Safe recruitment practices ensure that unsuitable persons do not gain access to work (either on a paid or voluntary basis) with children in schools.
Key elements of safe recruitment practice
- Consider safeguarding at every process stage: planning, advertising, interview and appointment.
- Ensure the job description includes the responsibility for safeguarding children.
- Ensuring the person's specification includes reference to suitability to work with children.
- Checking the application form, including employment/ experience history and ensuring that any gaps/ anomalies are satisfactorily explained.
- Ensure receipt of independent professional references which address specific questions.
- Face-to-face interview. Interview panel to have received appropriate, safer recruitment training
- Verification of candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK
- Verify academic qualifications (and/ or professional body status) (original copies required).
- Medical clearance to establish mental and physical fitness for the role
- Enhanced DBS disclosure and Children’s Barred List on staff and volunteers undertaking regulated activity and, where relevant, an overseas criminal record check.
- Teacher status checks – Qualified Teacher status; Induction Standards; Prohibition from teaching; Disqualification Under Childcare Act (2009)
This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Department for Education (DfE) publication Keeping Children Safe in Education