Suitable Person

[C1403]

Hello All

 

Without going into details.

I had a call with Ofsted today. They asked how I (chair) as registered person would assess the suitability of our staff (namely the manager).

We have a staff policy that states all staff should have relevant DBS checks, evidence of qualifications, references etc. We also follow a safer recruitment policy/procedure. However how would this work with staff who are long serving members(15+years).

We do hold their DBS numbers, copies of qualifications, very old references etc Would regular supervisions and appriasals assess suitability as well as the annual self suitability questionnaire. They also attend training.

We have no overall concerns about our staff until this most recent issue.

Thanks for any help

C

Edited June 19, 2017 by C1403

[FSFRebecca]

Do you carry our annual 'ongoing suitability checks'? Something like this? Suitability declaration

[C1403]

Yes we do, in fact I gave out the forms a week or two ago.

 

I am not sure when staff were last requested to sign a Health Declaration or if one has been signed before.

 

Thanks

[FSFRebecca]

Well in terms of suitability - if you have done all the checks and confirmed everyone's suitability that should be fine. With old references - that you have 'inherited' I might be inclined to write a nice letter introducing yourself and explaining about legacy references and ask all staff to provide a couple of character references. There is no specific requirement regarding references, other than safe recruitment pols and practices - but you could ask for updated ones - Staff who know why you are trying to get all the files up to date will understand. I would then keep both the old, and the new, references on file. You will need to think about what you will do if somehting unexpected turns up - I'd speak to ACAS first and ask them what they think.

[C1403]

Thanks. I am not too concerned re the references as these people were here when the setting first opened.

 

However what I need to be able to show Ofsted is how we ensure staff remain suitable...so I would say the following would show this

--Annual Self Declaration forms

--Supervisions/Annual Appraisals

--Ensuring training is up to date (first aid, safeguarding etc.

 

Just wondering if there is anything else to add to this (we may already do it).

 

The files already have their DBS details, proof of Qualifications and references (where we have them)

 

Thank you

[Panders]

Yes we do, in fact I gave out the forms a week or two ago.

 

I am not sure when staff were last requested to sign a Health Declaration or if one has been signed before.

 

Thanks

I know this is an annual type of a job, BUT if you have a reasonable turnover of staff, I think the health and safeguarding questions should be asked at each Supervision, people's circumstances change and they don't always realise it is something they should actually tell, they may simply forget, I'd rather irritate 3 times a year than wait a whole year to find out!

[manor]

With your long term serving staff when was their DBS done? Just thinking if it was a while ago they would not have signed up for the 'Up Date Service' as its only just been made compulsory when doing a DBS now. Therefore if you got all your long serving staff to sign up for this service, it could be another way of showing Ofsted the suitability of your staff. Hope that makes sense?

[C1403]

Thanks again.

Turnover of staff is generally quite low apart from early this year when our deputy left.

I will look I to DbS update. I believe there is a online way of checking certificates, so will do this.

Thanks

[FSFRebecca]

Thanks again.

Turnover of staff is generally quite low apart from early this year when our deputy left.

I will look I to DbS update. I believe there is a online way of checking certificates, so will do this.

Thanks

Yes, you can check DBS online but only if the certificate holder has signed up to the update service. They have to do this within a very short time of getting the orginal certificate - this is the information page. DBS update service.

If they didn't sign up, their DBS can't be checked and is only as valid as an old CRB used to be (ie valid on the day issued and then 'good faith')

Are you getting any help from your local authority adivsory team?, these are just the sort of issues they can help with