Following the Bichard Report, Safer Recruitment procedures are now a vital aspect of the employment process for all schools and will be examined by inspectors on a regular basis.
The revised DfES guidance published in January 2007 – Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education consolidates best practice and sets out procedures for:
- Recruitment of staff and volunteers
- Dealing with allegations of abuse and
- Undertaking disciplinary action and dismissals relating to child protection concerns
We provide specialist training in Safer Recruitment which is available to all schools and can be tailored to meet your school's specific requirements.
During the past 18 months delegates from over 150 schools nationwide have attended our training. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and delegates have described how our Safer Recruitment Pack has transformed their procedures.
Training options
We can deliver a half day seminar for 20-30 delegates from groups of schools through your local or professional associations. The seminar is led by two specialist lawyers and is designed to be interactive with a mixture of presentations, group work and case studies.
We have a flexible approach to training and are happy to travel to the most convenient venue for you.
We can also provide in-house sessions for the senior management team of your school, training all staff who are involved in staff recruitment. This has proved very successful.
Each session covers:
- The law surrounding recruitment: avoiding the pitfalls
- The statutory guidance: Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education
- The vital components of a Safer Recruitment Policy
- Safer recruitment and interviewing
- Pre-employment checks - CRB, List 99 and overseas checks
- What to do about volunteers, agency workers, contractors and peripatetic staff
- Requesting references and interpreting replies
- Offering employment and rejecting the unsuccessful candidates
- Safer termination: the Police, Social Services and your reporting obligations
More than just a seminar.
Included in the cost:
- Each school receives a CD copy of the Veale Wasbrough Vizards Safer Recruitment Pack which contains the documents, forms, checklists and correspondence needed to comply with the Guidance.
- Each delegate is provided with a comprehensive file of notes and guidance.
- Each delegate is invited to complete an assessment paper to reinforce their learning which is sent to Veale Wasbrough Vizards's specialist lawyers for marking and return.
- A record of attendance is issued following completion of assessment paper.
- All delegates will receive an annual newsletter providing an update on safer recruitment issues.
We recommend that wherever possible, all schools should take advantage of the online training provided by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL). However, our training builds on this to ensure that the Guidance is then implemented by providing up to date documentation and practical advice.
The Safer Recruitment Pack can also be purchased separately. Click here for a sample.
For further information, please contact Richard Hewitt in our Education department on 0117 925 2020.
