LNER colleagues completed intensive Railway Children safeguarding training, making them official ‘Champions.’
Author: Con Enzler | Date: 28th November 2025
A group of LNER colleagues have completed Railway Children’s intensive safeguarding training to strengthen the protection of vulnerable passengers and help make the rail network safer during the busy festive travel period.
These specially trained LNER colleagues play a vital role in supporting passengers at risk across the entire route. Thanks to the training, they earned the title of “Safeguarding Champion” and are now better equipped to identify, supporting, and protecting young people who may be at risk while travelling on the network.
The comprehensive training was led by our expert team at Railway Children and covered a wide range of critical topics, including:
The Champions learned practical steps on how to keep people safe in difficult situations and how to make effective referrals to the British Transport Police and other partner agencies to ensure vulnerable people receive continuous help and support.
As part of the session, colleagues also committed to extending their role as protectors by signing up to become White Ribbon Ambassadors and Champions. They pledged to ‘Speak up’ against violence towards women and girls and actively challenge sexist behaviour whenever they witness it.
Joe Clay, Safeguarding Partnership Programme Manager for Railway Children, said:
“We work closely with LNER to highlight the key role their colleagues play in identifying vulnerability and preventing harm. Thousands of people pass through stations and travel on trains every day, some of whom may be experiencing violence, abuse, or intimidation. LNER colleagues are perfectly placed to help in those moments of need. After receiving their training, Safeguarding Champions share their knowledge with colleagues, making the railway network safer for everyone.”
Jim Rawcliffe, Security and Safeguarding Manager at LNER, said:
“Our Safeguarding Champions are an important part of how we keep thousands of customers and colleagues safe. We don’t just run trains and manage stations – we look after people. By enabling our colleagues to identify someone in a dangerous or difficult situation and offering support, we’re acting on an LNER core value and putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.”
Railway Children will join partners from the Rooted Futures collaboration at the 2026 Skoll World Forum to lead an interactive session on family strengthening and child protection reform.
Over 200 supporters from the rail industry raised more than £60,000 at Railway Children’s Night At The Station event, spending a night in stations across the UK to protect vulnerable children at risk.
Through our flagship youth participation programme, Youth Platform, young people are shaping our training materials, influencing key decisions and ensuring the rail industry truly understand youth vulnerability.
No child wants to survive on the streets. And, through understanding and empowerment, together, we can ensure no child has to.
Julia, 24, grew up as a boy but knew, early on, that the gender she’d been born into was not who she was. Here, she talks to Youth Platform about her journey, and what she wishes she’d know as a ten-year-old boy.
Reflecting on the unique strengths different minds bring to Railway Children and the rich potential of the neurodivergent young people we support.
