Safer Recruitment Policy – Social Work Partners

1. Scope

This policy relates to the safe recruitment of all staff, consultants, interns, and non-executive directors. Referred to as “applicants” from now on.

2. Introduction

2.1 Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to set out the requirements of Social Work Partners’ recruitment process that aims to safeguard our vendor partnerships, end clients, and children, young people and vulnerable adults that use their services.

The policy has been designed to:

Obtain the best possible applicants to fill vacancies.
Deter prospective applicants who are unsuitable for work with children, young people or vulnerable adults.
Identify and reject applicants who are unsuitable for work with children, young people or vulnerable adults.
Ensure the Agency meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks.

2.2 Recruitment Training

Managers involved in the recruitment and selection of staff will be provided with training in Safer Recruitment and will be responsible for familiarising themselves with and complying with the provisions of this policy.

3. Applications

3.1 Advertising Vacancies

When advertising for posts, regardless of where they are advertised — website, online, newspaper, social media, etc. — the advert will include the following statement:

“Social Work Partners is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people/vulnerable adults. Applicants must be willing to undergo in-depth screening processes appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers, detailed professional references and the Disclosure and Barring Service clearance at enhanced level. CVs will be accepted, but applicants will need to complete an application form.”

3.2 Information Provided to Prospective Applicants

Prospective applicants will be supplied with the following:

Job description and person specification, including the extent of relationships and contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults and degree of responsibility.
The Agency’s statement on Safer Recruitment and Safeguarding.
Key Information Document and Terms of Business.
An application form.
An Equal Opportunities form.

4. Recruitment and Selection Procedure

4.1 Applications

All applicants will be required to complete an application form appropriate to the role for which they are applying, containing questions about their academic and employment history and their suitability for the role.

Specific requirements for application forms include:

Application forms must be completed thoroughly and contain no gaps in terms of dates supplied for employment history and education.
Start and end month and years should be included for all employment.
Application forms must be e-signed and dated and the original returned.
If the application is not signed, applicants must print the completed form, sign it and return it to their compliance officer as soon as possible.
Printed signatures on application forms will not be accepted.
A curriculum vitae will be accepted in support of a completed application form.

4.2 References

4.2.1 Minimum References

All applicants will be subject to the receipt of a minimum of two satisfactory references.

One reference must be from the applicant’s current or most recent employer, always from the last role working with children, and will cover the last five years of employment.

4.2.2 Previous Work With Children

If the current/most recent employment does not or did not involve work with children, but the applicant has worked with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults in the past, further references should be sought from the employer(s) with whom the applicant most recently worked with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults.

4.2.3 Reference Content

All efforts should be made to avoid references that contain information solely related to the applicant’s job title and employment dates, as this will be rejected.

4.2.4 Suitable Referees

Referees should not be:

Relatives.
Someone known to the applicant solely as a friend.
Someone with whom the candidate is in a relationship.

4.2.5 Suitability Questions

All referees will be asked whether they believe the applicant is suitable for the job for which they have applied and whether they have any reason to believe that the applicant is unsuitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

4.2.6 Information Requested From Employers

All referees will be sent a copy of the job description and person specification for the role for which the applicant has applied.

If the referee is a current or previous employer, they will also be asked to confirm:

The applicant’s dates of employment.
Salary.
Job title/duties.
Reason for leaving.
Performance.
Disciplinary record.
Whether the applicant has ever been the subject of disciplinary procedures involving issues related to the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, including any where the disciplinary sanction has expired.
Whether any allegations or concerns have been raised about the applicant relating to the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults or behaviour towards them.
The candidate’s suitability for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
The candidate’s suitability for the post.

4.2.8 Reference Verification

The Agency will only accept references obtained directly from the referee on the official form with all sections completed.

It will not rely on references or testimonials provided by the applicant or on open references or testimonials.

4.2.9 Checking References Against Applications

The Agency will compare all references with information given on the application form.

Any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the information will be taken up with the applicant before any appointment is confirmed.

4.2.10 Verifying the Referee

The Agency will contact each referee by email, seeking confirmation of their identity by receiving an authentic organisational response from a company email address confirming the role, employment and telephone number of the referee.

The Agency will then make contact by telephone to the referee to verify that the reference was prepared by them and that the information is correct.

A record of this verification check will be recorded and kept on the pre-recruitment checks file.

5. The Selection Process

5.1 Selection Techniques

Selection techniques will be determined by the nature and duties of the vacant post, but all vacancies will require a face-to-face interview of shortlisted candidates.

5.2 Candidate Requirements

Candidates will always be required to:

Explain satisfactorily any outstanding gaps in employment and provide a signed document or amendment to the application form to evidence these.
Explain satisfactorily any anomalies or discrepancies in the information available to recruiters.
Declare any information that is likely to appear on a DBS check.
Demonstrate their capacity to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people.

6. Interviewing

6.1 Formal Interview

The applicant may be invited to attend a formal interview at which their relevant skills and experience will be discussed in more detail.

6.2 Interview Panel

At least one interviewer on the interview panel will have successfully received accredited training in Safe Recruitment procedures.

6.3 Interview Format

Although a telephone interview may be undertaken during the initial part of the selection process, the formal interview will take place either:

Face-to-face; or
Via a software-based video platform, e.g. Zoom.

6.4 Interview Requirements

During the formal interview:

A set of questions will be agreed and used consistently for each candidate.
Safeguarding questions will be asked and recorded.
Interview notes will be scored and kept on file.

7. Pre-Employment Checks

The Agency carries out a number of pre-employment checks in respect of all prospective employees.

These may include internet/social media checks on material that is available for the public to view for shortlisted candidates.

7.2 DBS Checks

Due to the nature of the work, the Agency applies for DBS checks in respect of all prospective staff, consultants, interns, and non-executive directors who have a direct link to working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

7.3 DBS Checks and Information

The Agency will request checks in line with DBS guidelines.

These may include:

Details of all convictions on record, including current and spent convictions, including those defined as “spent” under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Details of any cautions, reprimands or warnings held on the Police National Computer.
Non-conviction information from local police records which a chief police officer thinks may be relevant in connection with the matter in question.
Enhanced checks will also reveal whether the applicant is barred from working with children by virtue of their inclusion on lists of those considered unsuitable to work with children.
Applicants who have lived outside the United Kingdom for more than three months in the last 15 years will be asked to apply for the equivalent of a disclosure, if one is available in the relevant jurisdiction(s).

Where the Agency uses staff from supply agencies, contractors, etc., the Agency expects those agencies to have registered these staff with the DBS as appropriate, following their own policy or their own comparable policy.

Where the role involves working on a one-to-one basis with children, the Agency will always carry out its own DBS check.

8. Verification of Identity and Address

All applicants who are invited to an interview will be required to bring evidence of identity, address for the purpose of completing a DBS, and qualifications to ensure they are suitably skilled for the role.

Required documentation includes:

Passport, wherever available, or full birth certificate.
Two utility bills or statements from different sources and less than three months old showing their name and home address.
Documentation confirming their National Insurance Number, such as a P45, P60 or National Insurance Card.
Documents confirming any educational and professional qualifications referred to in their application form.
Driving licence where applicants are applying for a post that requires the ability to drive.

Change of Name

Where an applicant advises that they have changed their name by deed poll or any other mechanism, such as marriage, adoption or statutory declaration, they will be required to provide documentary evidence of the change.

The policy also sets out provisions relating to transgender applicants and the DBS sensitive applications route, which allows transgender applicants to choose not to have previous gender or name information disclosed on their DBS certificate.

Recruitment Records

As a recruitment service provider, Social Work Partners has a duty to maintain records of recruitment and suitability checks carried out on applicants and those working, including volunteers and panel members, for third-party vendors.

These records include:

Identity checks.
DBS Disclosures, including the level of Disclosure and unique reference number, in line with eligibility to obtain such checks.
Checks to confirm required and relevant qualifications.
At least two references, preferably one from a current employer and, where possible, a statement from each referee regarding the person’s suitability to work with children.
Checks to confirm the right to work in the UK.

Staff and employers should be made aware at application that these records, including identification records, will be kept by Social Work Partners.

9. Offer

If it is decided to make an offer of employment following the formal interview, the offer will be conditional on:

Receipt of a minimum of two professional references which the Agency considers satisfactory.
Receipt of a satisfactory DBS check, as relevant for the post. Where a DBS disclosure has been carried out, the applicant must show the original copy to the Agency within seven days of receiving it.
Proof of identity/evidence of ID. A passport must be provided as ID unless one is not held, in which case a birth certificate along with another form of photo ID must be provided.
Provision of actual certificates of qualifications for training/achievements required for the post offered. Copies will not be accepted without seeing the originals.
Proof of eligibility to live and work in the UK.
Agreement of a mutually acceptable start date.

If these conditions are satisfied and the offer is accepted, the applicant will be issued with a contract of employment with a letter of confirmation of the offer of employment.

10. Induction

10.1 New Staff Induction

All staff who are new to the Agency will receive an induction/training programme that will include:

The Agency’s Safeguarding policies.
Guidance on safe working practices.

10.2 Initial Meetings

Regular meetings will be held during the first three months of employment between the new employee(s) and the appropriate manager.

11. Probationary Period

11.1 Duration

The first six months of employment is deemed to be a probationary period for all posts.

During this period, the Line Manager will provide regular updates and/or arrange regular supervision sessions with an employee to discuss how things are progressing.

11.2 Notice Period

During the probationary period, the notice period to terminate employment for whatever reason, by either the employee or the Agency, is one week.

The Agency also reserves the right to extend the probationary period if deemed necessary.

11.3 Mid-Probation Review

The Line Manager will arrange a mid-probation meeting at around three months.

If there is a belief that an employee may not be performing at the required standard, the Line Manager will provide guidance and support to assist them in achieving the correct standards.

11.4 Completion of Probation

At six months:

If an employee has met all expected criteria, they will successfully pass their probationary period.
If they have not met the criteria, their probationary period may be extended where there is a belief that they would achieve the required standard given more time.
Alternatively, employment may be dismissed with one week’s notice in extreme circumstances.

Social Work Partners operates a culture of supporting employees to achieve standards wherever possible.

12. Retention of Records and Security of Disclosure Information

12.1 Information Received Via DBS

Social Work Partners’s policy is to observe the guidance issued or supported by the DBS on the use of disclosure information.

The Agency will:

Ask all applicants to show the original copy of a DBS to the Recruitment Manager or a Social Work Partners Manager.
Prohibit the photocopying or scanning of any disclosure information.
Keep a record of the date of a disclosure, the name of the subject, the type of disclosure, the position in question, the unique number issued by the DBS and the recruitment decision taken.
Have the Managing Director or DSO review any cautions, convictions or reprimands disclosed on a DBS.
Ensure that no other employee except the Managing Director or DSO can make a risk assessment/decision on a positive disclosure.

The Agency complies with the provisions of the DBS Code of Practice, a copy of which is available on request.

12.2 Retention of Application Forms

If an applicant is appointed, the Agency will retain any relevant information provided on their application form, together with any attachments, on their personnel file.

If the application is unsuccessful, all documentation relating to the application will normally be confidentially destroyed after six months, unless the applicant specifically requests the Agency to keep their details on file.

13. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The ambition of Social Work Partners is to work together to promote a more inclusive environment, which attracts all candidates and signals the organisation’s commitment to celebrate and promote diversity, whilst ensuring the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Social Work Partners will not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of:

Age.
Disability.
Gender reassignment.
Marriage and civil partnership.
Pregnancy and maternity.
Race, including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origin.
Religion or belief.
Sex.
Sexual orientation.

14. Review of Policy

This policy will be reviewed on a regular basis and updated as needed to reflect any relevant changes in legislation and guidance.