Fixation Academy of Performing Arts (FPA) strictly follows safe recruitment practices to ensure that all people working with the children and vulnerable adults in our care are safe and suitable to do so. When recruiting staff we will follow the procedures set out below. Volunteers are recruited in the same way as members of staff hold a current DBS – see Volunteer pack for more information.
Advertising the vacancy:
- We will advertise all vacancies, and any job advertisements will include a statement about our commitment to safeguarding children.
Initial enquiry
Upon enquiring about a vacancy, we will send potential candidates:
- A job description
- A person specification
- An application form
The application form includes:
- Instructions that the application form must be completed by hand
- A declaration that all information is correct
- A section under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act that asks if the applicant has been awaiting a verdict, convicted, or cautioned for any relevant offence
- A request for the contact details of two referees one of which should be the last employer; (if this is the candidate’s first job, their course tutor is a suitable alternative)
In order to be considered for an interview, all applicants must submit a hand-written application form by the stated closing date. We will only accept CVs if they are also accompanied by our standard application form completed as required.
Interview procedure:
We will notify all candidates selected for the interview by letter. All candidates will be asked to bring the following items to the interview:
- Proof of identity, eg passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- Proof of address, eg recent utility bill (not mobile phone) or bank statement
- Proof of qualifications, ie the relevant certificates
- For non-British nationals, proof of the right to work in the UK (as required by the Asylum and Immigration Act 2009)
The interview will be conducted by a minimum of two interviewers. All candidates will be asked the same set of questions. We will then ask additional questions about any other issues that arise from their application form, for example gaps in career history, etc. All candidates will also be asked to participate in a session with the children for an hour so that they can be observed interacting with the staff and children. Only when all candidates have been interviewed and observed in a session will we make our final selection.
Appointing a new member of staff:
When we have selected the successful candidate, we will:
- Send them a written offer, which will clearly state that employment is subject to the receipt of suitable references, a clear enhanced DBS check and completion of a probationary period.
- Contact both referees for a reference, including asking them if they have any child protection concerns about the candidate.
- Initiate an enhanced DBS check for the candidate, if 16 or over.
- Ask the candidate to complete a health questionnaire.
- Notify any unsuccessful applicants.
- We will also take photocopies of the new member of staff’s qualification certificates and proof of identity and keep these on file, together with their returned DBS check.
When a new member of staff starts work at FPA we will give him or her:
- Our terms and conditions, and get them to sign their service agreement; a copy of their service agreement will be kept on file.
- All of our Policies, and ensure that they sign a policy confirmation form to confirm that they have read and understood them; the signed form will be kept on file.
- We will conduct a full induction and orientation programme with all new members of staff.
DBS checks
As an organisation working with children/young people we are entitled to request a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record checks for this position, which is included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 and the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) regulations.
New staff will only be allowed to work unsupervised with children when we have received a satisfactory DBS check for them. If we decide to allow a new member of staff to begin work pending the completion of their DBS check, we will complete a risk assessment and they will not be allowed unsupervised access to the children until their clear DBS check has been received. Where applications are rejected because of information that has been disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.
If we decide to allow a new member of staff to begin work pending the completion of their DBS check, we will complete a written risk assessment first and they will not be allowed unsupervised access to the children until we have seen and reviewed their DBS certificate.
DBS checks for all staff will be updated every three years. Information about the status of DBS checks for all staff is kept on our Central DBS Record form.
Disqualification
FPA will not employ staff or volunteers who have been convicted of an offence or have been subject to an order that disqualifies them from registration under regulations made under section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006. Note that a member of staff can become disqualified if they live in the same household as another disqualified person, or if a disqualified person is employed in that household. If a member of staff becomes disqualified we will terminate their employment.
Signed: L. Davitt
Date: 6th September 2021
Date to be reviewed: September 2022
