Safer Recruitment Policy

Animal Antiks is committed to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects all its’ employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

The aim of this Safer Recruitment Policy is to underpin the procedures for appointing staff and volunteers in order to deter or identify people who do not share our values in relation to supporting young people or are otherwise unsuited to working with them.

We will:

• Ensure that our recruitment and selection processes are inclusive, fair, consistent and transparent.
• Take all reasonable steps to prevent those who might harm children or adults from taking up a position of responsibility or authority where they are trusted by others.
• Adhere to safer recruitment legislation, guidance and standards, responding positively to changing understandings of good safer recruitment practice.

In all cases an interview will be held and the relevant employment/volunteer application forms filled out and stored centrally

New employees and regular volunteers will be subject to the following:

• All employees/volunteers will be required to provide at least two references, which are always verified.
• All employees/volunteers will need to provide a record of their full employment history and explain any gaps.
• All employees/volunteers will have an enhanced check carried out (including barred list check where appropriate). In the event of employment, any failure to disclose convictions will result in disciplinary action or dismissal.
• All new employees/volunteers will be supervised until references have been verified and DBS checks received.
• All employees/volunteers will receive Safeguarding training and will then be supervised for their probationary period. Safeguarding training will be updated as a minimum every three years.

Review

This policy is reviewed regularly and updated as required. The last review was carried out in February 2025.