Safer recruitment policy

Policy Statement
CocoRio has an ongoing commitment to the safeguarding and protection of children. We take all reasonable and sensible measures to ensure they are kept safe from harm. 

We operate a Safer Recruitment Policy. This policy sets out guidance in relation to the recruitment and selection process of people who work with children through CocoRio. 

As an organisation, CocoRio expects the same level of commitment to safeguarding and protecting children from everyone it works with. 

Aims and Objectives
The aim of the Safer Recruitment Policy is to deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children or are otherwise unsuited to work with them by having clear guidelines for recruiting staff. 

The aims of the Safer Recruitment Policy are as follows:

  • To provide best practice guidelines and safeguard children through a robust and safe recruitment process;

  • To ensure the best possible staff are recruited based on their merits, abilities and suitability for the role;

  • To ensure all applicants are considered fairly and equally;

  • To ensure that no job applicant is treated unfairly on any grounds including race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or religious belief, sex or sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, disability or age;

  • To ensure CocoRio meets its commitments to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks.


Employees involved in the selection and recruitment process are responsible for familiarising themselves with this policy.

The recruitment and selection of staff will be conducted in a timely and professional manner and in compliance with current employment legislation.

If a member of staff involved in the recruitment process has a personal relationship with a prospective candidate, they must declare this as soon as they are aware of the applicant’s application and avoid any involvement with the recruitment and selection process.

Who this policy applies to
This policy applies to all employees of CocoRio on permanent and non-permanent contracts who work with children. 

The policy extends to include: 

  • Employees on a zero hours contract;

  • Workers who work with CocoRio through a contract on a self-employed or freelance basis;

  • Prospective candidates.


Roles and responsibilities under this policy

Job applicants, volunteers and existing employees are responsible for:

  • Providing complete and truthful information on job application documentation, ensuring relevant information is not withheld;

  • Supporting the employment clearance process by providing requested documentation in a timely manner;

  • Complying with the requirement to complete a renewal DBS check after a five year period or earlier if requested by the Recruitment Team.

  • This may be in the form of an Enhanced DBS Check as deemed necessary by the Recruitment Team taking into account the role within the organisation; and

  • Ensuring that they disclose any cautions or convictions. This information should be disclosed to the worker’s line manager.

Recruiting managers are responsible for ensuring that:

  • They have undergone safe recruitment training;

  • All employment checks have been completed by the candidate;

  • That all employment checks are completed to the highest possible standard;

  • Clients are made aware that the candidate has not completed all employment checks in the exceptional circumstances where a person working with children commences employment without all employment clearances being obtained;

  • All recruitment documentation and practices adhere to the guidelines in this Policy

Recruitment and Selection Procedure

Advertising
To ensure equality of opportunity, CocoRio will post all vacant job advertisements on external platforms such as Indeed, Arts Jobs or University careers pages. This will encourage as many potential candidates to apply from different backgrounds. 

Job descriptions should clearly state all or any responsibility for contact with children and the person specification should include criteria relating to safeguarding. 

Job Description & Person Specification
The job description key document in the recruitment process and must be finalised prior to taking any other steps in the recruitment process. It will clearly and accurately set out the duties and responsibilities of the advertised role.

The person specification is of equal importance and informs the selection decision. It details the skills, experience, abilities and expertise that are required to do the job. The person specification will include a specific reference to suitability to work with children.

The Application 
All applications for the Creative Nanny role or Back Up Nanny role will be done via the CocoRio careers page. This is an application form with standardised questions. This application form should not be substituted for a CV. Incomplete application forms will not be considered. 

Applicants will be reviewed on the merits of their application and experience. 

The Interview
The selection process must include a face-to-face interview whether this is in person or virtually. The interviewer will assess each applicant against the job description and person specification. 

The interviewer will have undertaken Safer Recruitment training and be familiar with the Safer Recruitment Policy. 

Vetting and Employment Checks
Candidates should be contacted within five working days of their interview letting them know the outcome of their formal interview. If they are successful, employment checks need to be undertaken. All offers of employment are conditional to the satisfactory completion of vetting and employment checks. 

Employment and vetting checks are a necessary requirement of the recruitment and selection process in order to ensure effective safeguarding in recruitment.

All checks completed must be:

  • Documented and stored on our platform (subject to any data protection restrictions);

  • Followed up on where they are unsatisfactory or where there are inconsistencies with the application form/interview

Identification checks
Verification of the applicant’s identity is required before the applicant can work with children. Identification documentation such as passport, birth certificate, driving licence, etc. will be obtained and checked as proof of identity/eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the guidance set out in the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Where an applicant claims to have changed their name by deed poll or any other means (marriage, adoption, statutory declaration) they will be required to provide documentary evidence of the change. 

Right to Work
Where applicable, Right to Work checks will be carried out. This could be via a share code, VISA or immigration documentation. 

References
A minimum of two references that CocoRio deems to be satisfactory are required. One reference must be a previous childcare related employer.

Reference requests are sent as soon as the candidate inputs their details into the system. Referees are sent a standardised form which includes questions relating to safeguarding concerns. In the event that a referee ticks that safeguarding concerns were raised in relation to the candidate, a further investigation must be undertaken. The referee should not be a relative. 

In the event that the candidate has a reference letter from a referee, this will need to be verified. Each letter/email will be scrutinised and the author of the letter will be contacted to verify the content. 

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.

Enhanced DBS Check
CocoRio applies for an enhanced disclosure from the DBS and a check of the Children's Barred List (now known as an Enhanced Check for Regulated Activity) in respect of all positions at CocoRio which amount to "regulated activity" as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (as amended). The purpose of carrying out an Enhanced Check for Regulated Activity is to identify whether an applicant is barred from working with children by inclusion on the Children's Barred List and to obtain other relevant suitability information.

It is CocoRio’s policy that an Enhanced DBS Check must be obtained before the commencement of employment. DBS checks will still be requested for applicants with recent periods of overseas residence and those with little or no previous UK residence.

CocoRio will accept Enhanced DBS Checks that are up to five years old in line with current guidance. If the candidate has a Standard DBS Check, they will be required to apply for an Enhanced DBS Check. Similarly, if their DBS Check is related to working with adults, they will need to apply for an Enhanced DBS Check which is specifically related to working with children. 


Portability of DBS Certificates Checks
Employees and those on freelance contracts may wish to join the DBS Update Service if they are likely to require another check in the future. Applicants may sign up to the Service if their check was issued after 17 June 2013, for a fee of £13 per annum, which is payable by the applicant and the candidate will do this themselves. 

Dealing with convictions
CocoRio  operates a formal procedure if a DBS Certificate is returned with details of convictions. Consideration will be given to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and also:

  • the nature, seriousness and relevance of the offence;

  • how long ago the offence occurred;

  • one-off or history of offences;

  • changes in circumstances, decriminalisation and remorse.

A formal meeting will take place face-to-face to establish the facts with the Recruitment Officer. A decision will be made following this meeting. In the event that relevant information (whether in relation to previous convictions or otherwise) is volunteered by an applicant during the recruitment process or obtained through a disclosure check, the Chief of Staff and CEO will evaluate all of the risk factors before a position is offered or confirmed. 

Revoked offers
In the event CocoRio needs to revoke an offer, the recruitment team must draft and sign an official document. This document should include a legitimate reason for revoking the offer. 

Legitimate reasons include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Candidate is proved to not legally be allowed to work with CocoRio;

  • Candidate has falsified references;

  • Candidate has been untruthful about a serious issue;

  • Candidate doesn’t accept the offer within the specified deadline (deadline must have been included in the offer letter)

The recruitment team must notify the candidate of the revocation in writing as soon as possible.

First Aid Training
CocoRio’s creative nannies and back up nannies are required to undertake first aid training. Creative nannies will undertake free online training provided to them by CocoRio in the onboarding process. Certificates must be provided. In the event the nanny has not undertaken this, the first aid badge will not appear on their profile. 

Back up nannies will undertake a paediatric first aid course with a minimum of six hours in person training. Certificates must be provided.

Commencing Employment without all checks
In exceptional circumstances where there is an urgent operational need for a candidate to start work prior to their checks being completed, it may be possible to start the candidate without having obtained all pre-employment checks. This should only occur in exceptional circumstances and with the full knowledge and written consent of the family in question. 

Induction and training
As part of the induction and training process, all staff will be required to view all CocoRio policies and procedures including CocoRio’s Code of Conduct. They will complete training which includes safeguarding and health and safety.

Record Retention / Data Protection
CocoRio is required to undertake the above pre-employment checks. Therefore, if an applicant is successful in their application, CocoRio will retain on their system any relevant information provided as part of the application process. This will include copies of documents used to verify identity, right to work in the UK, DBS Certificate information and references. 

This documentation will be retained by CocoRio  for the duration of the successful applicants contract with CocoRio. All information retained relating to candidates is stored on a password protected platform.