ired by law

As an organisation that employs people to work with children we are required by law to safeguard children. By having robust safer recruitment policies and procedures in place we minimise the risk of employing anyone who may pose a risk to children.

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Those responsible for recruitment can demonstrate their understanding of safer recruitment practices and that these are followed when employing all staff not only early years’ practitioners.

 

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 sets out the activities and work which are ‘regulated activity’.

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Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills and they inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages.

 

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children

 

EYFS 3.9. Providers must ensure that people looking after children are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their roles. Providers must have effective systems in place to ensure that practitioners, and any other person who may have regular contact with children (including those living or working on the premises), are suitable

 

EYFS 3.11. Providers must tell staff that they are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, court orders, reprimands and warnings25 that may affect their suitability to work with children (whether received before or during their employment at the setting). Providers must not allow people, whose suitability has not been checked, including through a criminal records check26, to have unsupervised contact with children being cared for.

 

EYFS 3.12. Providers must record information about staff qualifications and the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed (including the criminal records check reference number, the date a check was obtained and details of who obtained it). For childminders, the relevant information will be kept by Ofsted or the agency with which the childminder is registered.

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EYFS 3.13. Providers must also meet their responsibilities under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which includes a duty to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service where a member of staff is dismissed (or would have been, had the person not left the setting first) because they have harmed a child or put a child at risk of harm

 

 

At Rose Buddies Childcare, our recruitment procedures are guided by Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment in Education, Working together to safeguard children and the EYFS guidance.

 

We aim to recruit a diverse and consistently high performing workforce with the necessary knowledge and skills to help us realise our goals in line with our vision and values.  This will be achieved by ensuring that our recruitment processes are fair, consistent, transparent, cost-effective and within the framework of our diversity principles and practices

 

We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. This procedure will ensure that we employ a workforce that fulfils its roles and responsibilities with full regard to this commitment.

We will take every precaution to ensure that risks to children and vulnerable adults are minimised, and will undertake vigorous checks on candidates applying to work with us.

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Aims and Objectives

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We aim to ensure:

• there is a framework to assist managers to recruit and select the best candidate for a vacancy and in doing so help us to become an employer of choice, achieve a workforce which reflects the composition of the local community and enhances the quality of our workforce in order to provide high quality and effective services to the community

 

• we recruit the right people into the right jobs at the right time and in the right numbers in a fair, consistent and cost effective manner

 

• we practice fair and transparent recruitment and selection in line with best practice

 

• all appointments are made on the basis of clear and justifiable job criteria

 

• all recruitment and selection processes and decisions conform to the requirements set by legislation and are undertaken in accordance with related policies

 

• all recruitment and selection processes and decisions are in line with the accreditation standards for “Disability Confident”

 

• we practice ‘safer recruitment’ to ensure the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults

 

• appropriate checks are undertaken on every person we intend to employ in line with the Prevention of Illegal Working procedure set out by the UKVI legislation

 

• the recruitment and selection of staff is conducted in a professional, timely and responsive manner

 

• appropriate training, development, and support is provided to those involved in recruitment and selection activities.  Any member of staff involved in the selection of staff should satisfy themselves that they are appropriately trained and can comply with the requirements of this policy and procedure.

t Me.

Procedures

 

Vetting and staff selection

• We work towards offering equality of opportunity by using non-discriminatory procedures for staff recruitment and selection

• All staff have job descriptions, which set out their staff roles and responsibilities

• We welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applicants will be considered on the basis of their suitability for the post, regardless of disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, age, marriage or civil partnership. Applicants will not be placed at a disadvantage by our imposing conditions or requirements that are not justifiable

• We follow a robust and safe recruitment process that includes formal application, shortlisting and interview processes that enable us to prevent, deter and reject unsuitable candidates from gaining employment with us.

• All candidates are Identity checked before a formal offer is made

• We use Ofsted guidance on obtaining references and enhanced criminal record checks through the DBS for staff and volunteers who will have unsupervised access to children. This is in accordance with requirements under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) for the vetting and barring scheme

• We keep all records relating to employment of staff and volunteers, in particular those demonstrating that checks have been done, including the date and number of the enhanced DBS check

• Staff are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, court orders, reprimands and warnings which may affect their suitability to work with children – whether received before, or at any time during, their employment with us.

 

 

Central Register

 

We keep a Central Register of Recruitment and Vetting checks and a Record of ID Checks for all staff, students and volunteers who work or deliver services at the nurseries
 

The Central Register DBS disclosures should include details of:
 

1. name

2. qualification level

3. DBS number

4. date of DBS disclosure

5. confirmation that HR or a person delegated by them has had sight of this disclosure

6. confirmation that HR or a person delegated by them has seen proof of identification such as a passport or Photo ID from a statutory agency or organisation contracted by the Local Authority. Copies of disclosures must not be kept on site

7. for national and external organisations recognised by the LA such as NHS healthcare professionals or LA maintenance teams a formal letter from their organisation that clearly outlines that staff have all received DBS clearance.

8. Suitability declarations.

9. Health screenings

10. Mandatory training records and review dates.

 

Disqualification

 

We have a responsibility to ensure staff are suitable to work with children and are not disqualified. This means that we need to ensure staff are aware of the legislation and their obligation to declare if they live in the same household as someone who is disqualified from working with children. All staff will complete a staff suitability declaration annually to declare any changes to their suitability.

 

Where we become aware of any relevant information which may lead to the disqualification of an employee, we will take appropriate action to ensure the safety of children. In the event of disqualification, that person’s employment with us will be terminated.

 

 

Changes to staff

 

We inform Ofsted of any changes in the person responsible for our nursery.

 

Training and staff development

 

• We provide regular in-house training to all staff - whether paid staff or volunteers - through online companies and the Local Authority School Effectiveness Team

• We provide staff induction training in the first week of employment. This induction includes our Health and Safety Policy and Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy. Other policies and procedures will be introduced within an induction plan

• We support the work of our staff by holding regular supervision meetings and appraisals

• We are committed to recruiting, appointing and employing staff in accordance with all relevant legislation and best practice.

 

Staff taking medication/other substances

 

• If a member of staff is taking medication which may affect their ability to care for children, we ensure that they seek further medical advice. Staff will only work directly with the children if medical advice confirms that the medication is unlikely to impair their ability to look after children properly

• Staff medication on the premises will be stored securely and kept out of reach of the children at all times

• If we have reason to believe that a member of staff is under the influence of alcohol or any other substance that may affect their ability to care for children, they will not be allowed to work directly with the children and further action will be taken.

 

Managing staff absences and contingency plans for emergencies

 

• Term time only staff take their holiday breaks when the setting is closed. Where staff may need to take time off for any reason other than sick leave or training, this is agreed with the manager with sufficient notice

• For full time staff, managers organise staff annual leave so that ratios are not compromised.

• Where staff are unwell and take sick leave in accordance with their contract of employment, we organise cover to ensure ratios are maintained

• Sick leave is monitored and action is taken where necessary, in accordance with the contract of employment

• We have contingency plans to cover staff absences which may include using vetted agency staff or bank staff

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The next few pages go into more detail

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Safer Recruitment and Employment

Staffing

Students, Apprentices and Volunteers

Staff Behaviour and Code of Conduct

Performance Management

Staff Mental Health and Well-being

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