Safer Recruitment in Education

A strong safer recruitment process helps educational settings identify candidates who share their commitment to safeguarding and promotes a culture where children’s welfare is seen as everyone’s responsibility. Safer recruitment is often described as the ‘first line of defence’ against potential harm and is an important part of creating a safe environment for students. In this article, we’ll outline the role of safer recruitment in education, your responsibilities and the process involved.

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What is Safer Recruitment?

Safer recruitment is a set of practices designed to help ensure that staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children and young people. It involves a range of measures that help organisations attract, assess, appoint and monitor individuals safely and appropriately.

Rather than relying on a single check or stage of the hiring process, safer recruitment is a continuous process that begins before a role is advertised and continues after an individual has started work. It combines robust recruitment procedures, thorough vetting checks, safeguarding-focused interviews and effective induction arrangements.

Within education, safer recruitment is widely regarded as the entry point to a school’s safeguarding culture. By embedding safeguarding throughout the recruitment process, schools can help deter unsuitable applicants, identify potential concerns early and ensure that safeguarding remains central to every appointment decision.

Effective safer recruitment also supports a wider culture of vigilance, accountability and professional curiosity. It encourages organisations to look beyond qualifications and experience to consider whether candidates demonstrate the attitudes, behaviours and values needed to work safely with children.

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Recent Legislative Updates

Safer recruitment is supported by several pieces of UK legislation and statutory guidance that place safeguarding responsibilities on education providers.

The most significant guidance in England is Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). This sets out the safer recruitment checks that schools and colleges must carry out before appointing staff, including identity verification, qualifications checks where required, references, right to work checks and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. It also provides detailed guidance on maintaining records of these checks and managing any safeguarding concerns that arise during recruitment.

Alongside KCSIE, Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance emphasises that safeguarding is a shared responsibility across organisations. It highlights the importance of creating a safe organisational culture where safeguarding is embedded throughout leadership, governance, recruitment, supervision and ongoing workforce development. Safer recruitment forms a key part of this wider safeguarding framework.

Schools should also be aware that Ofsted evaluates safeguarding arrangements as part of their inspections. Inspectors may review recruitment procedures, recruitment records and the school’s wider safeguarding culture to assess whether leaders are fulfilling their safeguarding responsibilities effectively. The single central record is often examined as part of this process.

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The Safer Recruitment Process in Education

Safer recruitment is most effective when it’s viewed as a full process, rather than a series of individual checks. Each stage of the process should contribute to safeguarding children and promoting a culture where safe practice is expected from everyone. The safe recruitment process in education is as follows:

Step 1: Plan the Recruitment Process

Before advertising a role, schools should carefully consider the responsibilities involved and any safeguarding risks associated with the position. Making safeguarding expectations clear from the outset can help deter unsuitable applicants from applying. This stage should include: 

• Creating an accurate job description that reflects safeguarding responsibilities.
• Producing a person specification that includes attitudes and behaviours expected when working with children.
• Identifying the level of DBS and vetting checks required for the role.
• Ensuring safeguarding responsibilities are clearly reflected throughout the recruitment documentation.

Step 2: Advertise the Role Clearly

Job adverts should communicate the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Being transparent about safeguarding requirements demonstrates that the organisation takes child protection seriously. This includes:

• A safeguarding statement within the advert.
• Information about the checks that will be undertaken.
• Clear expectations regarding professional conduct and behaviour.
• Information about safeguarding policies where appropriate.

Step 3: Assess Applications Thoroughly

Applications should be reviewed carefully to identify any issues that require further exploration. Any issues identified should be discussed with the candidate during the selection process. Recruiters should pay attention to:

• Gaps in employment history.
• Inconsistencies in information provided.
• Unexplained career changes.
• Incomplete application forms.
• Any concerns arising from references or supporting information.

Step 4: Obtain and Review References

References provide an important opportunity to gather information about a candidate’s suitability to work with children and should be considered alongside all other recruitment evidence, rather than in isolation. Good practice includes:

• Obtaining references before interview wherever possible.
• Requesting references directly from referees.
• Verifying the authenticity of references received.
• Seeking information about the candidate’s conduct, suitability and disciplinary history where relevant.
• Following up any unclear or concerning information.

Step 5: Conduct Safeguarding-Focused Interviews

Interview questions should explore not only a candidate’s skills and experience but also their understanding of safeguarding responsibilities. At least one member of the interview panel should have completed appropriate safer recruitment training. Interview panels should consider:

• The candidate’s attitudes towards safeguarding.
• Their understanding of professional boundaries.
• How they would respond to safeguarding concerns.
• Their experience of working with children and young people.
• Any issues identified during earlier recruitment stages.

Step 6: Complete Pre-Employment Checks

Before anyone is hired, schools must complete the appropriate pre-employment checks and appointments should not be finalised until all required checks have been completed. Depending on the role, pre-employment checks may include:

• Identity checks.
• Enhanced DBS checks.
• Children’s barred list checks where applicable.
• Right to work in the UK checks.
• Qualification checks.
• Prohibition from teaching checks.
• Section 128 checks where required.
• Overseas criminal record checks where relevant.
• Health and fitness checks where appropriate.

Step 7: Maintain the Single Central Record

Schools and colleges are required to maintain a single central record (SCR). The SCR records key safeguarding and recruitment checks carried out on relevant members of staff and others working within the setting. It provides evidence that appropriate checks have been completed and helps schools demonstrate compliance with statutory requirements. The record should be maintained accurately, reviewed regularly and updated whenever new staff join the organisation. Ofsted inspectors may review the SCR as part of an inspection.

Step 8: Provide Effective Induction and Ongoing Supervision

Safer recruitment does not end when a person starts work. Ongoing supervision, training and safeguarding updates help ensure staff remain informed and able to fulfil their responsibilities throughout their employment. New staff should receive a thorough safeguarding induction covering:

• Child protection policies.
• Staff codes of conduct.
• Reporting procedures.
• The identity and role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
• Behaviour expectations and professional boundaries.

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What to Do If You Have a Concern

Even with robust recruitment procedures in place, concerns can sometimes arise during the recruitment process or following the completion of pre-employment checks. A concern doesn’t automatically mean that an applicant is unsuitable, but it should always be explored carefully and proportionately before a decision is made. Examples of concerns may include:

• Discrepancies in employment history.
• Unsatisfactory references.
• Information disclosed during a DBS check.
• Concerns about professional conduct.
• Unexplained gaps in employment.
• Information revealed during interviews or vetting checks.

When concerns arise, organisations should:

• Gather additional information before making decisions.
• Discuss concerns directly with the applicant where appropriate.
• Seek clarification from referees or previous employers.
• Consider the nature, seriousness and relevance of any information identified.
• Keep clear records of decision-making processes.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead and headteacher may need to be involved where concerns relate to safeguarding risk or suitability to work with children. Their role may include assessing potential risks, reviewing safeguarding information and supporting decision-making. In some circumstances, it may be appropriate to seek advice from the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). This is particularly important where information suggests that an individual may have behaved in a way that has harmed a child, may pose a risk of harm or may not be suitable to work with children.

Where concerns cannot be resolved satisfactorily, organisations should prioritise the safety and welfare of children when making recruitment decisions.

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Safer recruitment should be viewed as an ongoing safeguarding process rather than a single recruitment exercise. From planning and advertising roles through to induction and supervision, every stage contributes to keeping children safe. By applying safer recruitment practices consistently, schools and colleges can build a trusted workforce and create safer learning environments for all students.

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Further Resources:

• Safeguarding Interview Questions for School Teachers
• How to Create an Effective Culture of Safeguarding in Schools
• Safer Recruitment in Education Training