Journey Core is free forever for verified UK providers with up to 50 counted apprentices subject to application review. See what is included
Learner policies

Safeguarding policy.

You have the right to be safe: at work, at your training provider, at home and online. This page explains what that means, who will help, and how to raise a concern.

If you need help now
  • Emergency (police, ambulance, fire)999If you or someone else is in immediate danger
  • Childline (under 19)0800 1111Free, confidential, any time
  • NSPCC helpline0808 800 5000For anyone worried about a child or young person
  • Samaritans116 123Free, 24 hours, for whatever you are going through
  • Police, non-emergency101

What safeguarding means for you

Safeguarding means protecting you from harm, abuse and neglect, and making sure you are treated with respect. It covers your workplace, your training sessions, the places you learn online, and anything happening outside work that affects your safety.

If you are under 18, the law gives you extra protection. If you are 18 or over, you are still protected, and some adults are protected further because of a disability, illness or their circumstances. Whatever your age, the people in this policy will take you seriously.

Who is responsible

Your training provider has a designated safeguarding lead: a named person trained to deal with concerns. Journey shows you their name and contact details in your induction and on your learner home page. There is usually a deputy too, so someone is always available.

Every tutor, assessor and coordinator at your provider is trained to notice signs that something is wrong and to pass concerns to the safeguarding lead. Your employer has a duty to keep you safe at work as well.

How to raise a concern

You can raise a concern about yourself, another apprentice, a colleague, or anyone else. You do not need proof. If something feels wrong, that is enough.

  1. In person. Tell your tutor, assessor, learner coordinator or the safeguarding lead. You can ask to speak somewhere private.
  2. By email or phone. Use the safeguarding lead's details shown in Journey. Say it is a safeguarding concern so it is picked up quickly.
  3. Directly inside Journey. Choose Raise a concern to directors from your learner home page. It goes straight to the people who run your provider, not to your tutor or employer, and you can write as much or as little as you want.

If you cannot reach anyone at your provider and you are worried about someone's safety right now, call 999.

What happens after you raise a concern

  1. The safeguarding lead contacts you, usually the same working day, to understand what has happened.
  2. They decide with you what to do next. That might be support at the provider, a conversation with your employer, or a referral to the local authority, the police or a health service if someone is at risk.
  3. They keep a record of the concern and the actions taken. The record is stored securely and only people who need to see it can.
  4. They tell you what is happening, as far as they are allowed to, so you are not left wondering.

Confidentiality and its limits

What you tell the safeguarding lead stays private as far as possible. There is one limit: if you or someone else is at risk of serious harm, they have a duty to pass the concern on to people who can help, such as the local authority or the police. They will tell you when they have to do that, and why.

Raising a concern will never be held against you. It will not affect your apprenticeship, your grades or your job.

The four kinds of abuse, in plain words

  • Physical abuse: someone hurting you or threatening to, for example hitting, pushing or restraining you.
  • Emotional abuse: someone constantly putting you down, frightening you, controlling you, isolating you from friends or family, or making you feel worthless.
  • Sexual abuse: any sexual activity, contact, comments or images you did not agree to, or that you cannot legally agree to. Being pressured into it counts too.
  • Neglect: not being given the food, shelter, care, supervision or medical help you need.

Bullying, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, county lines, forced marriage and so-called honour-based abuse are all safeguarding concerns as well. If you are not sure whether something counts, ask. It is always all right to ask.

Online safety

  • Keep your Journey login to yourself. Nobody at your provider or employer will ever ask for your password.
  • Think before sharing photos, videos or personal details, including in work group chats. Once shared, you cannot take them back.
  • If someone online pressures you, threatens you, asks for images or money, or makes you uncomfortable, stop replying, keep the messages, and tell the safeguarding lead. You will not be in trouble.
  • Report abusive content to the platform and, if it involves a child or young person, to CEOP at ceop.police.uk.

Other people you can contact

  • Childline 0800 1111, childline.org.uk (under 19).
  • NSPCC 0808 800 5000, nspcc.org.uk.
  • Samaritans 116 123, any time, free.
  • National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247.
  • Your local authority safeguarding team: your safeguarding lead can give you the number, or search your council's website for "safeguarding".

Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Journey publishes this policy for every provider that uses it; your provider may give you its own version with local contacts as well.