Recruitment in education

The Department for Education (previously as the Department for Children, Schools and Families) issued a consultation on the Revised Guidance on Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education. The Refugee Council’s response is informed significantly by Refugees into Teaching, a national project supporting refugees into work in schools in England.

We welcome the proposed practice of not requiring education employers to conduct additional enhanced CRB checks if an applicant is Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) registered. However, we consider that the Guidance needs to adopt a clearer position on recruiting overseas staff, in particular refugees. Allowing an entitlement to request an enhanced CRB Disclosure without guidance as to when this is reasonable may result in an over-cautious approach for non-traditional applicants including refuges by education employers. In general, we would recommend that the Guidance avoids using language that may imply refugees pose a higher risk or are more problematic in establishing suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults. Instead, the Guidance should provide a clear definition of a refugee and a positive statement of the entitlements to work and training that come through being granted this status.