Clubland uses safe recruitment to ensure that all people working with the children in our care are safe and qualified to do so. when recruiting paid satff or volunteers we will follow the procedure set out below.
Advertise the vacany
We will advertise all vacancies, and any job advertisments will include a statement about our commitment to safeguarding children.
Initial enquiry
Upon enquriing about a vacancy, we will redirect potential candidates to our website whereby they can download a Job description and person specification and complete an application on-line.
The application form includes:
- a declaration that they have not been included in the Children's barred list
- a section under the Rehabilitation or Offenders Act that asks if the applicant has been awaiting a verdict, convicted, or cautioned or received a court order or final warning for any offence that may affect their suitability for working with children
- a declaration that they have not had registration refused or cancelled in relation to childcare or children's homes or being disqualified from private fostering
- a request for the contact details of two referees. One should be from their last employer (if this is their first employment then a reference from their course tutor is a suitable alternative) and one other relevant reference.
- a declaration that they are legally entitled to work in the UK
- a declaration that all information is correct
Prior to inviting the candiates to attend an interview, we send them our Safeguarding policy accompanieed by a test which they have to pass in order to move onto the next stage of the recruitment process.
During this time we conduct a screening call to ascertain more information about the individual and fill in any employment gaps.
Interview procedure
If candidates have successfully completed the Safeguarding test and passed the screening call, they will be invited to attend a Teams or face to face interview.
The interview will be conducted by two interviewers. All candidates will be asked the same set of questions relevant to the role they are applying for. The interview will be scored and provided that the candidate passes, they will be invited to attend a trial shift.
If it is a face to face interview the candidtae will be asked to bring the following documentation with them:
- proof of identity, eg passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- proof of address, eg utlility statement (not mobile phone) or bank statement all dated within the last 3 months
- proof of qualifications. ie the relevant certificates
- for non-Britsish nationals, proof of the right to work in the UK (as required by the Asylum and Immigration Act)
Alternatively, if they choose to have a Teams interview, provided they are successful in reaching the next stage, they will be required to bring the above mentioned documentation to the trail shift to be verified, prior to interactiving with the children.
All candidates once successful at interview stage will be invited to a trail shift where they can be observed interacting with staff and children. The setting manager will complete a 'Trial Shift form' and feeds this back to the interviewers. Once all interview and trial shifts are completed for all candidates, we will make our final selection.
Appointing a new member of staff
When we have selected the successful candidate, we will:
- send them a written offer, which clearly states that it is subject to the receipt of suitable references, full sight of a satisfactory enhanced DBS certificate and that they sign up to the up date service
- send candidate their induction pack to read and complete the on-line safeguarding course within a month and any other training courses relevant to their role and position (1st Aid, Food Hygeine, DSL training)
- contact 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, or if the candidate is subscribed to the DBS update service, review their current DBS certificate and check their staus on-line
- ask the candidate to complete a health questionaire
- notify any unsuccessful interviewees.
Copies of their proof of identity, certificates, application form, interview sheet will be uploaded to Bright HR, our online HR management platform.
Disqualification
Clubland cannot employ staff or volunteers who have been convicted of an offence or have been subject to an order that disqualifies then form registration under section 75 of teh Childrens Act 2006. All new staff must sign a declaration that they are not disqulaified when they commence employment and all existing staff must sign the declaration at least annually to confirm that their status has not changed. This statement is included in their staff supervision meeting whch are held termly for permanent staff. If a member of staff becomes disquaified during their employment with us, we will terminate their employment and notify Ofsted. If a member of their household jeopodises their employment and only if it is appropriate, we will contact Ofsted for a deed of variation.
DBS checks
We will obtain enhanced DBS disclosure for all staff, students and volunteers who will work unsupervised with the children on a regular basis, or who have access to the children's information, including staff at Head Office. If cacndiates have subscribed to the DBS update service we will carefully review their current DBS certificate and then check thier status online. If their have been a change in their status since their last DBS certificate was issued we will obtain a new DBS disclosure for them. If a candidate has lived abroad during the last 5 years a letter of 'good conduct' will be sought from the appropriate countries embassy.
New staff will only be allowed to have unsupervised contact with children when we have had full sight of a satisfactory DBS certificate for them.
If we decided to allow a new member of staff to begin work pending the completion of their DBS check, we will complete a written risk assessment first and they will not be allowed unsupervised access to the children until we have seen and reviewed their DBS certificate.
When we appoint a member of staff we will keep a record of the date and number of their DBS disclosure and confirmation that they have signed up to the update service. This list is a live document shared with our partnership schools and regulary monitored to ensure DBS status is reviewed each term.
DBS checks with any recorded information
If the DBS check returns showing criminal records information relating to harm to children or young people, violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse images, terrorism offences, or anything else that might indicate they are unsuitable to work wth children, HR will firstly check the list of offences that automatically disqualify a person from working with children under the terms of the Childcare Act 2006. The list is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disqulaification-under-the-childcare-act-2006
Hr may also seek further advice from LADO (Local AuthorityDesignated Officer) if they are unsure whether the disclosed offence is on the list of disqualified offences. If the candidate's offences disqulaify them from working with children then the offer of employment will be withdrawn.
If the offence shown on the disclosure is not on thelist of disqualifying offences but still gives cause for concer, for example offences relating to theft or fraud or anything else that might pose a risk to the integrity of the club, HR may choose to seek further advice (eg from UNLOCK or NARCO) to help inform their decision.
Where the offences are more minor and where children are unlikely to be at risk of harm, the club will decide on a case by case basis whether to confirm the appointment. This decision will be subject to undetaking a risk assessment of the applicant's criminal record. This will include giving the applicant the opportunity to provide an explanation for the offences, as well as the circumstances at the time. We will assess the applicants attitude to their offence, and whether they would act differently now.
In all cases we will discuss any matter revealed on a DBS certificate with the applicant before withdrawing the conditional offer of employment.
Immigration status
The Hr department at Head office is aware of Asylum and Immigration Act requirements and will check the eligibility of all new starters to work in the UK. Candisates are expected to provide documents confriming their status, usually a driving licence, passport, birth certificate and NI number.
Equality Act 2010
At all points during the recruit,ent process, Clubland will comply with teh Equality Act 2010 to ensure the fair and equal treatment of practitioners of different gender, race adn sexual orientation etc.
Related policies
Safeguarding Policy
