Document Title | Missing and Unaccounted Student Policy |
Organisation | Language in Action (Malvern International) |
Version | 2.0 |
Issue Date | May 2026 |
Review Date | May 2027 |
Policy Owner | Head of Juniors |
Approved by | Designated Safeguarding Lead |
1. SCOPE AND PURPOSE
This policy applies to all students enrolled in Language in Action programmes across all UK centres. It establishes clear procedures for responding to any situation in which a student cannot be accounted for, whether during off-site excursions, on-site academic sessions, or residential settings (residence or homestay).
Specific provisions apply to students under 18, for whom Language in Action holds a duty of care in loco parentis for the duration of their programme.
This policy operates in conjunction with and in subordination to the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Policy and LiA addendum. Any incident triggering this procedure must also be assessed under the Safeguarding Policy by the DSL.
This policy is included in the Staff Handbook and the Teacher Handbook. Given the seasonal nature of all centre-level staff, this policy and its procedures form a mandatory component of the pre-season induction programme. No staff member may assume supervisory responsibility for students before completing induction. The key procedures are also communicated to all students and agency Group Leaders at arrival.
2. LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
This policy is informed by and must be read alongside the following:
- Children Act 1989 and 2004 — duty of care and welfare of children
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) — multi-agency safeguarding framework
- UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 — lawful basis for processing personal data during incidents, including parental notification
- British Council Accreditation Framework — safeguarding criteria S1–S8
- Ofsted / ISI guidance on supervision of minors in educational settings
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) September 2025 (replacing KCSIE 2024)
- The Education Act 2002 (sections 157 and 175)
3. MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE AND ROLES
Centre-level staff (seasonal)
| Role | Responsibility in this policy |
|---|---|
| Centre Manager | Overall operational responsibility at centre level; first escalation point for all incidents; coordinates staff response; notifies DSL in serious cases. May also hold the Welfare Officer function. |
| Campus Coordinator | Reports to Centre Manager; responsible for all on-site non-academic and evening activities and residential oversight. |
| Tour Coordinator | Reports to Centre Manager; responsible for excursion planning, pre-departure briefings, and off-site staff coordination. |
| Campus Leader | Direct supervision of students during on-site activities and in residential settings; first responder for on-site incidents; reports to Campus Coordinator. |
| Tour Guide | Direct supervision of students during excursions; first responder for off-site incidents; reports to Tour Coordinator. |
Safeguarding structure (permanent)
| Role | Responsibility in this policy |
|---|---|
| DSL | Policy owner; lead safeguarding decision-maker; contacted directly by Centre Manager in any serious or unresolved incident; responsible for escalating to the Group Safeguarding Governance in case of significant or serious incidents and referral to external agencies and authorities. |
Agency Group Leaders
Agency Group Leaders hold shared duty of care for students within their group during LiA-organised activities. However, ultimate safeguarding responsibility during any LiA activity rests with the relevant LiA staff member listed above, regardless of the GL’s presence. For individually enrolled students with no accompanying GL, full duty of care rests with LiA staff at all times.
4. PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS
Before any excursion, the Tour Coordinator must ensure that students and agency Group Leaders are fully briefed on the itinerary. Where possible, a leaflet with itinerary details is distributed to agency Group Leaders and individual students.
All students must be informed at arrival of:
- The designated meeting point for each type of activity
- What to do if separated from the group (see Section 5.A)
- The LiA emergency contact number
- The requirement to carry their Lanyard ID card at all times and in all contexts
Tour Guides and agency Group Leaders must conduct regular head counts during excursions, particularly at arrival and departure points and whenever groups separate or reform. Campus Leaders must apply the same practice during all on-site and residential activities.
5. PROCEDURES BY CONTEXT
A. On Excursion
Immediate actions – student to follow if separated:
- Call their agency Group Leader (or a trusted friend in the group)
- Go to the designated meeting point and wait
- Call the LiA emergency number
- Find a police officer and show identification as a Language in Action student (Lanyard ID card)
Immediate actions – staff:
As soon as a student is reported or noticed missing, the Tour Guide must contact the Tour Coordinator and Centre Manager immediately, and continue attempting to contact the student by mobile phone. If the student belongs to a group, the Tour Guide must also contact the agency Group Leader and involve them in the search.
If the group must depart before the student is located, the student’s agency Group Leader and at least one Tour Guide must remain at the meeting point. The remaining students leave with the other Tour Guides. Staff-to-student supervision ratios must be maintained at all times; additional staff must be requested if needed.
Escalation timeline:
| Time elapsed | Action |
|---|---|
| Immediately | Tour Guide contacts Tour Coordinator and Centre Manager; continuous mobile contact attempts begin. |
| 1 hour after agreed meeting time | Centre Manager contacts parents or guardians and informs the DSL. The DSL confirms with the CM whether the police is to be contacted, should there be no developments within the following hour. |
| 2 hours (daytime) | Centre Manager contacts local police, as previously agreed with DSL. |
| 1.5 hours (evening or night) | Centre Manager contacts local police, as previously agreed with DSL. |
| Upon police involvement | Centre Manager confirms with DSL that the police has been contacted. DSL escalates to the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Coordinator and to the COO. |
B. On Site — During Classes
If an under-18 student fails to attend class registration, the teacher must inform the DoS and Centre Manager immediately.
The Centre Manager will attempt to contact the student by mobile phone. If the student is part of a group, the agency Group Leader is contacted instead. Staff at the student’s accommodation will also be alerted without delay.
Escalation timeline:
| Time elapsed | Action |
|---|---|
| Immediately | Centre Manager contacts student / agency GL / accommodation staff. |
| 1 hour | Centre Manager contacts parents or guardians and informs the DSL. The DSL confirms with the CM whether the police is to be contacted, should there be no developments within the following hour. |
| 2 hours | Centre Manager contacts local police, as previously agreed with DSL. |
| Upon police involvement | Centre Manager confirms with DSL that the police has been contacted. DSL escalates to the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Coordinator and to the COO. |
C. On Site – Evening and Non-Academic Activities
If a student does not return from or fails to appear at an on-site evening or non-academic activity, Campus Leaders must inform the Campus Coordinator immediately, who will notify the Centre Manager.
The Centre Manager will attempt to contact the student by mobile phone, or the agency Group Leader if the student is part of a group.
Escalation timeline:
| Time elapsed | Action |
|---|---|
| Immediately | Campus Leader informs Campus Coordinator; Centre Manager contacts student / agency GL. |
| 1 hour | Centre Manager contacts parents or guardians and informs the DSL. The DSL confirms with the CM whether the police is to be contacted, should there be no developments within the following hour. |
| 1.5 hours | Centre Manager contacts local police, as previously agreed with DSL. |
| Upon police involvement | Centre Manager confirms with DSL that the police has been contacted. DSL escalates to the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Coordinator and to the COO. |
D. In Residence
Curfew rules for under-18 students:
- Sunday to Thursdays: 22:30
- Fridays and Saturdays: 23:00
If a student fails to return following afternoon or evening activities, or does not meet curfew, Campus Leaders must notify the Campus Coordinator and Centre Manager immediately. The Centre Manager will then attempt to contact the student directly by mobile phone, or the relevant agency Group Leader where the student is travelling as part of a group.
Language in Action does not currently offer nor advertise homestay placements. Should this change in the future, this policy will be updated accordingly.
Escalation timeline:
| Time elapsed | Action |
|---|---|
| Immediately | Campus Leader informs Campus Coordinator; Centre Manager contacts student / agency GL. |
| 1 hour after missed activity or curfew | Centre Manager contacts parents or guardians and informs the DSL. The DSL confirms with the CM whether the police is to be contacted, should there be no developments within the following hour. |
| 1.5 hours after missed activity or curfew | Centre Manager contacts local police, as previously agreed with DSL. |
| Upon police involvement | Centre Manager confirms with DSL that the police has been contacted. DSL escalates to the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Coordinator and to the COO. |
6. RECORD KEEPING
All incidents involving a missing or unaccounted student must be logged in the Centre Incident Record and Group Safeguarding Log within 24 hours of resolution. The log must include:
- Date, time, and context of the incident
- Student details (name, age, group affiliation if applicable)
- Timeline of actions taken and contacts made
- Outcome and time of resolution
- Any follow-up steps or referrals
Records must be retained for a minimum of 7 years, or until the student reaches the age of 25 if under 18 at the time of the incident, in line with UK GDPR and child safeguarding best practice.
7. POST-INCIDENT REVIEW
Following any incident in which police were contacted, or any incident deemed serious by the DSL, a post-incident debrief must be conducted within 5 working days. The debrief must:
- Identify any gaps or failures in the procedure
- Produce a written action plan where improvements are required
- Be filed alongside the Centre Incident Record
- Be reviewed by the Centre Manager and DSL
Where a pattern of incidents is identified across centres, findings must be escalated to the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Coordinator for group-level policy review.