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Safer Recruitment Policy

Date policy issued: September 2026

Date policy last reviewed: September 2026

This policy will be reviewed every 12 months (as a minimum), or sooner where legislation, statutory guidance or safeguarding requirements change.

Review due date: September 2027

Designated Safeguarding Lead Contact Details

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Bethany Kennedy

Contact details: Bethany.kennedy@milk-education.co.uk or 0114 437 2007

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Lee Hilton-Brammer

Contact details: Lee.hilton-brammer@milk-education.co.uk

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Frances Hale

Contact details: frances.hale@milk-education.co.uk

1. Safer Recruitment Policy Statement

Milk Education is committed to creating a culture that safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and adults at risk. In order to achieve this culture, we adopt robust recruitment procedures that help deter, identify and prevent people who are unsuitable to work with children from applying for or securing employment.

2. Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to anyone engaged by Milk Education, including our Directors, staff, contractors, work placements and volunteers.

All prospective applicants will be supplied with or given access to copies of the Safeguarding Policy, Allegation Policy, Safeguarding Children Policy, Safeguarding Children and Adults at risk Policy, Whistleblowing Policy and Code of Conduct.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Milk Education will:

  • Prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with children by having effective policies and procedures in place for the recruitment of staff and volunteers in accordance with the DfE guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 (KCSIE 2026) (as updated from time to time) and any guidance or code of practice published by the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS);
  • Prevent people who are subject to a Section 128 direction (which prohibits or restricts a person who has previously been prohibited from teaching) from taking part in the management of an independent school, including academies and free schools, in accordance with the DfE guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 (as updated from time to time) and any guidance or code of practice published by the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS);
  • Ensure that it meets its commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people by carrying out all necessary pre-employment checks.

4. Recruitment and Selection Process

All those involved with the recruitment and employment of staff to work with children will receive appropriate safer recruitment training.

Milk Education ensures that at least one person who conducts an interview has completed safer recruitment training.

5. Advertisements

When defining the role (whether through the job, role description and person specification) Milk Education will have regard to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 and include:

  • The skills, abilities, experience, attitude, and behaviours required for the post; and
  • The safeguarding requirements, i.e., to what extent will the role involve contact with children and will they be engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

All adverts will also include:

  • Milk Education’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and make clear that safeguarding checks will be undertaken;
  • The safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification; and
  • Whether the post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013, 2020, 2023 and subsequent amendments.

6. Application Forms

All roles advertised by Milk Education will include (in the application form or elsewhere) the following statement:

Milk Education is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders are subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Milk Education will also ensure that all prospective applicants provide the following:

  • Personal details, current and former names, current address and national insurance number;
  • Details of their present (or last) employment and reason for leaving;
  • Full employment history, (since leaving school, including education, employment and voluntary work) including reasons for any gaps in employment;
  • Qualifications, the awarding body and date of award;
  • Details of referees/references;
  • A statement of the personal qualities and experience that the applicant believes are relevant to their suitability for the post advertised and how they meet the person specification; and
  • A statement from the applicant sharing all relevant information about criminal convictions (where legally required to be disclosed), cautions (where applicable), police investigation or pending prosecution, allegations, disciplinary findings and investigations relevant to their suitability to work with children.

Milk Education does not accept curriculum vitae in place of application forms.

7. Shortlisting

In order to ensure that candidates have the opportunity to share relevant information and allow for this to be discussed at interview stage before the DBS certificate is received, all shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a self-declaration regarding their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work with children.

Milk Education will ensure the following:

  • That at least two people carry out the shortlisting exercise.
  • That reasons are given for any inconsistencies and for gaps in employment and reasons given for them; and
  • All potential concerns are explored.

In addition, as part of the shortlisting Milk Education will inform shortlisted candidates that online searches may be conducted as part of due diligence checks. Any relevant information identified through those searches will be explored with the candidate at interview.

8. Employment History and References

All offers of employment made by Milk Education will be subject to the receipt of a minimum of two written professional references, including the most recent assignments, covering at least two years of employment or assignment history.

Milk Education follows strict standards and therefore will:

  • Not accept open references e.g. to whom it may concern;
  • Not rely on applicants to obtain their references;
  • Ensure any references from the candidate’s current employer have been completed by a senior person with appropriate authority (if the referee is school or college based, the reference should be confirmed by the headteacher/principal as accurate in respect to disciplinary investigations);
  • Obtain verification of the individual’s most recent relevant period of employment where the applicant is not currently employed;
  • Secure a reference from the relevant employer from the last time the applicant worked with children (if not currently working with children). If the applicant has never worked with children, then secure further references (more than 2);
  • Always verify any information with the person who provided the reference;
  • Ensure electronic references originate from a legitimate source, and where necessary, verify the sender’s identity;
  • Contact referees to clarify content where information is vague or insufficient information is provided; and
  • Compare the information on the application form with that contained in the references and follow up any discrepancies with the referee and / or the candidate where appropriate.
  • Establish the reason for the candidate leaving their current or most recent post; and
  • Ensure any concerns are resolved satisfactorily before appointment is confirmed.

9. Employment Selection

Milk Education uses a range of selection techniques to identify the most suitable person for each role. All interview questions will include:

  • Finding out what attracted the candidate to the post being applied for and their motivation for working with children;
  • Exploring their skills and asking for examples of experience of working with children which are relevant to the role; and
  • Probing any gaps in employment or where the candidate has changed employment or location frequently, asking about the reasons for this.

All information considered in decision making will be clearly recorded along with decisions made.

10. Pre-Appointment Vetting Checks

Milk Education completes all the following legal pre-employment checks when appointing an individual to engage in regulated activity in relation to children:

  • Identity check (including being aware of any name changes, obtaining a birth certificate where available);
  • Address check;
  • National Insurance check;
  • Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (where applicable) and Section 128 Direction checks;
  • An overseas police check (if relevant);
  • Enhanced DBS check via the applicant (including children’s barred list information);
  • Verification of medical fitness;
  • Verification of the candidate’s right to work in the UK; and
  • Verification of professional qualifications, and, where applicable, verification of qualified teacher status, prohibition orders and any relevant sanctions via the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) Employer Access Service. Overseas trained teachers should also be verified through the appropriate regulating authority where applicable.

11. Summary

Milk Education will make clients and candidates aware of the Safer Recruitment Policy through the following means – these are included on the booking confirmations for both.

All staff, temporary workers, candidates, contractors and volunteers understand that the above checks must be conducted and must be aware that they have a professional duty to share information with other recruitment firms in order to safeguard children and adults at risk. The public interest in safeguarding children and adults at risk may override confidentiality interests. However, information will be shared on a need-to-know basis only, as judged by Milk Education.

Appendix

List of Relevant Legislation and Guidance Governing This Policy