Safer and Fair Recruitment Policy

Transcription

1 Safer and Fair Recruitment Plicy Intrductin This dcument sets ut the plicy and prcedures t be adpted in rder t ensure that the recruitment prcess fr ur Schl is as safe and as fair as pssible. The prcedures and standards as laid dwn in this plicy must be used by all thse invlved in the recruitment prcess within the Schl. Jb Descriptin and Persn Specificatins At the start f the recruitment prcess it is imprtant t define what the pst hlder s respnsibilities fr children/vulnerable adults will be ver and abve the qualificatins and experience needed t perfrm the jb. When a pst requires a DBS Disclsure, this must be reflected in the jb descriptin and persn specificatin relating t that pst. It is envisaged that due t the nature f wrk in schls and resultant cntact with children all psts will require an enhanced DBS Disclsure. All jb descriptins must detail: Main duties and respnsibilities f the pst; This shuld als include the pst hlder s specific respnsibility twards the prmtin and practice f safeguarding the welfare f children that they cme in t cntact with thrugh their jb. All persn specificatins must detail: Qualificatins required t d the jb Prfessinal Registratins (if required); Enhanced DBS Disclsure required; Define the skills and cmpetencies required; Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan

2 Explre issues relating t the safeguarding f children, such as: Mtivatin t wrk with children; Ability t frm and maintain apprpriate relatinships and persnal bundaries with children; Emtinal resilience in wrking with challenging behaviurs; Attitudes t use f authrity and maintaining discipline. As with any ther requirement n the persn specificatin, it must state hw these issues will be tested E.g. applicatin frm, interview, r assessment day. All f the pints n the persn specificatin shuld be evidenced either in a candidate s applicatin frm r thrugh the interview and selectin prcess. The Advert Advertisements fr all vacancies shuld demnstrate the Schl s cmmitment t safer recruitment and vetting prcedures, prtecting every ptential applicant frm unfair practice and ultimately safeguarding children. Prmting cmmitment t safeguarding and child prtectin can act as a deterrent t wuld-be abusers. 1. Applicatin Packs The imprtance f safeguarding and prtecting children in the Academies shuld be prmted as much as pssible thrughut the recruitment prcess in rder t deter unsuitable candidates. Any Schl applicatin pack must include: Applicatin Frm (highly recmmended ver CVs, as CVs will nly shw yu what the candidate wants yu t see and will nt prvide cnsistent data between candidates) Jb Descriptin Persn Specificatin Schl Prspectus Schl Child Prtectin Plicy DBS A Guide fr Applicants Recruitment f Ex-ffenders Plicy Rehabilitatin f Offenders Disclsure Frm Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan

3 Interview Prcess The interview prcess shuld allw time fr any discrepancy in a candidate s applicatin r references t be scrutinised and clarified. With this in mind all candidates shuld have their qualificatins verified, emplyment gaps explained, criminal recrd disclsed, reference issues and their attitude twards children discussed at interview. This means that when a candidate is successful, any issues surrunding their applicatin and references have been fully explred befre they are ffered the pst. Every interview must be carried ut n a facet-face basis. 2. References These shuld be requested prir t interview and ideally received back prir t interview. One f the referees must be the candidate s current r previus emplyer. Open references must nt be accepted in any circumstances. References must be issued n the Schl Reference Pr-frma which ensures that certain questins are asked abut all candidates. This avids references, which may have been written as part f a cmprmise agreement and wuld nt state any adverse qualities r incidents invlving the candidate. The reference pr-frmas will ask abut the candidate s relatinship with children in their current r previus rle and if they have ever been invlved in any disciplinary actin cncerning children. When references are received prir t interview the interview panel are required t fllw up any discrepancies r issues at interview and t make a decisin with reference t all the facts available at the time. 3. Emplyment Gaps At interview, gaps in emplyment histry must be discussed with the candidate. If there are gaps in their histry, the candidate shuld declare the reasns fr their break frm wrk. This shuld then be signed by the candidate. Valid reasns fr gaps in emplyment may be: the candidate did nt need t wrk, travelling, bringing up a family, caring respnsibilities, family bereavement r a perid f sickness. As there culd be mre sinister reasns fr an absence, it is imprtant t ensure that the candidate is able t give as much detail as pssible, in rder fr the panel t make an infrmed decisin, and are in receipt f all relevant infrmatin. It is strngly advisable t discuss patterns f repeated change in career r emplyers at interview, ensuring that the reasns fr this are fully explred and satisfy the interview panel. Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan

4 4. Cmmitment t Safeguarding Children Persn specificatins allw Academies t explre a ptential candidate s views and expectatins in relatin t wrking with children. The recruiting panel shuld seek t identify the candidate s experience r views n the fllwing pints: Mtivatin t wrk with children; Ability t frm and maintain apprpriate relatinships and persnal bundary with children; Emtinal resilience in wrking with challenging behaviurs; Attitudes t use f authrity and maintaining discipline. Prviding questins that ask candidates t draw n their experience f situatins with children will give a gd impressin f the candidate s understanding f the pints abve. It will enable the panel t prbe issues that the candidate may nt discuss, allwing the panel t be aware f issues r lack f knwledge that a candidate may have r refuses t discuss their mtivatin t wrk within an Schl envirnment r with children. Pre-Emplyment Checks In summary any ffer f emplyment t any pst in an Schl shuld be subject t the fllwing checks: 5. References The Schl shuld request and have returned tw references fr every ptential emplyee, ne f these references must be frm their current r mst recent emplyer. As the pst requires wrking in an envirnment with children, it is imprtant t have a reference, if available, frm an emplyer r vluntary agency demnstrating the candidate s previus wrk experience, paid r unpaid, f wrking with children. 6. Verificatin f Candidate s Identity It is vital that each Schl knws wh their emplyees are and have evidence t prve this. The ID check can then g n t their persnal file and lgged n the Schl s Central Recrd. 7. Enhanced DBS Disclsure This shws an Schl previus cnvictins held n file fr a ptential emplyee. Having a cnvictin will nt necessarily bar smene frm wrking in a jb with children r vulnerable adults. The severity, nature, circumstances and timing f the cnvictin will need t be taken int cnsideratin. Candidates will need t be given the pprtunity at the applicatin stage t declare any unspent r spent cnvictins they may have, any declaratin they make will be cmpared with the returned criminal recrd disclsure. Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan

5 8. Medical Clearance A ptential emplyee must cmplete a medical questinnaire, which is then assessed by Schl Occupatinal Health prvider. Depending n the answers given by the candidate, Occupatinal Health may request an appintment t cnfirm fitness. A ptential emplyee is cnfirmed as medically cleared nce a letter has been received frm Occupatinal Health declaring them fit fr their prpsed pst. 9. Verificatin f Qualificatins Any essential qualificatins legally required t perfrm a particular jb, such as QTS, as stated in the persn specificatin, need t be evidenced by the ptential emplyee. A cpy f riginal certificates shuld be taken and placed n their persnal file and lgged n the Central Recrd. This shuld ideally be cnfirmed at the interview stage. 10. Right t Wrk in the UK It is a legal bligatin that every emplyer in the UK verifies whether a ptential emplyee has the right t wrk in the UK. Check essential dcuments like driving licenses, passprts, NI Numbers. 11. Emplyment Histry When checking an applicatin frm it is imprtant t nte any gaps in emplyment r nticeable patterns when the candidate changed their emplyment. At interview any gaps will need t be discussed and satisfactry explanatins given and recrded. 12. Overseas Criminal Recrd Disclsure If the ptential emplyee has lived abrad fr a perid f time r wh cmes frm anther cuntry prir t wrking in the UK, then a UK DBS Disclsure will nt give a full picture in respect f any criminal recrd they may have. In these cases an verseas Criminal Recrd Disclsure will need t be applied fr as well as a UK DBS Disclsure and details fr each cuntries equivalent Bureau are available n the DBS website. These checks shuld be made clear t candidates at interview. Any ffer f emplyment shuld be a cnditinal ffer subject t satisfactry clearances being received and checked by the Schl. Only when all f these checks are cmpleted and returned will an ffer f emplyment be cnfirmed. A candidate will nt be ffered a pst uncnditinally. All ffers will be subject t satisfactry cmpletin f the apprpriate checks as listed abve. In exceptinal circumstances, where it is in the best interests f the Schl fr a candidate t start prir t all f these checks being cmpleted, a rigrus risk assessment must be cmpleted and apprved. This risk assessment shuld be shared with the Executive Principal. Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan

6 In the absence f such an exceptin, the cmpleted checks and evidence shuld be seen by the Executive Principal. 13. DBS Renewals r Re-checks DBS checks are nly a recrd r a snapsht f the day they were issued. Since a Disclsure was issued staff may have new cnvictins r warnings that they may r may nt have made the schl aware f. It is the Manchester Creative & Media Schl plicy that every member f staff shuld have their DBS Disclsure renewed every three years. The prcess f renewal r re-checking a persn s DBS Disclsure is exactly the same as when applying fr an riginal. This prcess will apply t all peple engaged in cntact with ur Academies that have access t the site and will include vlunteers, supply staff, music peripatetic teachers etc. The requirement fr a renewal fr a DBS Disclsure als applies t all vlunteers wrking in Academies. The prcess is the same fr all staff. It als applies t supply staff, but the renewal perid is shrter. Fr instances when a candidate s DBS Disclsure is returned with a Psitive Trace, the Plicy details the prcess fr assessing infrmatin recrded n the Disclsure, prducing a risk assessment based n the candidate s pst and then making an infrmed recruitment decisin. 14. Vlunteers Vlunteers in Schls ften have the same unsupervised access t children as emplyees. A child will nt cnsider a distinctin between a vlunteer and a member f staff, when seeking help r supprt. This means that vlunteers shuld have certain checks cmpleted as they are in a psitin f trust. As with any new staff member an Identity check and a DBS Disclsure shuld be carried ut prir t the vlunteer starting their duties within the schl. It is als imprtant t request and receive tw references n behalf f the vlunteer. These checks must be carried ut fr all vlunteers and nt just fr thse unknwn t the Academy. DBS Disclsures shuld be rechecked as with ther staff every three years. If a Vlunteer becmes a paid emplyee, then their right t wrk in the UK shuld be assessed. It is advised t apply fr a new Enhanced DBS Disclsure as well t reflect their change t an emplyee. If assisting n a ne-ff schl trip, a vlunteer des nt require a DBS Disclsure, but shuld be supervised at all times. Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan

7 15. SINGLE CENTRAL RECORD All checks are recrded in the schl Single Central Recrd. The recrd cntains all the requirements listed in DfE dcument Keeping children safe in educatin p23 an identity check; a barred list check; an enhanced DBS check; a prhibitin frm teaching check; further checks n peple living r wrking utside the UK; a check f prfessinal qualificatins; and a check t establish the persn s right t wrk in the United Kingdm. Disqualificatin by assciatin check Additinal infrmatin abve the minimum requirements is als included. 17. Mnitring and Review Adpted by L.C.P On January 2015 Chair f Gverning Bdy... Principal... Review date January 2016 Lngsight Cmmunity Primary Jan