Disclosure and Barring

Hop, Skip and Jump regards the protection of children and vulnerable adults as a priority and is committed to safeguarding all who attend the centres.

 

Hop, Skip and Jump will exercise care in the appointment of all those working /volunteering with children and young people in, working to ‘safe from harm’ principles by ensuring that everyone working with children or young people go through the same process which includes the following factors:

 

v All interviews and recruitment are carried out under equal opportunities principles.

v No formal offer of paid employment or volunteer role is made until a Criminal Records Bureau check at an enhanced level has been applied for and two references have come back. Until a CRB has been processed and completed that member of staff will only be able to work when supervised by another member of staff with an enhanced CRB check.

v CRB checks will be done every two years, (or as agreed by the Foundation Co-ordinator and Trustees).

v Paid Staff will be expected to pay for their own Enhanced DBS Clearance as a requirement of their role.

v Following completion of One Year with Hop Skip and Jump the fee will be reimbursed on production of the original receipt.

v Volunteer DBS checks are currently Free of Charge and will be undertaken every two years. Volunteers for less than 3 months, should obtain a CRB check through their training providers/education establishments.

 

When using contractors or outside partnerships, Hop, Skip and Jump will request, prior to the work being carried out, proof of suitability for these persons to be on site. This would be requested by the Centre Supervisor and/or Foundation Co-ordinator at the time of the initial enquiry.

 

Hop Skip and Jump will also have, in place, arrangements to ensure that best practice is maintained at all times. This will be monitored by the Centre Manager working together with the contractors and having a system in place to monitor and maintain a safe working practice. All members of HSJ staff will be updated on a daily basis (whilst the contractors are on site) regarding the ongoing work and be given instructions by the Centre Supervisor/Manager as to what their individual responsibility would be. When possible we will have work done when children are not on site.

 

The Policy fulfils the requirements of:

 

The Care Standards Act 2000

The Children Act 1989

The Protection of Children Act 1999

The Human Rights Act 1998

Working together to Safeguard Children (Home Office, Department of Health, Department of Education and Employment 1999)