Safe recruitment guidance - Working in education, health and social care

Safe and fair recruitment

The safe and fair recruitment of employees is the first step to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. The purpose of a safe and fair recruitment process is to help deter, reject or identify people who are unsuitable to work in specific roles.   

As a matter of course, the recruitment process outlined in the Recruitment, Induction and Appointment procedure should be followed. Relevant pre-employment checks for the role should be received and deemed to be satisfactory before the individual starts work. Allowing an individual to start work without the necessary pre-employment clearances is a disciplinary matter.  Appendix A provides a comprehensive list of pre-employment checks.   

Work in an education settings

In line with the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, additional actions are needed when the work will be undertaken within an education setting such as a school, college or  maintained nursery school.  As a minimum, the following approach must be taken:

• Application forms should be scrutinised before shortlisting is undertaken for any gaps in employment. These should be discussed with the candidate and accounted for during the interview
• Two written references should be taken up, ideally before interview so that any concerns that are raised through the reference process can be discussed with the candidate at interview
• All references should be scrutinised and any concerns resolved before appointment is confirmed. Recruiting managers can contact the referee for further clarification as appropriate
• Interviews should be undertaken face to face
• Prior to employment, all essential qualifications and registrations for the role must be verified

Read the Keeping Children Safe in Education in full on GOV.UK

The relevant pre-employment checks for the role must be carried out. This includes a DBS check (See Appendix A in the PDF document version).

Working in health and social care

In addition, references for those working in Health and Social Care should cover a minimum of  three years of consecutive employment or training / education.   

If it’s not possible to validate three years of consecutive employment or training, then it’s  recommended that a reference is obtained from the last known employer and an additional  character reference or personal reference should be obtained to validate the required three-year  period.

Periods of unemployment where the applicant has been claiming benefits can be confirmed via a  Jobcentre Plus summary letter or other government source.

If an employer reference cannot be obtained, it’s recommended that employers seek suitable  character or personal references, volunteer-activity references, training history references or self  employment references.

Additionally, for the period pre-dating the three year period, efforts should be made to ensure that  wherever possible satisfactory evidence of conduct is received where the individual has

previously been employed in a role concerned with the provision of services relating to— (a)health  or social care, or (b)children or vulnerable adults. For example, this evidence could be in the form  of a further reference, or a appraisal document etc.    

The above information can sometimes prove difficult to obtain, for example if the work was  undertaken some time ago, or the company no longer exists. Recruiting managers should make  and document all efforts taken to secure this information. In circumstance where obtaining this  information is not reasonably practicable to obtain, they must make an assessment on whether the  information they do have, and make an assessment on the candidate’s suitability “in the round”. For example, if an applicant has a history of short-term appointments dating back years without references and/or unaccounted gaps in employment, they should be deemed unsuitable in the absence of a plausible and verifiable explanation.

All decisions and reasoning should be documented and recruiting managers can ask candidates for supplementary referees or documents where necessary. HR advice should be sought where needed.