Safeguarding in Employment Team
Last updated:The Safeguarding in Employment Team provide:
- safeguarding in employment advice in relation to the recruitment of staff, volunteers, contractors, agency staff and overseas staff;
- information and advice to schools and academies about the interpretation and application of relevant legislation and guidance relating to safeguarding in employment e.g. Single Central Record and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ and other relevant legislation e.g. the Immigration Act 2020;
- a reliable, quick and accurate operations service for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks, Barred List Checks, positive DBS checks and vetting checks;
- guidance and support on the prevention of illegal working including proof of right to work in the UK checks;
- guidance and support on the recruitment of overseas workers including sponsoring migrant workers
- training and support to schools and academies through a range of options e.g. training courses, workshops, forums, bulletins and briefing notes.
- guidance and support on Teaching Regulation Agency Checks – such as Prohibition Order Checks; Section 128 Checks (academies and free schools only); Childcare Disqualification Checks;
Recruitment, Selection and Pre-employment Vetting
A crucial first step in the creation and maintenance of a safeguarding culture is ensuring that robust recruitment processes are in place. Safer recruitment procedures help deter, reject or identify people who might pose a risk to children. ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ describes in detail those checks that may be required for individuals working in the school, including: criminal record checks (DBS checks), barred list checks and prohibition checks. Further information is available in the HR section of SchoolsWeb
https://schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/hr-zone/.
The service includes:
- Advice and delivery of pre-employment and DBS checks
- Advice on checks for contractors, volunteers and overseas staff
- Single Central Record and best practice
- Advice on positive DBS checks
- Providing updates on ever-changing safeguarding legislation, such as KCSiE and Childcare Disqualification Regulations
- Delivery of safeguarding in employment workshops for staff
- Teaching Regulation Agency Checks – such as Prohibition Order Checks;
- Section 128 Checks (academies and free schools only);
- Childcare Disqualification Checks;
- Proof of Right to work in the UK requirements;
- Sponsoring Migrant Workers
- Any other vetting requirements.
There must be at least one person trained in safer recruitment on every interview panel within schools. Beryl Hammond-Appiah, Consultancy and Advisory Manager and Tara Phipps, Resourcing Consultant and Anna Falek, Schools, Early Careers and Safeguarding Resourcing Adviser are accredited trainers to deliver the Safer Recruitment Consortium ‘Safer Recruitment’ training which meets this requirement.
Single Central Record (SCR)
Schools and colleges must keep a single central record (SCR) of all individuals in regular contact with children in the school. The team can advise schools / academies about the legal requirements for a SCR, in particular the practical application of legislation and guidance to ensure compliance especially for OFSTED Inspections.
Individuals who have lived or worked outside the UK must undergo the same checks as other staff in schools. In addition, schools must make any further checks they think appropriate so that any relevant events that occurred outside the UK can be considered.
A SCR must include the following people:
- For schools, all staff, including teacher trainees on salaried routes, agency and third-party supply staff, even if they work for one day;
- For colleges, details of staff, including agency and supply staff providing education to children under the age of 18;
- For independent schools (including academies and free schools) all members of a proprietor body.
Schools and colleges are free to record any other information they deem relevant. For example:
- whether relevant staff have been informed of their duty to disclose relevant information under the childcare disqualification arrangements
- checks made on volunteers
- checks made on governors
- dates on which safeguarding and safer recruitment training was undertaken, and
- the name of the person who carried out each check.
The SCR must include details of any checks and certificates that were vetted, and the date checks were completed including:
- identity checks;
- Barred List check;
- Enhanced DBS check;
- Prohibition from teaching check (where applicable);
- Section 128 Checks;
- further checks on people living or working outside the UK;
- checks on professional qualifications; and
- checks to establish a person’s right to work in the UK.
The Team can undertake a ‘sensibility check’ of a school or academy’s SCR so that any glaring problem areas can be identified and rectified quickly.
Further details about volunteers, agency staff, students, governors, contractors and host families are covered in the statutory guidance.
Training and Consultancy
The area provides training and support in all of the above areas through training courses, workshops, forums, briefings, the SchoolsWeb and School Bulletin. Customised training and consultancy services can also be provided as required by a school or academy.
Key Contacts
Anna Falek
Safeguarding in Employment
01494 732155