Case study c

Ghulam's family came to the UK from the Middle East in the early 2000s.

His father had suffered persecution at the hands of the government and the family sought and won asylum.

Ghulam is an outgoing student who generally mixes well and is actively involved in student politics and with local pressure groups, having also joined a mainstream political party.

He is not entirely popular with some students due to his often fiery comments about the war in Iraq. You have witnessed conversation like this when he was queuing up for IT support.

Two of the students who were arguing with him complain to you as a member of the IT support staff that he has written comments on Instagram, which could be regarded as discriminatory but not extremist.

What would you do?

Activity

What would you do in this situation? Make a note of your thoughts in your notepad and then click on the link below to view our suggestions.

To view our suggestions click here

Example of how to deal with this:

Ghulam is entitled to his opinion on opposition to the Iraq war, if the manner in which he speaks to other students is a problem, this should be challenged.

Comments that are discriminatory need to be discussed with Ghulam and challenged, whether they have happened inside the institution or outside.

The provider will decide which member of staff is best placed to provide ongoing support for him.

Click on a heading below for links to source of support

Support Me

The following links highlight sources of support for you if you are personally affected by any of the issues raised in this course. Select a link to open it in a new window.

Samaritans A confidential telephone or email listening service if you need to talk about your own experiences.

SupportLine Offers confidential emotional support by telephone, email and post, working to help develop healthy and positive coping strategies. They also keep details of counsellors, agencies and support groups throughout the UK.

Help for Adult Victims of Child Abuse (HAVOCA) Provides support, friendship and advice for any adult whose life has been affected by childhood abuse.

Support for Learners

The following links highlight sources of support for learners or anyone else you know who may be personally affected by any of the issues raised in this course. Select a link to open it in a new window.

ChildLine Offers support, advice and guidance for anyone up to the age of 18 on a variety of topics, including abuse.

Respond A national, free service for children, young people, adults and elders with learning difficulties.

TheSite Young adult oriented searchable website offering support, advice and guidance on a wide range of topics, including abuse.

Information, Advice and Guidance

The following links highlight sources of further information, advice and guidance around the issues raised in this course. Select a link to open it in a new window.

Ann Craft Trust An organisation focused on safeguarding people with learning disabilities.

Department of Health The Department of Health website contains useful information about safeguarding adults.