Single Comprehensive Source of Information
This webpage serves as Multiverse’s Single Comprehensive Source of Information required by the Office for Students (OfS registration condition E6).
We are committed to taking steps that make a significant and credible difference to protecting students and staff from behaviour misconduct (including harassment and sexual misconduct). These include:
- Mandating all Multiverse staff to complete Sexual Harassment Awareness Training every year.
- Mandating all Multiverse staff engaged in regulated activity to complete Safeguarding Training which includes educating individuals to be able to recognise signs of harassment and/or sexual misconduct in both children and adults, every 2 years.
- Mandating all Multiverse learners to agree to adhere to the Learner Code of Conduct (Non-Academic) upon signing their Apprenticeship Training Plan.
- The Multiverse People Team will monitor the number of reported instances of sexual misconduct, and the treatment and outcomes of any complaints of sexual misconduct it receives to ensure that they are properly investigated and resolved, those who report or act as witnesses are not victimised, repeat offenders are dealt with appropriately, and workforce training is targeted where needed.
- The Multiverse Safeguarding Team will simultaneously analyse the number of reports of learner harassment and sexual misconduct.
What are Misconduct, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct?
Misconduct
Multiverse defines Misconduct in the Learner Code of Conduct (Non-Academic) as an act or failure to act by a learner which is inappropriate and which negatively affects, could negatively affect, or has negatively affected Multiverse (including its property and/or reputation) and/or any member of the Multiverse community.
Harassment
Multiverse defines Harassment in the Learner Code of Conduct (Non-Academic) as unwanted behaviour or conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment, or causing a person distress or alarm.
Harassment may consist of persistent behaviour, although one single act may be considered sufficiently serious to warrant disciplinary action. Actions may be harassment whether or not the person behaving in that way intends to cause offence. Actions may also be considered harassment if they are conducted online. These behaviours or conduct might be because of, or connected to, one or more of the protected characteristics. We would also consider harassment to include any incidents of physical violence towards another person(s) on the basis of a protected characteristic.
Sexual Misconduct
Multiverse defines Sexual Misconduct in the Learner Code of Conduct (Non-Academic) as:
Covers a broad range of inappropriate, unwanted, or attempted unwanted, behaviours of a sexual nature. It covers all forms of sexual violence, including penetration without consent, sexual assault, sexual abuse (including online and image-based abuse), non-consensual sexual touching, sexual harassment (unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which violates your dignity; makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated or creates a hostile or offensive environment), stalking, abusive or degrading remarks of a sexual nature, and a vast range of other behaviours.
Multiverse defines Sexual Misconduct in the Staff Sexual Misconduct Policy as:
Sexual misconduct refers to any unwanted or inappropriate sexual behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity, creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment, or abuses a position of trust or power. A single incident can amount to sexual misconduct.
This may include (but is not limited to):
- Sexual harassment (as defined in the Equality Act 2010)
- Sexual assault or attempted assault
- Non-consensual sexual advances or contact
- Sharing or threatening to share explicit images without consent
- Coercive or manipulative behaviour of a sexual nature
- Inappropriate or exploitative sexual relationships, especially where there is a power imbalance (e.g. manager and direct report)
- Sexual jokes, comments, or innuendo that make others feel uncomfortable
- Unwanted sexual communication, including via email, chat, or social media
It also includes treating someone less favourably because they have submitted or refused to submit to unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or that is related to gender reassignment or sex, in the past.
How to Report Behaviour Misconduct (including Learner Harassment and Sexual Misconduct)
For Learner Concerns/ Disclosures:
Learners can disclose any form of Non-Academic Misconduct/ breaches of the Learner Code of Conduct (Non-Academic) to the Safeguarding Team.
Disclosures should be submitted to the safeguarding inbox: safeguarding@multiverse.io. (Monday-Friday, 09.00-17.30)
Disclosures can be made by staff, learners or visitors to Multiverse.
Disclosures will be initially responded to within one working day by a member of the Safeguarding Team.
The submission of a disclosure does not automatically create a formal complaint, and is not an instruction for Multiverse to take action. No immediate action will be taken by Multiverse unless there is a concern about safety or if Multiverse has a duty to do so, for example, under safeguarding.
Instead, the person who has disclosed will have the opportunity to speak to a member of the Safeguarding Team to consider their options before making an informed decision on next steps.
For Staff Concerns/ Disclosures:
Staff can disclose a breach of the Staff Sexual Misconduct Policy or Staff Disciplinary Rules in writing via a Multibot ticket People>Employee Support>Grievance Support.
A ticket should set out full details of the conduct in question, including the name of the individual who breached the policy, the nature of the incident(s), the date(s) and time(s) at which it occurred, the names of any witnesses and any action that has been taken so far to attempt to stop it from occurring.
As a general principle, the decision whether to progress a complaint is up to the individual. However, Multiverse has a duty to protect all members of staff and may pursue the matter independently if, in all the circumstances, it considers it appropriate to do so.
Policies and Process
For Learners:
The Learner Code of Conduct (Non-Academic):
Serves to define types of non-academic misconduct not tolerated at Multiverse and links to the procedures employed by Multiverse to address these behaviours.
The Learner Non-Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Process:
Serves to detail the procedure for reporting and investigating allegations of misconduct, and applying appropriate sanctions where the allegation is upheld. Its core purpose is to ensure that all reported concerns are addressed fairly, thoroughly and in a timely manner, leading to appropriate outcomes that uphold the integrity of Multiverse and support a safe and respectful environment for all.
For Staff:
The Staff Sexual Misconduct Policy:
Serves to outline Multiverse’s commitment and approach to ensuring a safe and inclusive working environment free from sexual misconduct for all members of staff. The policy defines sexual misconduct and details how Multiverse will respond to an allegation of sexual misconduct.
The Staff Disciplinary Policy and Rules:
This policy outlines Multiverse's staff disciplinary procedures, providing a framework for managers to address employee conduct, ranging from minor issues to gross misconduct, with a focus on fairness, clear processes, and the right to appeal.
Staff-Learner Intimate Personal Relationships
In accordance with the Staff Sexual Misconduct Policy, Multiverse unequivocally prohibits any intimate personal relationships between staff members who hold a position of power or authority and any learner currently enrolled at Multiverse.
What this means:
All staff members, including but not limited to, anyone in a supervisory, teaching, pastoral, or advisory role, are strictly forbidden from engaging in intimate personal relationships with learners. This includes romantic, sexual, or otherwise close personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived as exploitative or compromising the professional integrity of the staff member or the well-being of the learner.
Position of Power: A position of power or authority is defined broadly and includes any role where a staff member has direct or indirect influence over a learner's academic progress, welfare, assessment, opportunities, or disciplinary matters.
This limitation is in place to safeguard the well-being and safety of our learners, prevent potential conflicts of interest, and ensure an equitable learning environment free from any form of exploitation or undue influence.
Reporting Obligations: Any staff member who is currently, or becomes aware of, a potential violation of this policy is obligated to report it immediately to the People Team.
Informing Individuals
In accordance with the Learner Non-Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Process and duties and obligations under data protection legislation, Multiverse will provide the individual that has raised a formal allegation of non-academic misconduct, including harassment or sexual misconduct, against another learner, with an outcome of the investigation and an explanation of any actions that Multiverse has taken. The outcome will include the rationale for the decisions made.
In accordance with the Staff Sexual Misconduct Policy, actions taken will be clearly communicated to those involved.
No Restricting Provisions
From 1st August 2025, no restricting provisions will prevent or restrict any learner from disclosing information related to allegations of harassment and/or sexual misconduct, which in any way involves or affects one or more learners, to any other appropriate person.