RECRUITMENT POLICY

It is essential for Child Contact Centres to be staffed in a way that will allow them to provide a safe and reliable service for adults and children. The following is a list of good practice when recruiting new staff and Managers:

Job description to include:
Job purpose.
Scope of the job.
Knowledge and experience.
Skills.
Key accountabilities and performance measures.

This is required so that the person applying for the position knows exactly what the job entails and what tasks they would be expected to be carried out.
Person specification: outlines what would be expected from the person and includes the following:

Health and safety.
Customer satisfaction.
Quality and continuous improvement.
Proactive approach to work.
Team working.

Job advert: this can be advertised in a range of settings.

Application form and employment and equal opportunities monitoring: prospective applicants will be required to complete an application form which will include headings such as: personal details, history of education, qualifications gained, at least five years employment history, criminal records (the organisation will require a DBS check to be carried out) and that they have permission to work in the UK (refer to https://www.gov.uk/view-right-to-work). Additionally, an equal opportunity monitoring form should be included in the application pack. This ensures that discrimination is prevented and is concerned with promoting the rights of all members in society.

Short listing: the essential and desirable elements of the person specification and job description will make up the short-listing form so that candidates can be selected for interview.

Interview letter: letters inviting candidates to come along for an interview will be administrated. If a presentation or test is to take place, this must be stated in the letter to prepare candidates.

Interview questions: it is important that questions are prepared before the interview, and they are relevant to the job advertised and the person’s competency.

Interview panel: it is preferable that three members are part of the interview panel to:

Analyse the applications to identify they match the criteria of short listing.
Plan interview, questions, roles of the group and structure.
Prepare suitable environment.
Open interview appropriately and establish a rapport with the candidate.
Use appropriate questioning techniques.
Control interview.
Communicate (listening and speaking).
Invite and deal with candidate questions.
Close interview.
Liaise with other members of the panel.
Conduct interview within legal requirements and make clear notes and justification for decision.

DBS checks: once the successful candidate has been chosen, it is essential that enhanced checks are carried out prior to commencement in post.

References: two written references are required for applicants (if a verbal reference is carried out, a hard copy is also required). Once the references are returned to the service, it is important that any points that may be unclear in the reference must be highlighted and followed up with the referee.

Job offer letter: after the interviews have taken place and the candidate has been selected, DBS check received and appropriate references, an offer of employment, paid or unpaid, is sent to the successful candidate. This letter outlines the following and can act as their ‘contract of employment:

Probationary period.
Salary or expenses.
Hours of work.
Location.
Starting date.
Pension scheme conditions.
Holiday entitlement.
Notice period.

Contract: once all appropriate paperwork is received (references, DBS check, etc.), the contract of employment should be drawn up, and the person should sign and return one copy, retaining the other.

Induction process: the induction process should be undertaken by a responsible person. A named mentor should be provided.

Staff file: the Co-ordinator should hold an individual staff file which contains copies of their application form, interview papers, references and dates of DBS, plus any training and disciplinary proceedings. These will be checked as part of the NACCC accreditation/re-accreditation process.

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually
Name: Siobhan Thompson and Ruth Whitemore	Signature:	Date: April 2025
This policy was last reviewed: April 2025