Safe Recruitment Policy
Raising Explorers uses safe recruitment practices to ensure that all people working with the children in our care are safe and qualified to do so. When recruiting paid staff or volunteers we will follow the procedures set out below.
Advertising the Vacancy
We will advertise all vacancies, and any job advertisements will include a statement about our commitment to safeguarding children.
Initial Enquiry
Upon enquiring about a vacancy, we will send potential candidates:
- a job description
- a person specification
- an application form
- a copy of the Centre’s Safeguarding Children Policy
The application form includes:
- instructions that the application form must be completed by hand
- a declaration that all information is correct
- a section under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act that asks if the applicant has been awaiting a verdict, convicted, or cautioned or received a court order or warning for any offence that may affect their suitability for working with children
- a request for the contact details of two referees one of which should be the last employer; (if this is the candidate’s first job, their course tutor is a suitable alternative)
In order to be considered for an interview, all applicants must submit a hand-written application form by the stated closing date. We will only accept CVs if they are also accompanied by our standard application form completed as required.
Interview Procedure
We will notify all candidates selected for the interview by letter. All candidates will be asked to bring to the following items to the interview:
- proof of identity, eg passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- proof of address, eg recent utility bill (not mobile phone) or bank statement
- proof of qualifications, ie the relevant certificates
- for non-British nationals, proof of the right to work in the UK (as required by the Asylum and Immigration Act)
The interview will be conducted by a minimum of two interviewers. All candidates will be asked the same set of questions. We will then ask additional questions about any other issues that arise from their application form. For example, the interviewers will follow up on any gaps in the candidate’s employment history rigorously and ensure that they are satisfied with the explanation given, undertaking additional checks if necessary.
All candidates will also be asked to participate in a session with the children for an hour, so that they can be observed interacting with the staff and children.
Only when all candidates have been interviewed and observed in a session will we make our final selection.
Appointing a New Member of Staff
When we have selected the successful candidate, we will:
- send him or her a written offer, which will clearly state that it is subject to the receipt of suitable references and a satisfactory enhanced DBS check
- contact both referees for a reference, including asking them if they have any child protection concerns about the candidate
- initiate an enhanced DBS check for the candidate
- ask the candidate to complete a health questionnaire
- notify any unsuccessful interviewees
We will also take photocopies of the new member of staff’s qualification certificates and proof of identity and keep these on file, together with their returned DBS check.
When a new member of staff starts work at Raising Explorers we will give him or her:
- our terms and conditions, and get them to sign their contract; a copy of their contract will be kept on file
- all our Centre policies, and ensure that they sign a policy confirmation form to confirm that they have read and understood them; the signed form will be kept on file
We will conduct a full induction and orientation programme with all new members of staff as set out in our Staff Induction Policy.
Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Checks
Enhanced DBS checks will be carried out for all staff, students and volunteers who will work directly and indirectly with children, or have access to children’s information, including members of the management committee.
New staff will only be allowed to work unsupervised with children when we have received a satisfactory DBScheck for them.
If we decide to allow a new member of staff to begin work pending the completion of their DBScheck, we will complete a written risk assessment first and they will not be allowed unsupervised access to the children until their satisfactory DBScheck has been received.
Once a member of staff has been appointed, or within 6 months, their DBSdisclosure will be shredded and we will keep only a record of the disclosure number and date of issue on our Central DBS Record form. DBS checks for all staff will be updated every three years.
Disqualification
The Centre will not employ staff or volunteers who have been convicted of an offence or have been subject to an order that disqualifies them from registration under regulations made under section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006. If a member of staff becomes disqualified we will terminate their employment.
Immigration Status
The management is aware of Asylum and Immigration Act requirements and will check the ability of all new starters to work in the UK. Candidates are expected to provide documents confirming their status, usually a driving license, passport, and NI number.
This Policy was adopted by Raising Explorers on 1st April 2024