KIE recognize our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of Under 18’s, within the UK legal framework and criteria of our educational oversight and accrediting bodies. KIE are committed to safeguard and to promote the welfare of Under 18’s with our colleges being proactive rather than reactive. We endeavor to ensure we provide a safe, positive and pleasant study and home environment for all students. In ensuring this, it is essential that parents and students provide us with details of any known medical conditions they may have. All KIE teams work hard to give all our students the most positive study experience they can have, but we show an additional duty of care towards our students who are legally minors. While we cannot and do not aim to take the place of these students’ parents, we monitor them more closely than other students and request all parents of Under 18's to sign a Consent Form. Parents need to be aware that students studying at KIE will be in an adult environment and enrolled in an adult context.
KIE understand that safety of Under 18 students is paramount to KIE and we have put in place specific measures to ensure that parents feel assured that students are in a safe environment. Parents need to be aware that students Under 18 are bound by the following curfews when staying in homestay:
14 - 15 years old: 22.30 [but under the supervision of a Group Leaders or staff member at all times]
16 -17 years old: 23.00
Travel to and from homestay to school for students aged 14 to 17 is independent but remotely supervised. There are procedures in place if a student does not arrive at school when expected and all students have the 24 hour emergency phone and information on what to do if they have any difficulties. Host families also have the emergency phone numbers and will alert the school immediately if a student is not home by the arranged time/curfew.
For Under 18 students that wish to stay overnight or for short periods with friends and family they will only be permitted if there is express approval from parents and the person they wish to stay with.
In addition to this KIE provide the following:
• KIE have a Safeguarding Policy (document currently under review), available for all staff, hosts and parents that comprehensively details how we are committed to safeguarding students.
• All KIE staff, hosts and group leaders in regular contact with Under 18's are subject to rigorous recruitment procedures and necessary police checks.
• All KIE staff and hosts are given appropriate support, training and guidance to ensure that they are able to deal with safeguarding issues.
• Each KIE college has a named contact person for Under 18's to give extra support, meet the students on a regular basis, explain the legal status of Under 18's, monitor any accommodation issues and liaise with the home stay and students’ parents if necessary.
• Ensure there are activities in the college that are suitable for students Under 18's to participate in and inform Under 18's about learning and socializing outside of the classroom.
• It is compulsory for all Under 16's to attend organized activities which will be supervised by KIE.
• KIE will supervise activities out of School however these are not obligatory for 16 and 17 year olds to attend. Students and parents must be aware that there will be no supervision should a student choose not to attend these activities.