Safeguarding for Research Projects

Safeguarding is the action taken to promote the welfare of children under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults and protect them from harm. Within research projects this may include staff, students and collaborators, as well as anyone directly affected by our research and teaching activities on campus, and at research and fieldwork sites in the UK or overseas e.g. research subjects, patients, etc.

 Our main funders, including UKRI and the Wellcome Trust, require Imperial College to ensure that Safeguarding implications are properly considered and managed during the lifetime of the project. The UK Collaboration on Development Research (UKCDR) is working with research funders to “play a leadership role in setting a clear tone and high expectations around safeguarding in international development research, and to ensure harmonisation of safeguarding practices across the sector.”

 As part of project delivery and risk assessment planning, the research team should consider Imperial’s Child Protection and Adults at Risk Safeguarding Policy [pdf] and Child Protection and Safeguarding Code of Practice [pdf]  which outline both duty of care responsibilities and guidelines for those carrying out activities involving children and vulnerable adults.

 In addition, Imperial College has a number of existing policies and procedures to support researchers in the identification and mitigation of Safeguarding concerns:

Research Guidance