RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION POLICY
LINKS TO EVERY CHILD MATTERS
- Helping children to be healthy
- Protecting children from harm and neglect and keeping them safe
- Helping children to achieve well and enjoy what they do
- Helping children make a positive contribution
- Organisation
LINKS TO NATIONAL STANDARDS
- All of the National Standards
LINKS TO LEGISLATION AND KEY GUIDANCE
- Asylum & Immigration Act 1996
- The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
- Children Act (CA) 1989 and 2004
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995
- Data Protection Act DPA 1998
- Every Child Matters - Change for Children (ECM) 2004
- Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Employment Agencies Act 1973
- Employment Act 2002
- The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986
- Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
- Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976
- Race Relations Amendment Act (RRAA) 2000
- Sex Discrimination Acts (SDA) 1975 and 1986
- Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977
- The Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1992
- The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
- Special Educational Needs Disability Discrimination Act (SENDA) 2001
FURTHER INFORMATION
- Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk
- The Recruitment and Employment Confederation: www.rec.uk.com
- Criminal Records Bureau: www.disclosure.gov.uk
- The Department of Work and Pensions: www.dwp.gov.uk
- Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, booklet available from the DfES: www.dfes.gov.uk
- Recruitment and retention of disabled people - A good practice guide: www.surestart.gov.uk
- Recruitment and retention - A good practice guide: www.surestart.gov.uk
- The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: www.cipd.co.uk
- Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service: www.acas.org.uk
SEE NURSERY WORLD ARTICLES
- 'All about supporting new staff', 2 March 2006
- Recruitment series, 18 January, 15 February and 15 March 2007
A good policy includes:
- How you make clear links to your equal opportunities policy
- How you state your ethos and objectives as a company
- How you state that every applicant is treated fairly, irrespective of their status as an internal or external candidate
- How you go through the stages of recruitment and selection (procedure)
- How you ensure that all applicants complete a full application form
- How you state all applicants will need to complete an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check as part of your ongoing commitment to safeguarding children
- How you explain your policy regarding recruitment of ex-offenders (procedure)
- How you state why you take out references and that you may contact all past employers, if necessary
- How you state that you will need to see all original certificates relating to qualifications
- How you decide, if appropriate, which members of staff from the organisation will be on the recruitment panel
- How you explain the importance of the job description and person specification
- How you state where you advertise vacancies
WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE:
All staff who are involved in the recruitment and selection process have an understanding of key legislation and guidance on employment. In line with your safeguarding children policy, all job advertisements state that all successful candidates will need to complete an enhanced CRB check. This is also noted on the application form and refers to any previous convictions and/or cautions, including court orders that may disqualify the applicant or affect their suitability to work with children. Before any staff start work, evidence is sought on their suitability - full employment history, qualifications, references, checks on their identity (passport, driving licence or birth certificate) and a medical check, if necessary.
Prior to the advert being placed, the staff involved in the recruitment and selection process (panel) should devise or review the job description and person specification. They should carefully devise questions against the person specification criteria, and select candidates only if they meet the criteria of the person specification. The panel must be mindful of equality and inclusion issues for candidates with a disability.
At interview a full explanation is given of what the job involves in pay and conditions. The candidate has an opportunity to ask questions and a tour of the setting is included. The panel are careful not to promise the position to anyone until all candidates are interviewed. This applies even if there is only one candidate; they are never informed at the interview that they have been successful or unsuccessful. Internal and external candidates are treated equally.
Conditional offers of employment are made until all checks are carried out and the candidate is informed of this. Unsuccessful candidates have the opportunity to receive feedback as to why they have not met the person specification criteria.
Confidentiality is maintained relating to copies of references and other information. Documentation relating to unsuccessful applicants is destroyed at a later date.
STAFF INDUCTION POLICY
LINKS TO EVERY CHILD MATTERS
- Helping children to be healthy
- Protecting children from harm and neglect and keeping them safe
- Helping children to achieve well and enjoy what they do
- Helping children make a positive contribution
- Organisation
LINKS TO NATIONAL STANDARDS
- All of the National Standards
LINKS TO LEGISLATION AND KEY GUIDANCE
- Asylum & Immigration Act 1996
- The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
- Children Act (CA) 1989 and 2004
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995
- Data Protection Act DPA 1998
- Every Child Matters - Change for Children (ECM) 2004
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Employment Agencies Act 1973
- Employment Act 2002
- The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986
- Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
- Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
- Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976
- Race Relations Amendment Act (RRAA) 2000
- Sex Discrimination Acts (SDA) 1975 and 1986
- Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977
- Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1992
- Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
- Special Educational Needs Disability Discrimination Act 2001
FURTHER INFORMATION
- Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk
- The Recruitment and Employment Confederation: www.rec.uk.com
- The Department of Work and Pensions: www.dwp.gov.uk
- Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, booklet available from the DfES - www.dfes.gov.uk
- Recruitment and retention of disabled people - A good practice guide: www.surestart.gov.uk
- Recruitment and retention - A good practice guide: www.surestart.gov.uk
- The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: www.cipd.co.uk
- Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service: www.acas.org.uk
SEE NURSERY WORLD ARTICLES
- 'All about supporting new staff', 2 March 2006
- Recruitment series - 18 January, 15 February and 15 March 2007
A GOOD POLICY INCLUDES:
- How you state how new staff are welcomed into the setting
- How you inform all new staff about policies and procedures
- How importantly you view the induction process
- How you state who may have responsibility for induction
- How you state the steps involved in induction (procedure)
WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE:
A member of the senior management ensures that they are available to welcome the new member of staff. Parents are informed via newsletters of the name of the new member of staff and their role within the setting.
The new member of staff is given a welcome pack with all the policies and procedures and any other relevant information relating to their job and the company. There is an induction checklist and the senior manager makes sure that the new member of staff is taken through the process at their own pace, rather than at a hurried pace. The senior manager explains all literature which is handed over to the new member of staff, rather than assuming that they will read and understand this by themselves. The senior management team understand the importance of induction and that, if done positively, it is a valuable tool in staff retention.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
Registration requires settings to have certain key policies and procedures.
In addition to these, there are other documents that need to be in place that reflect good practice. This series aims to:
- Explain what needs to be included within these policies and procedures.
- Show providers how to link their policies and procedures to the Every Child Matters outcomes and to relevant legislation and guidance.
- Show how to include staff in the development of the policies and procedures.
- Demonstrate the importance of sharing the policies and procedures with parents and stakeholders.
