Q. When doing safer recruitment training, we were told to get detailed references. But I’m finding that most settings don’t do this, especially nursery chains. They will only confirm that the person worked there, the dates and that there were no safeguarding concerns. What do you do without more detailed references?
Tor Alter, head, Alyth Kindergarten
‘It is legal for a referee to only confirm a candidate’s work dates. But you should always ring up the referee to clarify any points. I would send the referee a job description so you can ask them for more detailed information of whether you think that person would be suitable for the role. You could ask them to give you examples of things they did that demonstrate their abilities – almost interview the referee. It is also always good to get two references, from the current and former employers.
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