Safeguarding Principles for Educational Organisations
For any educational organisation, from nurseries to universities, one of the crucial considerations is the safeguarding of the pupils and everybody else within them.
DBS Checks are one of the things that usually take place to ensure that suitable regulations are put in place to make safety a number one priority.
By now, you may be wondering, what roles are eligible for a DBS check and if they are, then what level should those checks be? It isn’t always obvious, as there is a large array of roles within organisations like these.
Schools
Safeguarding regulations must be put into action for children. Children are defined by the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service), as pupils aged 18 or younger and in full-time education. This means that an enhanced DBS Check and a check against the children’s barred list is required of staff such as teachers, teaching assistants and school nurses, as they are all participating in a regulated activity with the children. Also, any staff working for the school will also undergo a DBS Check because they are working onsite.
Subcontractors are also suitable for an Enhanced DBS Check but without the children’s barred list check. This is if they are working for more than at least 3 times in a 30 day period.
Outside of term time
If you are working around a similar time that subcontractors do, then you are suitable for a standard DBS Check. This is because schools should have a very high level of safeguarding as they are classified as a limited range of establishments by the DBS (or ‘specified place’).
Do cleaners require checks?
If working during term time, then yes. Although they may not be directly working with students, if they are regularly onsite they are technically working unsupervised on the school grounds. They will require an Enhanced Check along with a check of the children’s barred list.
Sometimes, in specific circumstances like extra curricular activities and school trips, the cleaners’ hours may overlap so they may encounter each other, making a check necessary.
Voluntary work
School governors and trustees work directly for the school, which means that an enhanced check is suitable.
If volunteer workers meet the frequency test, then they will require the same checks as a permanent staff member allowing the volunteer to become trusted when unsupervised, allowing them to safely build relationships with pupils. In both cases, a check of the barred list would be suitable because they are responsible for the supervision of the children.
Some voluntary workers, such as school governors, may also help to make decisions on recruitment of staff, putting them in a highly responsible position that will require a high-level DBS check.
To find out more about working in an educational establishment and how it relates to DBS checks, then get in touch today.
