How Report and Support Works
How Report and Support can support you
Report and Support is one way in which students and staff of Ayrshire College can submit a report, including anonymously, about something that has happened to them or something they have witnessed in relation to bullying, discrimination or harassment (on the basis of protected characteristic); hate crime; racism; and gender-based violence (for example, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and sexual harassment).
The main aim of Report and Support is to enable the College’s students and staff to access support. This means, Report + Support complements already existing College reporting routes by providing you – a student or member of staff – an additional, alternative choice on how to report an experience or incident(s) and access support from us.
We want to be a safe and inclusive place to learn, work and develop. Having Report and Support, is one way to help us continue being that place.
You can choose to report an incident(s) anonymously. We encourage all reports to be made with your name and contact details but, at the same time, understand, that an anonymous report might be a step towards a named report later when you feel ready, safe, and able. Take the time you need.
When a report is submitted through Report and Support with your name and contact details, someone from the College will be in touch with you within two working days. You can discuss with them what support you feel you need and what outcome, if any, you would like.
The College is able to support you. The first step, is telling us what happened.
Through Report and Support, you will be asked to select an option that best describes what happened. In this same section, you will have the option to provide more information about the incident. It is your choice as to how much information you provide. When you do provide more information, however, we have an increased opportunity to provide you with the best possible support.
Before you submit the report, you are given the chance to change your mind about whether you report anonymously or with your name and contact details.
The College Report and Support website area provides specific support information. These are here to help you.
Report and Support does not replace the College's Complaint process. If you would like to make a formal complaint about the College, you can do this here.
How Report and Support Works
Report and Support is an online reporting tool which enables a student or staff member of Ayrshire College to report an incident(s) related to bullying, discrimination, or harassment; hate crime; racism; and gender-based violence (for example, domestic abuse, sexual violence and sexual harassment).
Two reporting options are given – report anonymously or with your name and contact details.
All anonymous reports will be reviewed and monitored and in exceptional circumstances, where it is deemed someone is at significant risk or harm, action may follow.
When a report is submitted with a name and contact details someone from the College will be in touch with you within 2 working days. They will use the contact details which you provided and stated was your preferred choice of communication between you and us.
If you are a student who has submitted a report about an incident, say, for example, you feel you are being bullied because of your race or nationality, then, in most cases, a Student Services Advisor from the Student Experience team will be touch.
If you are a member of staff who has submitted a report about an incident, say, for example, you feel you are being sexually harassed, then, in most cases, an HR Advisor from the HR team will be in touch.
Only a very limited number of staff from the College have access to the reports submitted through Report and Support. This includes the College's Information and Customer Relations Officer. They will provide advice and guidance in relation to reports that may, in fact, be complaints and are best to be taken through the College's Complaint process.
The College's decision to put in place Report and Support is part of our commitment to being a safe and inclusive place to learn, work and develop. How we approach supporting you - a student or member of staff - will be based on this commitment and follow our existing policies and procedures.
If you would like more information about Report and Support, please be in touch with our Equality and Diversity Performance Lead on equalityandinclusion@ayrshire.ac.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Report and Support?
Report and Support is an online reporting tool where staff and students of Ayrshire College can report an incident(s) experienced or witnessed related to, for example, racism. The Colleges Report and Support website area is also home to information about internal and external support, relevant policies and procedures and College campaigns.
Report and Support does not replace the College's Complaint process. If you would like to make a formal complaint about the College, you can do this here.
Who can make a report?
Ayrshire College students and staff can make a report through Report and Support.
What happens when someone makes an anonymous report?
All anonymous reports will first be reviewed to identify any risks that relate to duty of care. If no immediate risk is identified, no further direct action will be taken.
Anonymous reports are important because they may indicate or suggest an issue or concern requires focus and as such, can lead to proactive, preventative action in the College.
This could include in relation to:
• College policy or procedure
• Staff learning and development
• College campaign or initiative
• Student workshop(s)
This means, anonymous reports support us, as a College, to identify any trends or patterns and in the main, that is how these reports will be managed and used.
What action can you take from anonymous reports?
Information provided within anonymous reports will largely be used as statistical data to understand what is happening and to inform proactive, prevention work within the College. Because the College does not know who has made anonymous report, we cannot reach out and provide support to that person. If someone wants to receive support or consider informal or formal options to address a concern, they should make a named report with their contact details.
What happens when someone makes a named report with their contact details?
A limited number of College staff, relevant to their role, can access the Report and Support platform. They will initially review the report submission before assigning it to a caseworker and it is this person who will be in touch with you.
What if someone is named in a report?
If a student, member of staff or third party are named in a report submission, then, this information may be used to initiate a formal process, if you ask for this, or for the College to take action if we have safeguarding concerns.
How will Ayrshire College manage malicious complaints?
If a report is found to be malicious or vexatious, this will be taken very seriously by the College and be addressed under our existing student and staff policies and procedures.
Who can I contact if I have any further questions about Report and Support?
You can contact the College's Equality and Diversity Performance Lead at equalityandinclusion@ayrshire.ac.uk if you have any further questions.
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