Safeguarding and Wellbeing

South Devon College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 

Safeguarding can be defined as ‘keeping children and vulnerable adults safe from harm, such as illness, abuse, radicalisation or injury’. 

• South Devon College will take all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to children, young people and vulnerable adults are minimised 
• When there are concerns about the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, we will take all appropriate actions to address those concerns, working to agreed local policies and procedures in full partnership with other local agencies 
• All staff are trained in Safeguarding and Prevent (counter terrorism) 
• We will promote and reinforce shared values; to create space for free and open debate; and to listen and support the student voice. 
• We will work to break down segregation among different student communities including by supporting inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue and understanding, and to engage all students in playing a full and active role in wider engagement in society 
• We will ensure student safety and that the College is free from bullying, harassment including sexual harassment and will not tolerate any form of discrimination 
• To provide support for students who may be at risk and appropriate sources of advice and guidance 
• We will ensure that students and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in preventing violent extremism. 

Staying Safe in College 

The College has a Site Security Lead: Dave Wicks 

The College operates a speed gate system and students, staff and visitors all wear badges and lanyards to identify them and give them access through the barriers. 

It is vital that everyone follows the college rules and behaves in a positive way so that everyone at college feels safe. 

Staying Safe Online 

The College actively encourages safe practice online and supports Virtually Safe Torbay, who support and advise young people, parents and professionals on how to stay safe online. At South Devon College we have appropriate filtering and monitoring in place to ensure student safety online. Further information on how to stay safer online will be addressed through our personal development programme. If you are worried about how someone is behaving towards you or someone else online, information on what to do can be found here. We have designated staff members that can support students with any safeguarding matter as well as to improve online safety for our learners and to give guidance when required. 

If you as a student at South Devon College have any concern about your wellbeing, safety or rights, you should talk to your tutor or a member of staff you trust or contact one of our Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team on 01803 540558. 

Operation Encompass 

Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools or colleges, prior to the start of the next school/college day, when a child or young person has been exposed to or involved in any domestic violence incident. 

Operation Encompass will ensure that a member of the college staff, known as a key adult, is trained to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence, while ensuring that the college is able to make the provision for possible difficulties experienced by children/young people, or their families who have been involved in, or exposed to a domestic abuse incident. 

We are keen to offer the best support possible to all of our students and we believe that this will be extremely beneficial for all those involved. Further details can be found via their website. 

Safeguarding Team 

Safeguarding Team phone number: 01803 540558

Staff matters: 

Designated Safeguarding Lead 

Kelly Sooben 

Mental Health Lead 

Dean Bowden 
07738 018223 / 01803 540355

Student matters: 

Deputy Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Child Protection Lead 

Rhiannon Gray (Mon-Wed) 
07900 287135 

Brittany May Benton (Wed-Fri) 
07778 019791 

Safeguarding Wellbeing Team

The Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team, as per the list below, can also deal with any Safeguarding or Child Protection concerns if Brittany and Rhiannon are unavailable. You can also email [email protected], call 01803 540558, find them on-site in room 3.131.

• Julie Cude 
• Rachel Sewell – Medical Lead 
• Gemma Kilpatrick 
• Scarlett Stevenson
• Hattie Linger 

The Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team are there to provide the High School and Further education students with pastoral care throughout their time at South Devon College and to answer any safeguarding concerns that you/the student may have in regard to your wellbeing. They work with students to build self-confidence and self-esteem through individual sessions that can take place regularly, or as agreed with the student. They can provide sexual health advice and contraception and refer to our counselling service if further support is needed. They work closely with other members of college staff, such as the Heads of Tutorial and tutors to provide a full wrap around care package, as well as other agencies outside of the College. They can refer students to external agencies, if and when necessary to provide support to all students. 

Additional designated safeguarding staff include: 

• Alex Howarth – Designated Teacher for looked after children, 01803 540777 
• Chris Walden – Designated Safeguarding Governor 
• Dave Wicks – Site Security Lead – 07771 142822 

For South Devon High School: 

James McCauley – 01803 540464 

Out of hours emergency safeguarding contacts:

If you feel a student is at immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, please contact the emergency services on 999.

During college term-time hours, please contact the Safeguarding Team directly via phone, drop-ins or email [email protected]

If you have an emergency safeguarding concern out of hours, please contact one of the relevant numbers below:

• Torbay Emergency Duty Service: 0300 456 4876 – The Emergency Duty Service provides social work support in Torbay for all adult, child, mental health services and emergency homeless applications, outside of normal office hours.
• Devon Emergency Duty Service: 0345 600 0388 – For concerns relating to children, young people and adults.
• NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000

First Aid  

If there is a medical emergency which is life threatening, please call 999 

If you have a student that requires first aid treatment, we have many trained staff but in the first instance call the Duty Manager on 07568 426334 

Paignton Campus 

Rachel Sewell –  ​​​​​​​07831 990357 / or  Safeguarding and Wellbeing Team on  01803 540558 (Located in PI Office, Level 3)  

Resources 

• Neglect Strategy 
• Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 
• Covid Addendum Safeguarding 
• NSPCC helpline for victims of sexual abuse in schools, 0800 136 663