019s complex world, safeguarding isn\u2019t just a buzzword\u2014it\u2019s an overarching term used to describe the protection of the health, well-being, and human rights of individuals. Safeguarding is everyone&#8217;s responsibility, and at the University of Westminster, it is&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":904,"featured_media":140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,13,19,14,16,15,17,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-level-4-construction-quantity-surveyor-technician","category-level-4-construction-site-supervisor","category-level-6-building-control-surveyor","category-level-6-chartered-surveyor","category-level-6-construction-quantity-surveyor","category-level-6-construction-site-management","category-level-6-healthcare-biomedical-scientist","category-level-7-chartered-town-planner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/904"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions\/149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/apprenticeships\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}