Safer Recruitment
Every statutory agency that is part of a Safeguarding Partnership – including the Police, the NHS, the Local Authority, and others – has made a commitment to safer recruitment. For partner agencies, safer recruitment affects those staff members whose duties include several specific tasks known as ‘regulated activities’.
These activities are often part of working for a local authority or partner agency with adults who receive a health or social care service, such as:
Working in residential or sheltered accommodation, care homes, or respite care
Working with adults who attend or have attended a residential special schoo
Working with an adult in a social work capacity, including assessments for care
Providing any form of healthcare, including psychotherapy or palliative care
Providing first aid on behalf of an organisation, or acting as a first responder
Driving a vehicle or assisting with mobility to attend care activities or appointments,
Supporting an adult’s independence by managing money, paying bills, or shopping,
Assisting or supervising an adult’s personal care, such as bathing, dressing, or eating
Assisting in the conduct of an adult’s affairs, such as holding enduring power of attorney.
In order to be certain that a candidate is an appropriate person to carry out the responsibilities of their position, staff responsible for hiring must follow certain procedures:
Professional references are verified, and one referee should be contacted in person. Personal or character references are not considered suitable.
Application forms are used to take a full employment history, account for any gaps in employment, and provide evidence of qualifications.
Copies must be taken of documents used to establish identity and Right to Work in the UK, and must be held on file for reference.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly Criminal Record Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority) is asked to search the national police database for any convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, or any other relevant local police information, and to disclose if the applicant has been barred from working with vulnerable groups.
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