Safer Recruitment and DBS
Safer Recruitment
Safer recruitment is central to the safeguarding of children,
and vulnerable adults in our communities. All organisations
employing staff or volunteers to work with children or vulnerable
adults have a duty to safeguard and promote their welfare by
ensuring that they adopt safe recruitment and selection procedures
which prevent unsuitable persons from gaining access to children
and vulnerable adults.
We have included in the Useful Resources box a range of
documents from the Disclosure & Barring Service to support you
in your safer recruitment practice.
Open this link to find the Safe Network checklist for Safer
Recruitment.
For Allegations Management
Procedures please follow this link.
Making Safeguarding Referrals to the Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS)
If you dismiss or remove a person from regulated activity (or
may have done so had they not left) because they have harmed or
posed a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult, then you have
a LEGAL duty to refer the person to the DBS.
The DBS’ role is to make barring decisions about people who are
referred to it (usually following an employer’s disciplinary
process), with the possible consequence of the person being barred
from working or volunteering with children and/or vulnerable
adults. The DBS uses a fair, thorough and consistent process that
ensures that the decision it reaches is both proportionate and
appropriate to the risk the person poses to children or vulnerable
adults.
On 1 December 2012 the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)
and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) merged to form a new
organisation, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The legal
duty to make referrals remains, however referrals should now be
addressed to the DBS.
The DBS’ website is
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about
and provides a range of materials to help you to consider or make a
referral. This includes a Referral Form, Referral Guidance, FAQs
and a series of Fact Sheets.
You may also contact the DBS Helpline on
01325 953795 for information or advice about
making a referral.
Safer Recruitment in
schools