Introduction to safer recruitment practices

Safer recruitment practices help to make sure that staff, volunteers and trustees are suitable to work with others at the organisation and with beneficiaries. Safety should be considered at every stage of the recruitment process.

Before you use this page you should check whether you need any of these additional guides.

• If you are new to recruitment then you should use our recruitment planning guide together with this page.
• If your organisation provides activities for children (particularly regulated activities), you should follow detailed government guidance. NSPCC Learning's safer recruitment guide explains that guidance well.
• If your organisation works with young people, you may find the National Youth Agency's safe people guidance on the Safeguarding and Risk Management Hub useful.
• If you provide services focused on adults at risk, such as care provision, then Ann Craft Trust's information about regulated activity with adults at risk may be helpful.

Your recruitment and selection policy should cover all the areas that follow so that all staff and managers understand how to recruit people more safely and more fairly.