Whistleblowing

A whistleblower is someone who discovers something that is wrong and alerts their employer or the relevant authorities to what is going on. If a member of staff sees abuse (or what appears to be abuse), they should report to a Safeguarding Officer and explain the concerns. If the member of staff is not satisfied with their response, or if the Officer is seen to be colluding with inadequate care, the member of staff is expected to report the concern to the Principal. The first concern must be the protection and safety of the individual who is vulnerable and may need the staff to voice concern on their behalf.

The law protects whistleblowers from their employer subjecting them to detriment or dismissal by reason of their having “blown the whistle” and from detrimental treatment by their colleagues. To be protected by the law, the act of whistleblowing must fall within the legal rules and the whistleblower must reasonably believe that their disclosure of wrongdoing is made in the public interest.

Any person who criticises or victimises a bona fide whistleblower will be liable to disciplinary action.

After you have raised a concern, we will decide how to respond, which will usually involve making internal enquiries, but it may become necessary to carry out a full investigation – this may be formal or informal depending on the nature of the concern raised. We will endeavour to complete investigations within a reasonable time. We will keep you informed of progress and let you know when the investigation is completed. We will not be able to inform you of any matters that would infringe any duty of confidentiality owed to others.

You can also call the independent whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work for free and confidential advice on 020 7404 6609.

Approved by: Senior Management Team
Date: September 2026
Person Responsible: Human Resources Manager