Safer Recruitment Policy

This policy provides guidance and standards to enable recruiting managers to attract, recruit and retain the best candidate for the job from a diverse and wide pool of applicants in a safe and efficient way in accordance with best practice.

This policy applies to all potential employees and current personnel employed by Boxing Futures irrespective of the nine Protected Characteristics – age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. In the context of recruitment and selection, this means equitable and fair, recruitment and selection of people according to their ability to do the job.

Boxing Futures is committed to providing a working environment and culture which treat employees and potential employees and workers fairly and equitability. This policy and procedure will apply equally to all the above including those on full-time, part-time, acting up, secondments and fixed-term contracts and volunteers.

This policy and associated procedures, aim to reinforce Boxing Futures’ Values as these are its underpinning principles.

The checks in this policy would apply as appropriate to all workers, including temporary employee and volunteers and contractors. Recruitment and management of volunteers is part of Boxing Futures’ volunteering policy and ethos.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – The agency in England for criminal records and safeguarding barring list checks. It superseded the former Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority arrangements (ISA).

Employment check – Verification of information required to satisfy Boxing Futures that an applicant is suitable for their role.

Permanent Employee – A person who is employed with the intention of there being an on-going employment relationship for an indefinite period which may be full-time or part-time.

Secondment – Is the temporary loan or transfer of an employee to another Organisation, or a different part of the Organisation, for a specific purpose and defined period of time. The arrangements of which have agreed between all the parties prior to the Secondment commencing.

Fixed-term contract – Is defined as a person with a contract of employment which is usually due to end when a specified and defined date is reached or a specified task has been completed.

Internal vacancies – Posts that are open to workers, volunteers and employees working within Boxing Futures and this can include agency workers.

External vacancies – Posts that are open to all both inside and outside the organisation.

Temporary Employee – A person who works on a short-term duration temporary contract as and when basis.

Volunteer – A person who carries out a function on a voluntary basis for Boxing Futures without payment though expenses may be paid.

Positive action – The Equality Act allows employers to take positive action if they think that their employees or job applicants who share a particular protected characteristic suffer a disadvantage connected to that characteristic, or if their participation in an activity is disproportionately low. This must be considered in relation to other groups or individuals who may, as a result, be disadvantaged by such action.

Positive discrimination – Positive discrimination is unlawful if there is no clear justification or rationale. Positive action is allowed for in the Equality Act 2010 under which employers are able to remove barriers that might prevent certain people being employed by, or progressing within, their organisation. This must only be used in exceptional situations and as a last resort to ensure other applicants are not excluded.

Recruiting manager – the person with responsibility for the recruitment of a post

A recruiting manager (who may also be the line manager) is the lead for recruiting a specific post. The person is to ensure that the recruitment and selection process is carried out in accordance with Boxing Futures’ policies and procedures at all times seeking the support of Human Resources for advice and input where needed.

The Recruiting manager should also ensure that:
• Applicants are not unfairly discriminated against during the recruitment and selection process on the basis of criminal convictions held.
• Confidentiality is maintained regarding any convictions disclosed by candidates at any stage of the recruitment process.

It is recognised that in order to take recruitment decisions of quality, the recruiting manager must have the appropriate skills. Boxing Futures will aim to ensure that all recruiting managers are trained in recruitment and selection techniques.

When a vacancy arises the line manager should analyse the vacancy to establish how or if the vacancy should be filled and meets workforce planning needs, eg like for like replacement or a change to the skill mix, hours or responsibilities.

Upon receiving a resignation from an employee, the line managers must utilise the notice period for commencing the recruitment process and must not wait for the employees last day of work. An exit interview should be held by a different manager if possible, as soon as the resignation is received to understand why the employee is leaving and if Boxing Futures needs to make any changes.

The job description, person specification and knowledge and skills framework (KSF) for the role should be reviewed before advertising to establish if there are significant changes to the role or responsibilities within the job description.

Safer recruiting requires that the both Job Description and Person Specification highlights the Safeguarding responsibilities involved in the role.

Authorisation to recruit to the vacancy must be obtained to check Budgetary resources before the recruitment process can commence.

It is Boxing Futures’ policy that wherever possible vacancies are offered internally to maximise the opportunities for existing employees to advance their careers and/or work at locations they would prefer. As such all vacancies will be placed on Boxing Futures’ intranet in advance of open adverts. However, this will not limit Boxing Futures from running the vacancy externally in a concurrent process.

In the event of limited or no appropriate internal candidates, all vacancies will advertised on the appropriate external recruiting sources including Agencies and Job Boards.

Safer recruitment requires that adverts send a clear Safeguarding message and will state clearly if a criminal records check will be required.

Adverts must make it clear that all offers are conditional on the appropriate checks and can be withdrawn if necessary.

If any employees are deemed ‘at risk’ in a redundancy situation they will be given priority over vacancies subject to suitability and skills and training needs etc.

A standard electronic application form must be completed by all external applicants..

For internal vacancies a ‘short’ application form should be completed.

The submission of Curriculum Vitaes (CV) will be accepted in appropriate circumstances.

As volunteers are not employees within the meaning of the Employment Rights Act 1996 they need to submit their application to volunteer in writing.

The shortlisting process will be undertaken by the appropriate recruiting manager.

To ensure that Safer Recruitment is followed the selection process must be robust enough to identify and reject applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

In selecting the best applicants for interview, the recruiting manager must ensure that the shortlisted applicants demonstrate the essential experience/criteria identified in the person specification.

Where there are a large volume of applicants that meet the essential criteria the recruiting manager may wish to select applicants who also meet the desirable experience/criteria identified in the person specification.

The shortlisting process should be consistent and fair with clear written rationale as to why applicants have or have not met the criteria. The reasons behind each decision are to be formally recorded for both ensuring that any claim of unfair selection can be defended.

For Safer recruitment applicants considered unsuitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults must be clearly recorded so they are not able to reapply in the future.

For Safer recruitment, interviews should always be conducted face to face. Ensure that applicants are aware of what the interview will require and that they can ask for special arrangements to be able to participate fully.

The interview questions should be appropriate for the post and must be linked to the person specification and the job description. All applicants must be asked the same questions. However stronger applicants will often develop additional dialogue as the interview progresses.

Applicants need to demonstrate a strong understanding of the requirements of Safeguarding.

At least one question should be in relation to Boxing Futures’ values and safeguarding.

For Safer recruitment interviews applicants must be able to demonstrate that they can establish professional boundaries and integrity.

That they can establish and maintain appropriate relationships with children, young adults and vulnerable people.

That they can take action to protect and keep safe.

The interviewer must ensure consistency with the marking of answers, which should be clearly recorded and scored and marked on the Interview Record form.

These standards will be applied as appropriate to applicants on permanent, fixed-term and secondment contracts, temporary staffing, volunteers, students, trainees, contractors and agency staff.

All offers of employment are to be made subject to satisfactory completions of the Checks. However, in most cases this will not affect the successful candidate being required to submit their resignation as the Checks will be run concurrently with the successful candidate giving and working their Notice period with their current employer.

The Checks are;
• Verification of Identity
• Right to Work checks
• Employment History and References
• Professional Registration and Qualifications
• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
• Self-Disclosure Form if deemed appropriate

Offer of Employment

This can initially be made verbally but must be confirmed in writing with the offer of appropriate terms and conditions of employment.

The offer must be made subject to all necessary checks being completed in a set time scale and the results being satisfactory and also subject to the receipt of satisfactory employment references. An offer can also be made that is conditional to an Occupational Health check.

All checks and results must be deemed as acceptable to Boxing Futures.

Probationary period and Induction Period.

For all new employees to Boxing Futures all offers made are subject to a minimum probationary period of 6 months which may be extended at the sole discretion.

The Induction will provide detailed training to ensure that the new employee or volunteer fully understands all aspects of working with children, young adults and vulnerable people and that breaches of rules and standards can result in formal Disciplinary action and even dismissal.

Relocation expenses

It is not Company policy to pay relocation expenses however in cases of demonstrable hardship Boxing Futures is prepared to consider a loan.

Start date for new employee

Boxing Futures can choose to place a new employee on the payroll in advance all of the Employment Check Standards being verified to minimise delay but the offer of employment must be clear that without acceptable checks employment will not continue.

Where evidence is presented in advance that a prospective employee does not satisfy employment checks, for example unsatisfactory reference or failure to declare a criminal conviction, that person must not be permitted to commence employment or allow a volunteer to start.

All offers made by Boxing Futures are conditional on verification of statements made by the prospective employee. Untrue statements are grounds for dismissal and may in some cases constitute a criminal offence. Offers of employment or of voluntary service are conditional and can be withdrawn as necessary .

Interview expenses

Boxing Futures does not make payment of expenses incurred for travel to applicants attending interviews.

Boxing Futures undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a criminal record check on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed. Boxing Futures Ltd can only ask an individual to provide details of convictions and cautions that Boxing Futures Ltd are legally entitled to know about and can only ask an individual about convictions and cautions that are not protected. We are committed to the fair treatment of staff, potential staff, volunteers and potential volunteers regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.

Boxing Futures Ltd ensures that all staff involved in the recruitment process have received appropriate guidance and training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex – offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. At interview, or in a separate discussion, the charity will ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of the volunteer opportunity.

Boxing Futures Ltd makes every subject of a criminal record check submitted to DBS aware of the existence of the Code of Practice, makes a copy available on request, and undertakes to discuss any matter revealed on a DBS certificate with the individual seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer. to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences.

Boxing Futures aims to ensure that no job applicant suffers discrimination because of any of the Protected Characteristics. Recruitment procedures are reviewed regularly to ensure that individuals are assessed on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Job selection criteria are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are relevant to the job and are not disproportionate.

Job advertisements should avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage particular groups from applying.

Boxing Futures takes steps to ensure that their vacancies are advertised to a diverse labour market.

Boxing Futures is required by law to ensure that all employees are entitled to work in the UK. Assumptions about immigration status should not be made based on appearance or apparent nationality. All prospective staff, regardless of nationality, must be able to produce original documents (such as a passport) before employment starts, to satisfy current immigration legislation. If applicable, an applicant who is not British (including N. Ireland) or Irish, must be able to provide their Share Code number from the Home Office.

This policy was approved on 17th June 2024.

Review date: May 2025.