Our recruitment process considers the responsibilities of each role and the person’s suitability to work with children. Checks include identity, relevant history, references, qualifications and the appropriate lawful DBS and barred-list checks where eligible. A DBS certificate alone is not a complete safeguarding assessment.

The same role-appropriate standards apply to paid workers, volunteers and placements. People whose checks are incomplete are not given unsupervised access to children. Visiting and specialist providers have agreed roles and supervision arrangements.

Staff must treat children respectfully, maintain appropriate boundaries and use approved communication channels. Private contact with children through personal social-media accounts and secret arrangements are not permitted. Workers are expected to report concerns promptly, including concerns about senior colleagues.

If you are concerned about an adult’s conduct, contact [DSL] or [INDEPENDENT_CONTACT]. You may contact children’s social care, the local authority designated officer or police directly where appropriate. Our Safeguarding Policy gives reporting routes. Allegations are handled with appropriate protective action and advice from the relevant agencies; raising a concern does not require the subject’s permission.

We keep staff vetting and allegation records confidential. We do not publish individual DBS certificates or personal recruitment information.