Recruitment

[TORO]

Hello everyone,

 

What do you do when you have requested for references and you don't get them.? Also what is the actual meaning of "rigorous recruitment and checking procudures mean in terms of Ofsted report". I know about CRBS, references, but not sure what else you have got to do, this is one of my ofsted action plan for next inspection this year, l had 2. If anyone has a telephone reference pro forma to share, would be grateful.

 

Thanks

Toro

[Guest]

In answer to your first question - if we do not get a reply to a written request for references we either follow up by writing again or telephoning to ask if the referee has received the original and then resending. If these measures do not work we ask the candidate to supply alternate references and point out that any offer of a position is dependant on both the CRB and suitable references. If the second of of referees did not respond the matter would then have to be considered at the end of the trial period of employment if we had got that far. Ultimately I believe we would have the option to terminate the trial period/employment but it has never come to this.

[Cait]

We'd always ask for 3 references, as it's more likely that we'll manage to receive at least 2. I suppose 'rigorous' in this context means 'robust', in that you have a plan of what you will do - your recruitment procedure - and how you intend to carry it out, for example that you have a contingency plan for what you will do if your references don't materialise.

[Guest]

I thought part of the safeguarding children meant know references have to be obtained now before interviews are held.

That is the procedure in schools in kirklees and I know its pretty new but I always thought references would be obtained before anyone was set on and started work.

[Inge]

In an ideal world it would be good to get references before interview but time scales do not allow this in the PVI sector particularly... within a notice period often of 1 month..sometimes less... you have to advertise, get applications, interview ....and to get references in this period would be almost impossible...could be telephone references but I do feel these need to be backed up by written ones..they could give anyone's phone number to call how am I to know who I am talking to , and then to get crb as well in this time frame makes it impossible....

 

To show our procedure we had a folder with everything to do with recruitment...

from where we would advertise, to application forms, interview questions, who took responsibility, where we had crb checks done, employment policy, contracts,we also included the induction process any staff handbooks, examples of letters sent for references etc etc...

and in the front a list of what we did in order... this in fact allowed anyone to just look and know how to recruit.. very useful in a committee setting... but also for Ofsted.

 

 

Inge

[Guest]

Does this help? I went on a safe recruitment training day and we got loads of information, templates etc on a memory stick. This is just a bit of what we got (adapted to meet the setting).

 

If you need anything else, give me a shout.

 

Jenni

Safer_Recruitment_Implementation_Plan.doc

Template_guidance_notes_for_managers_on_safer_recruitment.doc

Edited January 29, 2009 by Jenni B

[Guest]

Thanks Jenni for those attachments. This is a timely discussion for me so can I ask - I notice in your plan document you state you will take up references prior to interview. Is this because you feel it is better in your setting or have you been advised this is how it should now be done as MARYS states?

 

Previously we have done references afterwards as the timescales are an issue as Inge says but before I post this flipping advert I am ready and waiting to change anything in the application paperwork I need to!

Thanks.

[TORO]

I thank you all for the response, thank God for FSF

 

Toro

[Guest]

Hi

 

The advice/training is to take up references before interview!! I know that this causes issues, particularly if you as the employee, is looking for another job, because your present employer would find out about it even if you dont get the job! And as you rightly say, the timescales are often tight for the employer!

[Guest]

Thanks for that. I will factor that into my revisions of the paperwork. Thinking about it I something on safer recruitment from teachernet. They sent it me about six times for some reason. I must dig it out.

[Cait]

Thanks for these JenniB. Yes, you are right, in an ideal world, this would definitely be the case, but I can understand why some settings find it hard, with the timescales they have, to fit it all in!

[lynned55]

The main issue with this is as you say the time, a lot of potential employees would perhaps not give permission for referenced to be obtained prior to interview.