New Safer Recruitment Process

This page highlights important changes that are taking place to the Safer Recruitment process for Companies in Scotland associated with Church of Scotland congregations.

From 1st June 2025, The Boys’ Brigade will manage the process for the appointment of new leaders, including taking up references and the PVG check (which has been in place since May last year).

The new process

This new Safer Recruitment process will involve (after a conversation with the applicant determining their suitability and willingness to be a leader):

The applicant completes parts 1 to 4 of the LREG1-SCOT form and sends the reference request link (see info below) to their two referees.

The Company Captain/Correspondent completes part 5 of the form and then sends it to the Congregational Safeguarding Coordinator of the associated Church.

The Congregational Safeguarding Coordinator arranges for part 6 to be completed and signed by the Minister or Session Clerk and returned to the Company Captain/Correspondent. The affirmation of the nomination should be recorded in the minutes of the next meeting of the Kirk Session.

The Company Captain/Correspondent is responsible for returning the completed LREG form to BBHQ.

Checking Identity: Identity documents belonging to the applicant will need to be checked by the Company Captain/Correspondent or Battalion Secretary/President/Vice-President/Treasurer and a PVG ID Checking Form completed.

BBHQ will then support the applicant to complete and submit the PVG Scheme membership application.

BBHQ will ensure that all steps of the Safer Recruitment process (which also includes mandatory Safeguarding & Managing Risk e-learning modules) are successfully completed before the applicant is approved as a leader.

References

The applicant must provide the details of two referees on the LREG form (part 4).

• Referees must be over 18 years.
• Referees should not be family members, and the two named referees should not be related to each other. In addition, the Captain/Correspondent completing the Company Nomination should not be a referee.
• Only one referee can be a current BB leader, or member of the Church leadership team. Best practice is both referees are independent of BB and the Church.
• Referees should know the applicant well, for a minimum of two years.
• They should understand the role that the individual is applying for and that they will be working with children and young people.

The applicant is responsible for contacting referees and asking them to submit the reference request online here. Once the reference requests are submitted BBHQ will review these.

Drop-in Sessions

We will also be running two virtual drop-in sessions for Company Captains/Correspondents if you have any questions or would like to clarify anything about the changes to the Safer Recruitment process:

• Monday 9th June, 1pm to 1:45pm – Register here
• Tuesday 10th June, 6pm to 6:45pm – Register here

This is a change in process, not a change in the relationship between Company and Church, which is so important to our mission as a Christian youth organisation.

Remember that any safeguarding concerns and allegations still need to be reported to the BBHQ Safeguarding Manager and Congregational Safeguarding Coordinator.

If you have any questions please contact us on support@boys-brigade.org.uk or 0300 303 4454.