Safe Recruitment Policy
SEASHELLS
NURSERY
Community Centre
Albert Road
Eyemouth
TD14 5DE
Tel. 018907 52082
Email: seashellsnursery@hotmail.co.uk
www.seashellsnursery.jimdo.com
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LAST UPDATED / REVIEWED ON |
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24th March 2020 |
Miriam Lindsay |
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This policy was adopted at a meeting of:
(Insert name of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Setting) Seashells Nursery ELCC
On (date) 24th March 2020
Signed M. Lindsay Designation Nursery Manager
Statement of Purpose
In recruiting staff for Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings the safeguarding and welfare of children is paramount. We will ensure that all applicants are suitable and fit to work with children. Applicants will have the relevant training, skills, knowledge and experience, appropriate to the roles they undertake. We will be committed to promoting a selection process that is systematic, efficient and effective ensuring equality of opportunity for all and achieving recruitment and retention of motivated employees. All applicants will need to be registered with the appropriate regulatory body.
Throughout the guidance the term parents is used to include all main care givers.
Registration Requirements
Successful applicants will be required to be registered with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme (PVG) www.disclosurescotland.co.uk.
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Code of Practice for Social Service employers will be followed and all employees have a responsibility to meet the requirements of the code of practice. Employees will need to meet the appropriate registration criteria for their particular post www.sssc.uk.com.
Regulation of the social services workforce and the services they work in, national standards of conduct and practice which employers and social service workers must follow, and legislation that protects vulnerable groups, all support delivery of high quality social services in Scotland. Whilst this helps create professional accountability for care services and workers, employers remain responsible for making sure that only people who are suitable enter the workforce. Guidance: Safer Recruitment Through Better Recruitment http://hub.careinspectorate.com/knowledge/safer-recruitment
Recruitment Procedures
Robust recruitment procedures will be followed to ensure that the staff recruited are suitable to work with children and have the appropriate skills and experience for the intended role.
Job Description
The vacancy will be reviewed and a relevant job description compiled detailing the job specification and conditions of service. The vacancy will be advertised through a variety of media to ensure as wide a range of applicants as possible.
Applications
The application form used will ask all applicants for the same information and applicants will have to make a declaration about their suitability and fitness to work with young children. Applicants will be made aware of our recruitment policy.
For selection purposes and to ensure equality of opportunity all applicants will be considered on their individual merits.
Interviews
Interviews will be held by a panel comprising of a minimum of 2 persons, the Nursery Manager and Office Manager, but depending on the level of post we are recruiting for, additional members of the committee may attend, for example the chairperson, and/or the vice chairperson. A set of questions will be agreed by the interview panel in advance and will be relevant to the job description devised for the vacancy. All candidates will be asked the same questions in the same order and their responses will be rated on a scale between 1-5. Each panel member will score the response independently during the interview and time should be allocated after each interview to discuss the responses. All applicants should have the opportunity to discuss their employment history in relation to the advertised vacancy. Applicants should have the opportunity to ask questions and be informed of when they can expect to be told of the outcome.
Employment Offer
The successful applicant will have to provide two written references one of which should be their most recent employer. Qualifications and relevant experience will be matched in relation to the job specification. Registration with any relevant professional organisations should be clarified. References will be compared to the application form to ensure consistency of information.
It will be made clear that all appointments will be made subject to a probationary period of 12 weeks. A review between the post holder and their line manager will take place after the 12 weeks to discuss progress. At the end of the probationary period, subject to a satisfactory report by the line manager, employees will be notified in writing that they have successfully completed this. The probationary period can, if deemed appropriate, be extended by three months.
Once the post has been filled unsuccessful candidates will be informed of the outcome and offered the opportunity for feedback.
An offer of appointment to the successful applicant should be conditional upon:
• The receipt of satisfactory references
• Verification of the applicant’s identity, if that could not be verified at interview stage
• Verification of qualifications, if not verified at interview
• A PVG scheme record check
• Verification of right to work in the UK
Confidentiality
All information relating to the applicants will be treated in the strictest confidence. Only those involved in the recruitment process will have access to the information and all documentation will be securely stored. The successful applicant’s information will be kept in their confidential personnel file and information regarding unsuccessful applicants will be safely destroyed by shredding.
Induction
Induction will be used to help welcome new staff to the setting and the organisation. All new employees will go through an induction process outlining information regarding the employees roles and responsibilities, relevant legislation, codes of practice and organisational policies and procedures, to which they must adhere. Written terms and conditions will be explained and the consequences of any breach of code of practice. Effective management practices will be in place to monitor the performance and conduct of employees and new employees should be made aware of these.
Information in relation to continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities will be made available to all new employees, and they will be given details of Scottish Borders Council’s CPD site where they must register to allow them to enrol onto courses. www.asp.soprahosting.co.uk/cpd/scotborders
PVG Scheme Registration
Confirmation of offers of employment to the preferred applicant will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory responses about their suitability and fitness to work. This will include a PVG record check and a medical report if required. The PVG Scheme Record check will state the:
Information regarding the PVG is highly confidential and only those authorised to do so should have access to it. All information regarding PVG will be stored in a lockable filing cabinet in the nursery office.
Student Placements
See Appendix 1.
Monitoring of this Policy
It will be the responsibility of Miriam Lindsay, Nursery Manager to ensure that all staff involved in the recruitment process are familiar with the policy and that it is being implemented. This will be achieved by monitoring the policy on an ongoing basis and reviewing it annually.
Appendices:
Appendix 1 – Student Placements
Links to national policy:
Health and Social Care Standards My Support, my life (Scottish Government 2017)
1.1,1.2,1.13,1.27,2.3,2.9,2.14,3.6,3.7,3.14,4.1,4.9,4.18,4.19,
https://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00520693.pdf
http://www.nationalcarestandards.org/files/early-education.pdf
http://www.sssc.uk.com/about-the-sssc/codes-of-practice/what-are-the-codes-of-practice
http://hub.careinspectorate.com/media/428646/safer-recruitment_final.pdf
Appendix 1
Student Placements: guidelines to safe recruitment and working practice
We recognise and value the contribution Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings can make in developing the skills and qualities of the future early years workforce. If asked to provide a student placement the setting will do so wherever practicable. The setting should offer a relevant worthwhile experience to the student whilst ensuring the needs of the children are being met.
Appropriate procedures will be followed by both the setting and the placing organisation.
Setting
In accepting student placements, settings have to be confident that the student has an interest in childcare and is suitable to work with young children. The setting has a responsibility to help develop the student’s knowledge regarding working effectively with young children and also to help enable students to realise their full potential.
Placing Organisation
The setting will ensure the placing organisation (colleges or training agencies) follow appropriate procedures to ensure a worthwhile experience for both the student and the setting. All information regarding a student placement should be in writing. The student will have undertaken a Protecting Vulnerable Group (PVG) check and a satisfactory outcome will be recorded. The student`s role within the setting should be clearly stated and information regarding monitoring and assessment of the student should be explained. If the setting is unhappy with any aspect of the student’s work appropriate procedures should be in place to ensure a satisfactory outcome for both the setting and the student.
It will be clearly stated that a student must never be left solely in charge of children.
Informal requests for work experience
ELC settings can be approached by individuals, including schools and volunteers, and asked to provide work experience. This could be to enable the individual to meet entry requirements for a specific course related to children or to gain experience before entering the workforce. In these instances the setting must practice safe recruitment practices and act as if it were employing a new member of staff or recruiting a volunteer to work in the setting. Information will be provided about the individual and suitable references provided. The setting will provide a formal statement, agreed with the individual or school specifying the terms and conditions of the placement, including not being left solely in charge of children, the timescale of the placement as well as monitoring procedures and termination of the placement.
Student placements in real work settings are vital to the development of the workforce. Close partnerships with placing organisations, robust vetting practices and good management practices will help minimise the risk to children whilst supporting the development of the future workforce.
Volunteers
Volunteers working in care services should be treated in the same way as paid staff and any volunteers within a care service without a PVG scheme record or a relevant Disclosure Scotland certificate and should ideally have no direct service user contact and should not in any circumstances work unsupervised.