_{Buckinghamshire New University}

Summary

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When Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) introduced Report + Support™, the goal was not just to replace spreadsheets and emails with a digital platform, but to create a more accessible, visible and effective route for students and staff to raise concerns and seek support.‍

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Three years later, the results speak for themselves. Monthly referrals have risen from just 10 reports during the platform's first month to a peak of 182 reports in a single month. Students are increasingly self-reporting concerns, staff know exactly where to direct safeguarding issues, and the safeguarding team can manage dozens of active cases through a single, centralised system.

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For Annice Thomas and Samantha Mitchell, Safeguarding Officers within BNU's Student Hub, the increase in reporting is evidence that more people know where to turn when they need support. As universities continue to navigate increasingly complex safeguarding responsibilities, BNU demonstrates what can happen when effective technology is combined with visible, human-centred support.

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About Buckinghamshire New University

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Buckinghamshire New University has been transforming lives for more than 130 years. With campuses across High Wycombe, Uxbridge and Nottingham, the university serves more than 8,000 students, including a significant international student population. The institution offers a broad range of academic programmes, alongside undergraduate and postgraduate study.

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Within the Directorate of Student Support Services, BNU's safeguarding function sits within the Student Hub. The safeguarding team works directly with students, staff, external agencies and the public to ensure concerns are identified early and appropriate support is delivered quickly. Unlike some safeguarding functions that operate primarily behind the scenes, BNU's team maintains direct contact with students every day. That visibility has become a critical part of the university's safeguarding success.

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The Challenge: Managing Safeguarding Through Spreadsheets and Emails

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Before Report + Support™ was implemented, safeguarding concerns were managed through a combination of spreadsheets, emails, notebooks and individual staff knowledge. While the university was still supporting students effectively, the process created significant operational challenges. Concerns could arrive through multiple channels. Staff might email an individual member of the team. Students could be brought directly to safeguarding officers. Information often lived across inboxes, notebooks and spreadsheets.

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As safeguarding activity increased, maintaining oversight became more difficult. Annice recalls:

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"We had information in lots of different places, so one of the biggest challenges was figuring out where key details were and pulling everything together."

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The university needed a more consistent, accessible and scalable way to manage safeguarding concerns.

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The Solution: Implementing Report + Support™

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Conversations around implementing Report + Support™ began during 2023, before the platform officially launched at BNU in September that year. From the outset, the objective was clear: create a single, trusted route through which students, staff, family members and other stakeholders could raise concerns and access support.

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Once live, the safeguarding team focused heavily on visibility and awareness. Rather than assuming students would discover the platform themselves, BNU embedded Report + Support™ into everyday university life. This included:

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• Welcome Week presentations for new students
• Staff induction sessions
• Posters across campus
• Student-facing business cards
• University websites and intranet channels
• Social media promotion
• Training for senior residents

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Annice highlighted:

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"The main thing for us was making sure people knew where to go if they needed support. We basically share Report + Support™ everywhere we go."

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That consistent promotion has played a major role in driving engagement. Importantly, BNU also paired technology with human support. Students, staff and the public know there are real safeguarding professionals behind the platform who will respond, provide guidance and help them navigate next steps. This combination of accessible technology and visible support has become one of the defining characteristics of BNU's approach.

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The Features That Made the Difference

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For the safeguarding team, the value of Report + Support™ extends beyond reporting itself. Several features have become integral to their day-to-day operations.

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Centralised Case Management

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For Annice and Samantha, this eliminates the need to search across multiple systems, saving resources and decreasing response time.

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"For me, one of the biggest benefits is having all the safeguarding information in one place. Instead of piecing things together from different sources, you can see the case notes, communications, evidence and actions all in the same system."

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Instant Notifications

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The team receives immediate alerts when new reports are submitted. This allows them to begin triaging concerns quickly and make contact with students without unnecessary delays.

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Evidence Uploads

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Students can submit screenshots and supporting documentation directly through the platform. This provides valuable context and reduces the need for multiple follow-up requests.

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Analytics and Reporting

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For Samantha, the analytics functionality has become indispensable.

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"The analytics save us a lot of time, effort and energy. We can quickly spot trends, see reporting patterns and provide updates to senior leadership without having to pull everything together manually."

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Case Management Forms

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More recently, BNU has introduced built-in case management and triage forms, helping the team assess incoming cases more consistently and identify higher-risk concerns faster.

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Name Recognition and Case Linking

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One feature highlighted repeatedly by the team is the ability to identify and connect reports involving the same individual. This provides valuable context and enables safeguarding officers to develop a fuller understanding of ongoing concerns.

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Two-Way Anonymous Messaging

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The introduction of two-way anonymous messaging has added another important channel for engagement. While still relatively new at BNU, the team sees significant potential in allowing anonymous reporters to continue conversations without revealing their identity.

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The Impact: Creating a Stronger Speak Up Culture

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The most striking outcome of BNU's implementation is the growth in reporting. In September 2023, the university received just 10 referrals through Report + Support™. By February 2026, that figure had increased to 182 referrals in a single month. The increase in reporting has been accompanied by a significant shift in behaviour. The safeguarding team is seeing a growing number of students self-reporting concerns directly.

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According to Annice:

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"This is the first time I've seen so many students self-reporting. Students are saying, 'I've got this problem. Can you help me?' For me, that's brilliant. It shows they trust the system and believe they'll get the support they need."

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Faster Responses, Better Outcomes

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Alongside increased reporting, BNU has maintained an impressive level of responsiveness. Most cases are actioned within 24 to 36 hours, with many addressed on the same day they are received. The team aims to resolve or appropriately close cases within seven days wherever possible. The safeguarding team reviews new reports quickly, allocates ownership and reaches out to students with support options almost immediately. This rapid intervention helps prevent issues from escalating and demonstrates to students that their concerns matter.

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Supporting Informal Resolution

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Samantha explains:

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"One of the biggest benefits for us has been being able to step in and resolve issues before they turn into formal complaints."

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The safeguarding team acts as an early intervention point, helping students understand their options, access support and work towards constructive outcomes. By addressing concerns proactively and quickly, the university is often able to resolve issues informally while maintaining confidence and trust among those involved.

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Strengthening Multi-Agency Working

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Safeguarding rarely exists in isolation. The team regularly works with external organisations including police services and social care agencies. Report + Support™ has improved the university's ability to share information securely and efficiently when required. Where appropriate legal and data protection processes are followed, case records, notes and actions can be exported directly from the system and shared with external partners. This creates a clear audit trail and ensures important information is readily available when needed.

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A Human Approach Supported by Technology

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While technology has transformed the university's safeguarding processes, both Annice and Samantha are clear that the platform's success is inseparable from the people behind it. A major factor in BNU's performance is the fact that safeguarding officers remain highly visible and student-facing. Students know who they are. They can book appointments, speak to a real person and access support quickly. That visibility builds trust, and trust drives reporting. 

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Looking Ahead

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Today, BNU manages a large number of active safeguarding cases while continuing to process growing numbers of reports. The safeguarding team relies on Report + Support™ daily to manage workload, maintain visibility and ensure students receive timely support. When asked what they would say to other organisations considering implementing the platform, Annice's answer was simple:

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"I'd encourage any organisation to look at Report + Support™. The ability to spot concerns early, manage cases in one place and provide support quickly makes a huge difference."

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For Buckinghamshire New University, Report + Support™ has become far more than a reporting platform. It has become a key part of building a culture where students and staff feel confident speaking up, seeking help and accessing support when they need it most.