Safer Recruitment Policy and Procedure
We are vigilant in our recruitment procedures aiming to ensure all people working with children are suitable to do so. We follow this procedure each and every time we recruit a new member to join our team.
Legal requirements
• We abide by all legal requirements relating to safe recruitment set out in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and accompanying regulations
• We also follow any requirements or guidance given by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in relation to carrying out checks; and abide by the employer’s responsibilities relating to informing the DBS of any changes to the suitability of their staff, whether this member of staff has left the nursery or is still under investigation. Please refer to the Safeguarding policy for further information.
Advertising
• We use reputable newspapers, websites and the local job centre to advertise for any vacancies
• We ensure that all recruitment literature includes details of our equal opportunities policy and our safe recruitment procedures; including an enhanced DBS check and at least two independent references for every new employee. We also include the requirement for an additional criminal records check (or checks if more than one country) for anyone who has lived or worked abroad.
Interview stage
• All shortlisted candidates will receive a job description, a person specification, an equal opportunities monitoring form and a request for identification prior to the interview
• The manager will decide the most appropriate people for the interview panel. There will be at least two people involved are both are involved in the overall decision making
• At the start of each interview all candidates’ identities will be checked using, for example, their passport and/or photocard driving licence. All candidates will be required to prove they are eligible to work in the UK. The interview will also cover any gaps in the candidate’s employment history.
• All candidates reaching the interview stage are questioned using the same set criteria and questions. These cover specific areas of childcare, including safeguarding the children in their care, planning suitable activities to enhance the child’s development and their understanding of the legal frameworks applied to childcare and used in the Playgroup. The questions will be value based and will ensure the candidate has the same values as the Playgroup with regards to the safety and welfare of the children in their care
• Candidates will be given a score for their answers including a score for their individual experience and qualifications
• The management will then select the most suitable person for this position based on these scores and their knowledge and understanding of the early years framework as well as the needs of the Laleham Church Playgroup.
• Every candidate will receive communication from the nursery stating whether they have been successful or not. Unsuccessful candidates are offered feedback.
Starting work
• The successful candidate will be offered the position subject to at least two references from previous employment or, in the case of a newly qualified student, their tutor and a personal or professional reference. These references will be taken up BEFORE employment commences. This may be verbal initially and then followed up with a written reference which will form part of their personnel file
• The successful candidate will be asked to provide proof of their qualifications, where applicable. All qualifications will be checked and copies taken for their personnel files where applicable
• Prior to employment but after the job has been offered a health check questionnaire will be given to the employee and its results will be taken into account in making an overall decision about suitability. The reserves the right to take any further advice necessary in relation to a person’s physical and mental fitness to carry out their role. Please see the absence management policy for more details about how the nursery manages health problems including access to medical records
• All new starters, other than those who have registered for the continuous updating service (see below), will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This will be initiated before the member of staff commences work in the nursery and they will not have unsupervised access to any child or their records before this check comes back clear. Further to this, the new starter will not be allowed to take photographs of any child, look at their learning and development log or change the nappy of any child without an up-to-date enhanced DBS check (whether supervised or not)
• The nursery will record and retain details about the individual including staff qualifications, identity checks carried out and the vetting process completed. This will include the disclosure and barring service reference number, the date the disclosure was obtained and details of who obtained it. The Playgroup will not retain copies of the disclosure itself once the employment decision is taken
• If the individual has registered on the DBS system since 17 July 2013, managers may use the update service with the candidate’s permission instead of carrying out an enhanced DBS check
• New starters are required to sign (either application form, contract or separate form) to state that they have no criminal convictions, court orders or any other reasons that disqualify them from working with children or unsuitable to do so.
• All new members of staff will undergo an intensive induction period during which time they will read and discuss the Playgroup policies and procedures and be assigned a ‘mentor/ buddy’ who will introduce them to the way in which the Playgroup operates
• During their induction period all new staff will receive training on how to safeguard children in their care and follow the Safeguarding Children / Child Protection policy and procedure, emergency evacuation procedures, equality policy and health and safety issues
• The new member of staff will have regular meetings with the manager and their mentor during their induction period to discuss their progress.
Ongoing support and checks
• All staff are responsible for notifying the manager in person if any there are any changes to their circumstances that may affect their suitability to work with children (staff suitability status will also be checked through termly supervision’s/appraisals). This includes any incidents occurring outside the Playgroup. Staff will face disciplinary action should they fail to notify the manager immediately.
• All members of staff will update a questionnaire on an termly basis for a supervision/appraisal meeting to ensure management have a good knowledge of any changes that may require support or additional resources to aid them to carry out their day-to-day duties.
• The Playgroup manager will review any significant changes to an individual’s circumstances that may suggest they are no longer suitable to work with children and take appropriate action to ensure any unsuitable or potentially unsuitable employee does not have unsupervised contact with children until the matter is resolved.
• Every member of staff will have at least three meetings a year with the manager: a formal appraisal plus two supervisions. This will provide an opportunity for the manager and member of staff to discuss training needs for the following term as well as evaluate and discuss their performance in the previous term.
• The manager and deputy will be responsible for any support the staff team may need between these reviews. This includes mentor support, one-to-one training sessions, ongoing supervision, work-based observations and constructive feedback.
• The Playgroup will provide appropriate opportunities for all staff to undertake professional development and training to help improve the quality of experiences provided for children.
The policy was adopted by Laleham Church Playgroup on...27th July 2021
Signed on behalf of Laleham Church Playgroup...........................................
Related Policies and documents:
Staff Code of Conduct
Retention Periods for Records
Staff Induction and Supervision/Appraisal Cycle
Documents which show ongoing entitlement to work in the uk.
Staffing Policy