Dareen Foundation is reviewing an application form for a grant assessor for their youth grants programme. The role does not have any regular contact with young people, but as the assessor is responsible for checking all applicants approaches to safeguarding and may make visits, a safer recruitment approach is taken during shortlisting. They answer a question about safeguarding well, giving an example from earlier in their career.
However, there is a six-year gap in their employment history, from the last job to this application. They have written in the question which asks for an explanation of gaps ‘pursuing other goals’ which seems vague. A phone call to the applicant discovers that they have been a stay at home dad during that period and were too embarrassed to put that into the box. They bring proof of that activity to the interview and are able to proceed in the application process.