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Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose

Bill Plant Driving School Ltd. (BPDS) is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all individuals, particularly children, young people, and vulnerable adults, who engage with our services. This policy sets out our approach to preventing, recognising, reporting, and managing safeguarding concerns across our instructor network and operations.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All BPDS employees, trainees, contractors and franchisees (including instructors)
  • All pupils, customers, and members of the public interacting with our services in any capacity.
  • All situations where safeguarding concerns may arise, whether in-person, online, or via communications involving our staff or Franchise representatives

3. Definitions

Safeguarding
Safeguarding refers to the measures taken to protect people’s health, well-being, and human rights, and to ensure they live free from abuse, harm, and neglect. It involves proactive steps to prevent abuse and to respond appropriately where harm may occur.

Child
A child is defined as any individual under the age of 18, in accordance with the Children Act 1989.

Vulnerable Adult (also referred to as an Adult at Risk)
A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 or over who:

  • Has care and support needs, is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves from the abuse or neglect, or the risk of it, because of those needs.

This definition reflects the criteria outlined in the Care Act 2014.

DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is the named individual responsible for overseeing safeguarding practices within the organisation. The DSL is the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns, ensures that all reports are acted upon appropriately, liaises with external authorities when required, and provides guidance to staff and instructors. In the context of this policy, the DSL role is referred to as the “Safeguarding Lead”.

Abuse
Abuse refers to any action that violates an individual’s rights and causes harm or distress. It may be physical, emotional, sexual, financial, discriminatory, or take other forms. A detailed overview of abuse types can be found in Section 5 of this policy.

4. Key Principles

  • BPDS has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, harassment, discrimination, and neglect.
  • We are committed to training and empowering staff and franchised representatives to identify and respond appropriately to concerns.
  • All staff and instructors must remain vigilant, and report concerns promptly.
  • We will respond to or escalate to the relevant authorities any safeguard concerns in a timely, proportionate, and confidential manner.
  • We respect the rights of individuals and aim to empower those affected by safeguarding issues.

5. Types of Safeguarding Concerns

Safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:

  • Physical abuse or injury
  • Sexual harassment or abuse
  • Emotional or psychological abuse
  • Discrimination or hate speech
  • Neglect
  • Coercion or threats
  • Bullying (in-person or digital)
  • Dangerous or inappropriate behaviour by an instructor or staff member

6. Reporting Safeguarding Concerns

Any safeguarding concern must be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Lead via one of the following methods:

 

For concerns involving a minor, high-risk or requiring an urgent response, all our staff are advised to:

  • Record the details factually and accurately
  • Do not investigate or confront the subject of the allegation; however, they must:
    • Report the concern within the same working day to the safeguarding lead, who will manage any internal investigation.
      • And/or raise with the correct government body or the Police

 

6.1 Decision-Making Criteria for Escalation

To help determine whether a concern should be escalated to the Safeguarding Lead, our staff will consider the following:

Escalate immediately if any of the following apply:

  • The individual is under 18 or a vulnerable adult
  • There is an allegation of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
  • The behaviour involves threats, coercion, or intimidation
  • There are signs of neglect, exploitation, or self-harm
  • The situation involves illegal or dangerous conduct

Seek advice from the Safeguarding Lead if:

  • You are unsure whether the behaviour meets the safeguarding threshold
  • The concern relates to patterns of low severity behaviour rather than a single incident
  • The individual appears distressed but has not disclosed harm

If in doubt, escalate to the Safeguarding Lead. It is always better to report a concern that may later prove unfounded than to fail to act and miss an opportunity to protect someone at risk.

Any safeguarding concern must be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Lead via one of the following methods:

 

7. Roles and Responsibilities

Safeguarding Lead

  • First point of contact for safeguarding
  • Coordinates safeguarding responses and leads all internal investigations
  • Ensures all reported concerns are logged within one working day
  • Maintains secure, access-controlled records in line with the Data Protection Act or GDPR
  • Escalates to police, local authority, or DVSA where appropriate
  • Provides guidance and support to staff throughout the process
  • Leads regular safeguarding audits and ensures compliance
  • Leads the safeguarding board

Customer Services / Instructor Support

  • Receives and triages safeguarding concerns from pupils or the public
  • Assesses urgency and risk based on policy escalation criteria
  • Refers all serious or uncertain cases to the Safeguarding Lead within the same working day
  • Records the initial report accurately using the appropriate safeguarding log
  • Communicates with the reporting individual to confirm receipt and next steps (within 1 working day)

All Staff and Instructors

  • Must complete safeguarding training on induction and annually thereafter
  • Must immediately report any concerns or disclosures, without delay or investigation
  • Must maintain confidentiality and avoid discussing the concern beyond the authorised reporting process
  • Must cooperate fully with safeguarding investigations if involved

All roles must adhere to timelines and record-keeping standards outlined in Sections 6 and 9. Regular refresher training and role-specific updates will be provided to support ongoing awareness.

 

8. Safer Recruitment

BPDS is committed to safer recruitment as a core part of our safeguarding approach. We ensure that anyone working with or representing our organisation is appropriately vetted and fit to work in a role of trust.

Head Office Employees:

  • Must provide two forms of valid identification (e.g. passport, driving licence, birth certificate)
  • Must provide employment references upon request prior to confirmation of appointment

PDI (Potential Driving Instructor) Trainees:

  • Must complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of their training journey
  • This is required in line with DVSA guidance for those training to become approved driving instructors

External ADIs and PDIs:

  • Must hold an up-to-date DBS certificate no older than 12 months at the point they join Bill Plant Driving School
  • Must present two forms of valid ID (e.g. passport, driving licence)
  • Must also provide two proofs of address documents, such as utility bills or a council tax statement
  • Details of the next of Kin
  • All ADIs and PDIs must renew their DBS check at least every 4 years, in line with their DVSA badge renewal schedule

It is solely the responsibility of each ADI and PDI to notify both the DVSA and BPDS immediately if their circumstances change in a way that may invalidate their DBS check or impact their suitability to work with pupils

Non-Compliance:

Failure to provide the above documentation and complete the required checks will result in the non-commencement of franchise or employment. No individual will be permitted to represent the BPDS brand until all safer recruitment requirements are met.

9. Responding to a Disclosure

If a pupil or member of the public makes a disclosure, our staff will:

  • Stay calm and listen without judgment
  • Not promise confidentiality, but we must explain to you that we must share it with the Safeguarding Lead
  • Reassure you that they are being taken seriously
  • Make a written record as soon as possible after the disclosure
  • Record the disclosure clearly, using their own words where possible

10. Confidentiality

All safeguarding reports will be handled in line with data protection laws and stored securely. Only relevant personnel will have access to information relating to safeguarding investigations. Confidentiality does not override the need to share relevant information for safeguarding purposes.

We understand that there are circumstances where an individual raising a safeguarding concern would want to remain anonymous; this may impede our internal investigation, but will not limit our response or escalation to the relevant authorities.

11. External Reporting

Where required, BPDS will cooperate fully with the appropriate external authorities to ensure the safety and welfare of all individuals. This includes:

  • Police: for allegations involving criminal behaviour, including assault, threats, harassment, or suspected illegal activity.
  • Local Authority Safeguarding Teams: for referrals involving minors or vulnerable adults in need of support or protection.
  • DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency): in relation to the conduct, fitness to instruct, or licence status of Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs).

Contact information:

  • Non-emergency Police (UK): Call 101 or visit www.police.uk
  • Emergency (Police/Medical): Call 999
  • DVSA Complaints (Instructor Misconduct): [email protected] |
    DVSA
    PO Box 349
    Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
    NE12 2GN
  • Local Safeguarding Teams: Each local authority in the UK operates its own Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) and Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP). To make a referral or seek advice, contact the safeguarding team in the relevant local authority where the individual at risk resides.

If a safeguarding concern requires external escalation, the Safeguarding Lead will be responsible for making formal contact and managing communications with the relevant body on behalf of BPDS.

Where external bodies raise concerns, such as the police or public bodies, BPDS are committed to acting quickly, diligently and cooperating fully with any investigations.

11. Review and Training

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if legislation changes. Safeguarding training is mandatory for all staff and must be refreshed every 12 months.