Health, Safety, Safeguarding and Wellbeing Policies

The health and safety as well as the safeguarding and wellbeing of all participants is exceptionally important for everyone at the College. We have a full Safeguarding Policy in place, and specific measures for all health and safety aspects of the programme.

All participants will attend a Welcome & Orientation session on the first day of the programme. During Welcome & Orientation, all participants will be made familiar with all health and safety measures in the College, as well as the Safeguarding Policy. Whether there is a medical emergency or simply some medicine required, disturbing news from home or a problem on the programme, all participants will be listened to and supported while they are with us at Worcester.

Each course has its own Course Director who is trained in Safeguarding. In Oxfordshire, the training for the safeguarding of children is done by the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (https://www.oscb.org.uk/) In accordance with their guidance, we have a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) who is trained up to OSCB level 3, while all other staff have at least received level 1, with most having completed level 3. Additionally, the DSL has also done training to look after potential vulnerable adults, while multiple members of the team have also done welfare training. Furthermore, risk assessments have been carried out for all activities featured within the programme. Everything we do is in accordance with the college health and safety policy, found here: https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/health_and_safety_policy_2022.pdf

All members of the Certificate Programmes team, as well as all Teaching Staff, have also undergone a criminal background check (in accordance with the standards set by the UK Government and specifically the Disclosure and Barring Service, the DBS). At all times (night and day) a member of the team will be available for participants to discuss any concerns. Participants will be notified upon arrival of where should go to find an adult who they are able to discuss any concerns with (both during the day and at night).

Any students under 18 who wish to leave the college on their own during their spare time must be in groups of at least 3, which will be checked by members of the team. During activities, students under 18 will be supervised on a 1:10 ratio. and overnight resident presence will be 1:20.

Porters of all colleges in Oxford supervise the entrances 24 hours a day, and they are available at all times. Worcester College also operates CCTV in various parts of the College. All Porters are trained first aiders, and participants will be informed that they can reach out to the porter of any college while they are in Oxford.

We also adhere to all Worcester safeguarding policies, which can be found here: https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/safeguarding_policy_2022.pdf