A whistleblowing allegation was made at a local council, alleging that a member of staff was working on a self-employed basis during office hours and fabricating their timesheets.
Employees who raise a whistleblowing concern should feel safe in the knowledge that they are protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
Whistleblowing policies
If you work at a maintained school, you are covered under your local authority’s whistleblowing policy. Check the list of Veritau’s core clients to see if your policy can be found there. Maintained schools can download and display our awareness-raising poster.
All schools are welcome to use our free whistleblowing policy template.
The DfE’s ‘Academy Trust Handbook’ says:
“The board of trustees must agree a procedure for whistleblowing, and publish it on the trust’s website, to protect staff who report individuals they believe are doing something wrong or illegal.
The trust must ensure all staff are aware of the whistleblowing process and how concerns will be managed.
Staff should know what protection is available to them if they report someone, what areas of malpractice or wrongdoing are covered in the trust’s whistleblowing procedure, and who they can approach to report a concern.
The trust must ensure all concerns raised with them by whistleblowers are responded to properly and fairly.”
We provide a specialist annual whistleblowing support service for academies which includes a hotline, helpdesk, training for staff and managers and more.
Want to raise a concern?
If your organisation doesn’t have a policy, or you’re not an employee of one of Veritau’s clients, the following bodies might be able to help.
For general whistleblowing concerns and advice
Contact Protect – the whistleblowing charity.
Protect can provide free confidential advice on how to raise a concern about malpractice at work on 020 3117 2520.
For concerns about children at risk of abuse
Support from Veritau’s team
Veritau provides an independent whistleblowing service for public sector organisations.
We conduct a wide range of investigations for our clients. This includes whistleblowing allegations, fraud and corruption, misconduct, breaches of contract, etc.
Case study
Whistleblowing investigation into conflict of interest and alleged timesheet fraud
Download
Whistleblowing awareness poster for maintained schools
Download our poster (please note it is only applicable for maintained schools with regards to the protection of council policy)
Download this file
Download
Whistleblowing policy template for schools and academies
Download our whistleblowing policy template for schools and academies
Download this file
