Employees working for Northern are being given special training to help protect the rising number of vulnerable people using the railway, with a Sandbach charity playing a key role.
The train operator’s conductors, customer service and station staff interact with tens of millions of passengers a year, among whom are people subject to abuse, addiction and intimidation as well as a range of mental health issues.
Having the confidence to act when they spot something “not quite right” requires the right skills and a knowledge of the best next steps to help the person in need, the company said.
The training forms part of Northern’s membership of the Safeguarding on Rail Scheme, delivered by the charity Railway Children, whose HQ is on The Commons in Sandbach and whose work focusses on identifying individuals at risk and helping with early forms of intervention.
Railway Children works with children who, due to poverty or other factors are on the streets, starting by helping Indian children but now working in the UK, India, Kenya and Tanzania.
Over the summer, Northern employees came to the aid of three customers with potentially life-saving interventions.
In July, a conductor made sure a passenger got swift medical treatment when her condition deteriorated on-board a Northern service.
In August, a conductor helped a 13-year-old boy in distress while working a service heading to Manchester Piccadilly.
Earlier this month, two employees at Blackburn station were praised for finding a missing eight-year-old girl.
Lisa Leighton, people director at Northern, said: “Everyone who works on the railway has an important part to play in supporting and protecting the vulnerable people who use our trains and stations.
“In the last three months alone, colleagues across our network have intervened to help people in distress on a number of occasions – and I’m so relieved they did.
“As someone who volunteers for Samaritans, I know how important it is for people to receive the help they need, when they need it most.
“Training courses like the one we’re delivering to our employees could make all the difference to someone going through a hard time.”
The Safeguarding on Rail scheme was a joint initiative launched between the department for transport and British Transport Police in 2019, and sets out standards for ensuring people’s safety on the rail network.
The Railway Children has worked with rail companies to meet and exceed requirements for this accreditation through supporting safeguarding action groups and safeguarding champions at stations across the UK, alongside running specialist safeguarding training for frontline rail staff.
Every year, British Transport Police intervenes in thousands of cases involving vulnerable people. This includes those involved in county lines activity, people suffering with mental health issues and victims of domestic abuse and child sexual exploitation.
Safeguarding action groups are made up of people who work in and around rail stations including police, rail staff, station retailers and vendors and representatives from other local organisations. These groups meet regularly to ensure safeguarding is a priority at stations and to build awareness of vulnerability among staff and the public.
Joe Clay, programme manager and safeguarding partnerships at Railway Children, said: “(The groups) bring together people and organisations from across station communities with the aim of creating a stronger safety net for children and young people at risk.
“It’s not just about going to a meeting – it’s about finding out more about the issues affecting communities to deliver local solutions, raising awareness of how to spot someone at risk and making sure that everyone plays their part in keeping children safe on the network.”
Alongside awareness-raising events, Railway Children also regularly runs training sessions, both in-person and as e-learning courses, for rail staff covering topics such as spotting vulnerability, identifying possible county lines activity and assessing the most appropriate responses to risks.
Participants who complete its in-person training become safeguarding champions, who are committed to safeguarding vulnerable children and young people on the railways.
Dave Bentley, the charity’s learning, development and participation manager, said: “We work closely with rail professionals and British Transport Police by providing training, advocacy and support to improve safeguarding on the rail network and apply modern approaches from within the industry.
“Sessions include understanding roles and responsibilities around safeguarding on rail, how to spot vulnerability and make referrals, contextual safeguarding and best practice as a champion.” Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England, including Sandbach, Holmes Chapel and Congleton.
Contact British Transport Police via text message on 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40.
To support Railway Children, go to railwaychildren.org.uk/donate.
