What are the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team for?
The Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team are here to make sure you feel safe at college. If you have any concerns please contact us at Safeguarding@southessex.ac.uk.
Alternatively, you can speak to your tutor or any other staff member, who can then report your concerns for you. We will work closely with students, parents/carers and external professionals to provide effective support so young people can access their education.
There may be a time when you need ongoing help, such as emotional support, help with relationships or self-esteem issues or exam-stress whilst you are studying. Please contact us for advice and support.
If you have concerns about the wellbeing or safety of a friend or classmate please contact us. Additional targeted support is available for students who are care experienced, have a social worker or key worker, are known to social services or are living with complex mental health needs.
Where can I find the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team?
Email Safeguarding@southessex.ac.uk, call 0345 52 12345, get in touch via Moodle, or visit us at each campus.
- Basildon Town Centre: First floor room B1.19
- Luckyn Lane: Main building, ground floor opposite the Building/Plumbing area
- Southend: Ground Floor Wellbeing Centre opposite the Atrium
- Stephenson Road: Main building room 28.1.17
- Thurrock: First floor Student Services office
We offer a Whisper Reporting Service, enabling students to contact the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team to raise concerns, seek support, or report issues anonymously if they wish. The service is available through both an online form and a text messaging service during office hours. Any messages received outside of these hours will be reviewed and responded to on the next working day.
Learn more about our whisper reporting service.
Or text 07860 021323 and start your first message with SEC1
The Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team are here to make sure everyone feels safe. Sometimes your tutor will need to refer you to us if they believe you or someone you know is at immediate risk of harm. If you would like, your tutor can stay with you during these conversations.
The team are very supportive and will always keep you involved in any decisions or referrals that need to be made.
We offer 100% confidentiality, but we would need to say or do something if:
• You ask us to
• We believe your life or someone else’s life is in danger
• You tell us that you are seriously harming another young person
• You are being hurt by someone in a position of trust
The college aims to ensure that learning environments are supportive, where all individuals are treated with courtesy and respect and their contribution to the learning process is valued. The college will not tolerate harassment and bullying in any form and will take firm and decisive action to protect the interests of its students whenever incidents are identified.
If you are experiencing or concerned about bullying, speak to your tutor, Curriculum Leader, or Head of School. They will offer help and support to deal with any bullying issues.
If you are feeling unsafe at home please speak to a member of the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team who will speak with you about your concerns. We will then work with you to look at what options are available to ensure that you are safe.
Depending on the situation and what you feel comfortable with, this may involve calling parents/guardians, police, social care, or anyone else that may be able to help. This is a process that will always involve you to make sure your wishes are heard and respected where possible.
The safety of our students is the most important thing to us, so please let us know if there is anything that causes you to feel unsafe so we can make sure the issue gets resolved.
Mental health support
If you are concerned about your emotional or mental health please contact the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team for help and support. The team offer a friendly, welcoming and non-judgemental approach to supporting anyone who needs help or advice about their mental health.
We can offer support by helping you speak to your tutors, letting your parents know how you feel, and by making any referrals to mental health teams outside our colleges.
We have qualified counsellors within the Student Services team. You can have up to seven sessions with them to talk through issues you may be facing.
Our colleges host the Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs), to support the emotional wellbeing and mental health of students up to 18 years of age. EMHPs are part of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), a government initiative that promotes good emotional wellbeing and mental health by helping children/young people and their families through prevention, early intervention and education.
Further support available
If you are involved with social care for any reason (for example being in foster care, on a child protection plan, a child in need, etc.), please let the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team know so that they can ensure you have extra support in college and for anything else that may impact on your education, such as finances, emotional/mental health, family or home life, etc.
We can keep in contact with any professionals that you work with, such as your social worker, to ensure that everyone is supporting you together.
If you are currently a Looked After Child or have left the care system, we have dedicated advisers to support you throughout your time at college. Our Care Experienced Advisers will work with you, your social worker, foster carers, guardians and support workers to ensure you can access your education and are successful in your studies. The advisers will organise your Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings to set supportive targets as well as ensuring you have the support to do this. They can also help you apply for the Vulnerable Bursary which can support with transport and educational equipment.
You can contact the team via email CareExperiencedTeam@southessex.ac.uk or telephone 0345 52 12345.
The Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team can support you if you consider yourself to be a young carer. You may need additional support and understanding from your tutor(s) with regards to your deadlines, attendance, and any other academic concerns.
We are happy to communicate with your tutor(s) to ensure you are supported. We can also help point you in the direction of young carer’s groups in your local area for specific support.
You can contact the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team for help or support if you live alone, for example in supported or shared accommodation, if you are a care leaver, looked-after-student or are living independently for any reason.
If you become homeless and are under 18 it is very important that you notify us immediately. We can offer help and support and refer you to the appropriate agencies. We can also offer housing advice to over 18s.
If you are experiencing financial difficulty in getting to college, our Funding Team may also be able to support you. We will work together to ensure you have what you need to access college. We can also speak with any other professionals you are in contact with to ensure everyone is supporting you through your education.
If you are known to the Youth Offending Services, it is important that you disclose this to the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team and inform us of your support worker’s details. Failure to disclose this information will impact your placement at college. We will liaise with your support worker to ensure that you are fully supported.
Please visit the Safeguarding & Wellbeing Team if you would like any help or advice about concerns you have with drugs, alcohol, or any other substance such as legal highs. We will be able to support you to find services that deal specifically with these issues and the team can help make any referrals with you.