25.09.2018

The importance of safeguarding in recruitment

Safeguarding in recruitment can play a large part in employment decisions. It is particularly important in professions involving contact with vulnerable adults and children such as health and social care.

Safeguarding can also be utilised to provide safer employment in working environments where contact with the public is important. These types of roles may include taxi services, vets, solicitors, accountants and barristers.

In roles requiring disclosure of former criminal convictions, HR professionals are advised to assess the potential advantages offered by DBS checks at the recruitment stage.

HR professionals recruiting to any form of role can take advantage of Basic DBS checks. This means safeguarding in the workplace is available to all types of businesses.

Utilising DBS checks is one way to maintain a safer workplace for all existing and potential employees.

What is a DBS check?

DBS checks are carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service and used to be known as CRB checks.

There are three types of DBS checks available:

- Basic, which contains details of any unspent convictions and is available to any UK resident

- Standard, which is equivalent to the former CRB check and only suitable for a limited number of occupations or for entry into certain professions which are specified in the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

- Enhanced, which offers the highest disclosure levels and is for workers within the childcare or vulnerable adult care sectors

It's also possible for employers to source bulk DBS checks for a variety of employees, which is an online service and supplies electronic records.

Eligibility to make applications for standard or enhanced DBS checks

The government places strict limitations upon the legality of requesting standard or enhanced DBS checks for existing or new employees.

So, all employers need to be assured they are authorised to make these checks, this information is provided on the DBS website.

Applications for standard DBS checks can be submitted for any financial role that's regulated by the FCA, the Prudential Regulatory Authority or the Bank of England, alongside roles for any organisations that act on behalf of these financial authorities.

Other roles requiring standard DBS checks include football stewards, directors of companies that make bids for public contracts, locksmiths applying to join the Master Locksmiths Association, and the professions already noted in this post.

There are lots more cases where standard DBS checks are required so it's important to check the government lists for more details.

The kind of job roles requiring enhanced DBS checks include;

-Jobs within the prison or remand sector

-Health sector jobs where patient contact is needed

-Employees charged with investigating fraud or corruption

-Roles within the RSPCA where humane killing of animals is carried out

-Anybody involved in the care of vulnerable adults or children

DBS checks for safer workplaces

It's critical for certain workplaces to carry out DBS checks on employees, including child nurseries, care homes, schools and educational establishments, and hospitals.

These checks help ensure the provision of a safe workplace and caring, understanding environment for vulnerable individuals.

Safer recruitment practices ensure that hiring decisions are not entirely reliant upon the interview process.

Any new hire decision is a risk that involves making decisions which should not be taken lightly. Background checks and evidencing qualifications and credentials are ways to ensure the validity of applicants.

DBS checks have an important role to play in the validation of applicants' characters and provide information about any criminal convictions or presence on barring lists.

The DBS checking service helps all employers offering services to vulnerable individuals make safer recruitment choices and ensure the protection of people within their care.

This is particularly critical for employers within the Health and Care sector, where employees are responsible for the care of vulnerable patients.

Any UK-based individual can request a basic DBS check for employment purposes.

This means that where occupations are not covered in the government guidelines for standard or enhanced DBS checks, it is still possible for HR professionals to request certificates relating to any unspent convictions for new hires and existing employees.

Carrying out these checks can help provide reassurances on safety, however, employers do not have access to the detailed information provided within standard or enhanced DRB checks.

Jagriti Patwari – Author Bio

Jagriti is a chartered accountant by profession and her skills from working in a highly regulated profession have been put to good use in the employee screening business. As director of Online DBS Checks Jagriti is at the forefront of the employee screening world, providing clients with pre employment vetting services such as DBS formally known as CRB checking and other background checking.

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