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CRB checks, Vetting and Recruitment Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, pre-recruitment checks and record keeping form part of regular OfSTED inspections for schools and other education settings, and form a vital part of the safeguarding of pupils.

Summary of key points:

Sheffield City Council policy is for all schools to have obtained CRB checks on staff employed prior to March 2002, by April 2010

All education staff appointed between March 2002 and 12th May 2006 must have had an enhanced CRB check either at the time of recruitment or completed retrospectively

With effect from 12 May 2006 it is a mandatory requirement to request an enhanced CRB disclosure prior to allowing anyone to begin work in your setting. It is possible to start work with a risk assessment which includes ISA Children’s Barred List clearance (previously known as List 99) at the discretion of the Head Teacher, whilst waiting for the full CRB check to be completed

Independent Schools and Academies have been required to complete enhanced CRB checks since 2003 for all newly appointed staff

Sheffield Human Resources have a programme of 3 year CRB disclosure renewal. If you already have a renewal schedule in place please continue with these checks

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All volunteers and those Governors who have contact with children are required to have enhanced CRB checks completed

CRB checks and all other pre-recruitment checks are required for staff from overseas if they have previously lived in the UK

If the worker has worked or been resident overseas in the last 5 years, obtain a check of their criminal record from the relevant authority in that country (sometimes known as a certificate of good conduct)

If you use staff from a third party organisation to lead activities in your setting, you should ask for evidence of their CRB check and photographic ID. This evidence should be a letter of assurance and it should be attached to the ‘Single Central Record’ kept by the school or education setting

Students on a teaching placement as part of their Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course can provide a CRB disclosure certificate.

However, if you employ the individual, a new CRB check is required

Occasionally some school students undertaking work placements with children/vulnerable adults may need an enhanced CRB check.

All staff authorised to use SafetyNET+ require an enhanced CRB check every 3 years and it is the responsibility of the setting to ensure this is done

www.safeguardingsheffieldchildren.org.uk

Recording and reviewing: Settings should carry out regular reviews of CRB and pre-recruitment checking procedures and their associated record keeping •

All CRB and pre-recruitment records should be retained in a ‘Single Central Record’ which records when and by whom each check was made. This is available from Schools HR (for schools) and HR First for other education settings, at Sheffield City Council

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Settings should ensure they keep evidence of or the actual records containing the above information for supply staff, regardless of whether employed by an agency or the setting directly. This should be a letter of assurance and it should be attached to the Single Central Record

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It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher to ensure that all necessary checks have been carried out

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Where the setting is not the employer, the original documents do not need to be seen, but the setting will need written confirmation from the provider that these checks have been undertaken. Attach this to the Single Central Record

Although the Government will be remodelling the Vetting and Barring Scheme, the following aspects still apply: The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will maintain the two barred lists Employers have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about an individual who may pose a risk to children and/or vulnerable adults It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to seek or undertake work in regulated activity and for employers to knowingly take on a barred person into such roles

Settings do not need a record of:

Employees of contractors e.g. cleaners or maintenance workers - it should be a condition of the contract that contractor’s staff are checked if working in an education setting in an unsupervised capacity – letter of assurance should be attached to SCR

Employees of service providers under PFI (Private Finance Initiatives) contracts

Staff engaged by the Local Authority to work occasionally in education settings e.g. educational psychologists (these will be checked by the authority)

Always record confirmation of: •

Identity (name, address and date of birth) via passport, birth certificate, utility bills, bank statements

For further information: • Ring Schools HR on 2930924 or 2930904 or HR First on 2734299

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If someone who has changed their name (by marriage, divorce, deed poll etc), evidence of this is required

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Qualifications which are an essential requirement of the job

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Reference checks

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Right to work in the UK - copy of documentation required for all employees

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Enhanced CRB has been obtained and checked

• Independent Safeguarding Authority at: http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/default.aspx?page=0

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Evidence of an ISA children’s list check either separately or via the CRB check

• Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, DfES 2007 at:

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When and by whom each check was made

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When new checks are required

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• Teachernet at: www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/familyand community/childprotection/saferrecruitment/ • Pre-employment Checks, Sheffield City

Council at: http://sheffield.net/managers/managing-peoplein-the-council/recruitment-new-starters/stage-8pre-employment-checks

http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingD ownload/Final%206836Safeguard.Chd%20bkmk.pdf

www.safeguardingsheffieldchildren.org.uk