Harassment and Sexual Misconduct

At Preston College, we are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning and working environment for all members of our community. Any form of harassment or sexual misconduct is unacceptable and we will continue to work to prevent and respond to any incidents.

This webpage is the College’s Single Comprehensive Source of Information (SCSI), as required by the Office for Students under Condition E6. It summarises our approach to preventing and addressing harassment and sexual misconduct, including:

Definitions of harassment and sexual misconduct
Our policies and reporting procedures
Guidance on intimate personal relationships between staff and students
Our responsibilities under freedom of speech legislation
Sources of support, training, and investigation procedures

We encourage students to contact the Safeguarding Team as the first point of contact. The team provides clear reporting options, access to trained practitioners and officers, and ensures we can monitor and respond effectively to disclosures. As a result, freedom of speech will be respected and any steps taken to prevent harassment or misconduct will not restrict lawful expression.

KEY DEFINITIONS

It’s important that all staff and students understand key definitions:

Harassment is unwanted conduct that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or offensive environment.
Sexual misconduct includes any unwanted sexual behaviour, from inappropriate comments to sexual assault or harassment.
Bullying is offensive, intimidating, or malicious behaviour, often intended to undermine or distress others.
Consent means agreeing by choice, with the freedom and capacity to make that choice, and can be withdrawn at any time.
Intimate personal relationships between staff and students are strongly discouraged, as they can create conflicts of interest or involve an imbalance of power.

We aim to create a culture where everyone feels safe and respected.

We recognise our duty of care to protect and promote the welfare of students. All complaints are taken seriously and will be handled with fairness, sensitivity, and urgency.

For further details, see our Anti-Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy

HOW TO REPORT SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

Everyone must feel able to report incidents of harassment and/or sexual misconduct without fear of recrimination, and to access support. We will support those who do report, as well as those who are reported, to ensure that our College is a safe place to work and study.

You can report incidents by contacting the Safeguarding Team:

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Name: Tina Southworth
Email: tsouthworth@preston.ac.uk
Phone: 01772 225658
Mobile: 07919 628 570

Safeguarding & Prevent Officer

Name: Gemma Moon
Email: gmoon@preston.ac.uk
Phone: 01772 225141
Mobile: 07549 035577

Safeguarding & Prevent Officer

Name: Sarah Nixon
Email: sarahnixon@preston.ac.uk
Phone: 01772 2255505
Mobile: 07795 527468

INVESTIGATIONS AND OUTCOMES

Investigations will be impartial and confidential, with both complainants and respondents kept informed. Appropriate action, including disciplinary measures, will be taken where misconduct is found. Outcomes and support measures will be communicated clearly to those affected, including any ongoing risk management.

Where required, investigations will be carried out under the Positive Behaviour Framework or staff Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. Following this, a formal risk assessment will be undertaken to reduce the risk of future harm. This assessment considers potential risks to the individual, their peers, and the College community. Where sexual harassment or misconduct may be involved, the College will take affirmative action to mitigate risks. This process is separate from disciplinary action and will not consider the use of NDA’s in relation to dealing with complaints of this nature.

Please note: In line with the Sexual Offences Act 2003, for students under the age of 18, the College has a legal obligation and duty of care to report allegations of sexual offences against minors to the Police and to the student’s parents or carers. All such incidents will be referred to the College Designated Safeguarding Lead.

The Safeguarding Team will provide advice, guidance, and next steps tailored to your individual circumstances. This includes putting the right support in place and involving the appropriate authorities if needed.

If the incident occurred outside College:

Call 101 for non-emergencies
Call 999 in an emergency

WHERE CAN I GET SUPPORT?

Student Services

Our Student Services team offers confidential support, including counselling and welfare advice.

Email: studentservices@preston.ac.uk
Phone: 01772 225656

If you need confidential external support, the following organisation can help:

Home Page – Victim Care Lancashire

Call: 01772 410410

TRAINING AND AWARENESS

For students: You will receive training via the virtual learning environment:

the standards of behaviour expected of students and staff
how to recognise and report harassment and sexual misconduct

You may opt out of this training if you feel it may bring up issues that you find distressing. If you choose to opt out, we strongly encourage you to review the information provided on this page.

If you are studying a University of Lancashire awarded course with us, we recommend that you also look at the University’s guidance on Harassment and sexual misconduct

For staff: All staff receive training on professional conduct, definitions of harassment and sexual misconduct, and how to respond appropriately to disclosures. This is completed at induction and updated annually through mandatory training.

If the incident occurred outside College:

Call 101 for non-emergencies
Call 999 in an emergency

GUIDANCE ON INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STAFF AND STUDENTS

At Preston College, maintaining professional boundaries between staff and students is essential to safeguarding trust, wellbeing, and fairness.

Relationships between staff and students that may create real or perceived conflicts of interest or abuses of power. A relationship between a member of staff and a student cannot be a relationship between equals. There is potential for exploitation and harm of students, and staff have a responsibility to ensure that an unequal balance of power is not used for personal advantage or gratification. Preston College does not permit intimate personal relationships and existing personal relationships, including a relative relationship require declaration in line with policy. (OfS Condition E6 & College Policy)

These expectations form part of the College’s Staff Behaviour Code and all employees, workers and volunteers are expected to uphold these standards. Reporting mechanisms for staff can be found in the College’s Staff Behaviour Code which can be found on ERIC.