Safer Recruitment and Selection Policy. Reviewed: March 2014 Next Review: March Written in conjunction with the Safeguarding Governor Mick Medd

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1 Safer Recruitment and Selection Policy Reviewed: March 2014 Next Review: March 2015 Written in conjunction with the Safeguarding Governor Mick Medd INTRODUCTION Junction Farm Primary School is strongly committed to providing the best possible care and education of its pupils and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The School is also committed to providing a supportive and flexible working environment for all its members of staff. The School recognises that, in order to achieve these aims, it is of fundamental importance to attract, recruit and retain staff of the highest calibre who share this commitment. Since it is known that some people seek access to children and young people in order to abuse,the school is aware of the importance of being continually vigilant to ensure that the school is a safe environment for all children and young people in its care. It is crucial that everyone working in the school is aware of the need to adopt ways of working and appropriate practice to avoid allegations of abuse. The recruitment and selection procedures adopted by Junction Farm Primary School are in accordance with those recommended by Stockton on Tees Local Authority The aims of the School s recruitment policy are as follows: to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people to ensure that the best possible staff are recruited on the basis of their merits, abilities and suitability for the position to ensure that all job applicants are considered equitably and consistently to ensure that no job applicant is treated unfairly on any grounds including race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or religious beliefs, sex or sexual orientation, marital status, disability or age to ensure compliance with all relevant recommendations and guidance of practice published by the Disclosure and Barring Service to ensure the School meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks to recruit within the law and according to best practice Employees involved in the recruitment and selection of staff are responsible for familiarising themselves with and complying with the provisions of this policy. This policy applies to the recruitment and selection of all employees appointed by the School, whether permanent or fixed-term and full-time or part-time. Relevant parts of the policy are also applied to the recruitment of unpaid volunteers. Throughout the recruitment process, our commitment to safeguarding is communicated so as to deter unsuitable applicants. In conjunction with this policy, all supply staff are subject to stringent vetting procedures to ensure their suitability to work with children. We work closely with supply agencies to ensure all relevant statutory and best practice checks have been undertaken. 1 P a g e

2 1. VOLUNTEERS The policy takes a four-level approach to the use of volunteers in an education setting:- When actively seeking volunteers, and considering candidates about whom there is little or no recent knowledge, adopt the same recruitment measures as for paid staff. When approaching someone, eg a parent, who is well-known to the establishment, to take on a particular role, a streamlined procedure can be adopted seek references, ensure no concern in the school community, informal interview to gauge attitude and suitability, Disclosure and Barring Service. 2 P a g e When recruiting volunteers via another organisation, eg sports coaches from a local club, assurances must be obtained from that organisation that the person has been cleared through the DBS disclosure checking procedure. This should be obtained in writing and include the name(s) of the staff being so employed. 2. ELEMENTS OF SAFER PRACTICE Advertising that makes clear the organisation's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Ensuring the Job Description makes reference to the responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Person Specification to include specific reference to the suitability to work with children. Ensuring that applicants provide comprehensive information and the resolution of any discrepancies and anomalies. Independent professional and character references that answer specific questions in respect of working with children (The use of Stockton Council s pro-forma reference is recommended) Face-to-face interview. Verifying successful applicant s identity, address, date of birth Verifying any academic/vocational qualifications claimed. Checking previous employment history and experience and particularly any gaps in employment/patterns of repeated changes in employment.

3 Verifying that health and physical capacity is appropriate. 3. PLANNING AND ADVERTISING Planning is vital to successful recruitment and it is important to organise the selection process to allow sufficient time between shortlisting and interview to enable references to be obtained before interview. Job Descriptions/Person Specifications must be up-to-date and should reflect the extent of the relationships/contact with children and the level of responsibility for children that the successful candidate will have. When a vacancy is advertised, it should include a statement about the employer's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and reference to the need for the successful applicant to undertake a DBS check. 4. APPLICATION FORM The Stockton Council application form most appropriate to the advertised post must be used. Do not accept C.V. s drawn up by applicants in place of an application form. 5. SCRUTINISING AND SHORTLISTING Incomplete applications must not be accepted. Any anomalies or discrepancies or gaps in employment evident from the application, should be noted and taken up as part of the shortlisting. Patterns of repeated employment changes, without evidence of clear career or salary progression or other substantial reason, need to be explored and verified. 6. REFERENCES Every effort must be made to obtain references for all shortlisted applicants before interview (see 7). There are occasions when a candidate will request "no contact with current employer unless s/he is the preferred candidate after interview". Although the recruiting manager may accede to such a request, it is not recommended as good practice. 3 P a g e

4 References should seek objective, verifiable information and not subjective opinion. Stockton Council recommends the use of its pro-forma reference to help achieve this (the content of which will be reviewed in light of this guidance). The first reference must be from Previous Employer and the second reference should be from a person who knows the candidate within the last 2 years and ideally a professional person. INVITATION TO INTERVIEW Candidates should be advised that their suitability to work with children will be explored. Candidates' identity will need to be checked thoroughly; consequently, all should be instructed to bring with them proof of ID, that is either a current Driving Licence or Passport including photograph, or a full Birth Certificate, PLUS a document such as a utility bill or financial statement that shows the candidate's current name and address, and, where appropriate, change of name documentation. Where educational and/or professional qualifications are essential for the post, candidates should be asked to bring original or certified copies of such documentation. Failing this, written confirmation must be obtained from the awarding body. Copies of documents used to verify the successful candidate's ID and qualifications must be retained for personnel/personal files. 7. TRAINING At least one member of interview panel should have undertaken the on-line training provided by the National College for School Leadership ( and will be required to produce their certificate before the selection process takes place. All Headteachers and at least one governor for each school must undertake this training by 31 December The Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) will not consider a selection process to have been safe unless one member of the panel has undertaken this training. 8. SCOPE OF THE INTERVIEW The interview panel should consist of at least 3 members, if the post is for a 1-1 with a particular child it is good practice to ask the parent to sit on the panel in an advisory 4 P a g e

5 role only. Where ever possible the pupils should be involved in the interview process in some way. In addition to assessing and evaluating the applicant's suitability for the post, the interview panel should explore: the candidate's attitude toward children and young people their ability to support the establishment's agenda for safeguarding and promoting children's welfare Any gaps in candidate's employment history concerns or discrepancies arising from the interview 9. SELECTION AND PRE-APPOINTMENT It is vital that references are obtained and scrutinised BEFORE confirming an appointment. Any concerns must be explored further with the referee(s) before confirming an appointment. Verify candidate's ID and qualifications (if not done at interview) before confirming appointment. Verify candidate's medical fitness. Where appropriate, a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Certificate must inform and verify decisions Verify candidate's professional status where required, eg GTC registration, NPQH. Verify successful completion of statutory induction period for teaching posts where QTS obtained after For support staff posts, verify satisfactory completion of any probationary period. 10. POST APPOINTMENT INDUCTION There should be an induction programme for all staff and volunteers newlyappointed in an establishment, (including teaching staff) and regardless of experience. Insofar as the safeguarding and promoting of children's welfare is concerned, the programme should include information about, and written statements of:- 5 P a g e

6 - policies and procedures covering child protection, anti-bullying, antiracism. - safe practice and the standards of conduct and behaviour expected of staff and pupils / young people in the establishment - how, and with whom, any concerns about those issues should be raised; and - other relevant procedures, eg disciplinary, capability, whistleblowing - attendance at child protection training appropriate to the person s role should also be arranged - a staff handbook should be given. March 2013 The Human Resources Service will be pleased to provide additional advice, guidance and support to ensure that Recruitment and Selection in education settings is monitored, reviewed and, where appropriate, that practices and procedures are modified in ways that will strengthen safeguards for children in helping to deter and prevent abuse. 6 P a g e