IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS COURSE

Please only book on this course if you can answer “Yes” to all of the following online course requirements:

• I am able to attend both course sessions (Tuesday 17 March 2026 and Tuesday 24 March 2026)
• I have an individual device with a camera, microphone, sound, and a suitable internet connection
• I have a suitably private workspace, without distractions/interruptions, where I can attend by myself for both sessions (for workshop activity purposes the device I am using will not be shared with any other attendees)
• I understand that I will need to complete and pass an assessment following the course
• I understand that the number of attendees per individual school may be restricted to ensure that there are a wide range of attendees from different schools able to attend the course
• I understand that this course will only proceed if minimum numbers of attendees have confirmed bookings – the course may be cancelled, at short notice, if there are insufficient numbers booked on or there are high numbers of attendee cancellations.

Course Aim

• To provide an overview of safer recruitment and safeguarding in education to enable schools to deter, reject, and identify people who might sexually abuse children, or are otherwise unsuitable to work with them.

Overview of the Workshop

• Looks at how safer recruitment fits with the wider context of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, the scale of abuse, a model of offender behaviour, some aspects of the characteristics of people who sexually abuse children, and of how people who sexually abuse children typically operate within organisations, and relate that to recruitment
• Illustrates the importance of planning a recruitment exercise, sending the right messages to potential applicants, following a consistent and thorough process to obtain relevant information about each applicant, and short-listing candidates for interview
• Considers the importance of making the right decisions and using structured interviews to do that, as well as pre-employment checks on the candidate selected for appointment
• Examines the need for ongoing awareness and vigilance and considers how organisations can develop and maintain an environment that deters and prevents abuse and challenges inappropriate behaviour.

Key Learning

• Understanding of offender behaviour
• Understanding the key features of staff recruitment that help deter or prevent the appointment of unsuitable people
• Understanding of policies and practices that minimises opportunities for abuse or ensure its prompt reporting
• Helping participants to begin to review their own policies and practices with a view to making them “safer”.