The Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association is committed to prioritising the safety and well-being of children and young people in everything that we do. This Safer Recruitment Policy seeks to ensure only suitable adults are selected to work with our children and young people members, and that they understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and managing risk.
Safer Recruitment in The Boys’ Brigade includes a company nomination, references, vetting and barring checks, and mandatory training. In addition, the Church that the BB Company is partnered with nominates (or affirms in the Church of Scotland) the applicant. The full Safer Recruitment processes must be completed before adult volunteers commence their roles.
| Everyone in The Boys’ Brigade has a responsibility to keep children and young people safe, and a duty to respond to any safeguarding concerns and allegations. Leaders have the same safeguarding responsibilities as anyone employed to work with children and young people. If any applicant or leader is unable to understand and follow the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures or is unable to safeguard children and young people, they cannot be considered for adult roles in The Boys’ Brigade. |
This Policy has been drawn up taking account of regional vetting and barring authority requirements, relevant regional Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and legislation as follows;
The Safer Recruitment Policy applies to all Adult Volunteer roles (18+) in The Boys’ Brigade. This includes returning Leaders, Residential Activity Helpers, Helpers, Warrant Officers, Lieutenants, Captains, Reserve Officers and all other Battalion and District Roles. It also includes Youth Volunteers* when they reach their 18th birthday.
Throughout this Policy, “Adult Volunteer Roles” will be referred to as Leaders. The prospective leader will be referred to as Applicant.
Youth Volunteers are young people aged 13 – 17 who volunteer with a Company in their Anchor or Junior sections, normally linked to completion of the service elements as part of an external award, such as DofE. Once a Youth Volunteer reaches their 18th birthday, their Youth Volunteer role will end. Where Captains consider the Youth Volunteer has the capacity and skills to undertake a leadership role in BB, they can invite them to become an adult volunteer. The safer recruitment processes must be completed in advance of their 18th birthday. They cannot return after turning 18 unless all elements of the safer recruitment process have been completed.
It is important to note that there are regional variations regarding vetting and barring checks for Youth Volunteers aged 16 and 17 in Scotland https://boys-brigade.org.uk/forms/ylf.pdf
This Policy links to several other policies, procedures and guidance, including but not limited to the Safeguarding Policy Statement, Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, Data Protection Policy, Leaders’ Code of Conduct and Position of Trust Guidance.
Trustees: Approve Safer Recruitment Policy and Procedures, ensuring they are implemented.
Director of Operations: Oversees Safer Recruitment processes.
Safeguarding Manager: Responds to any concerns that arise about an applicant during any stage of the process.
BBHQ Support Team
The minimum age to become a leader is 18. Ideally, suitable young people members will wait until the session they become 19 to commence their leader role. This reduces any issues connected with holding a position of trust whilst their immediate peers are still young people members in the organisation. In addition, the summer break allows time for the full Safer Recruitment processes to be undertaken. Captains should familiarise themselves with the BB Position of Trust Guidance to manage any existing relationships. To further avoid any issues in this area, it is good practice to ensure they are only in a position of trust of Anchors and Juniors until their peers in Seniors have either left or become leaders themselves.
Applicants must complete a Leader Registration form, give permission for vetting and barring checks to be undertaken, and declare any relevant information that may impact their suitability to work with children and young people. Applicants must provide details of two referees and complete Mandatory Training before they are registered. It is also recommended that Applicants attend a meeting with the Captain and/or a Church Official to understand the requirements of their role.
The Company Captain nominates suitable and willing individuals to become leaders. They must be satisfied that the prospective leader is able to understand the responsibilities that come with holding a position of trust. This includes:
Nomination – England, Wales and ROI. The relevant Church Official nominates the individual, on behalf of the Church governing body, confirming their suitability to be a leader.
Affirmation – Scotland. The relevant Church Official affirms the nomination, subject to successful completion of The Boys’ Brigade safer recruitment process.
Vetting and Barring checks, which include ID verification, are completed to ensure adults are safe, suitable, and allowed to work with children and young people. Whilst there are regional variations, the principles and requirements are the same.
Vetting and Barring checks are repeated 5 yearly across the regions as part of a Disclosure Check milestone. This ensures that all volunteers continue to meet our safeguarding requirements and that our records remain accurate and up to date. See below for informationa bout any blemishes that come to light during a recheck
If a check reveals information (Conviction, caution/warning, reprimand or information), the regional vetting and barring authority shares the certificate with the applicant and informs the organisation (The Boys’ Brigade) that there is a blemish. The Boys’ Brigade will request a copy of the certificate from the applicant. If they fail to provide the certificate within an agreed timescale, the application will be withdrawn, and they will be informed. The Company Captain will be notified that the application has been withdrawn, but will not be told there was a blemish.
If the vetting and barring blemish certificate is provided, there will be an initial assessment by the BBHQ Safeguarding Manager to consider whether the information impacts their suitability for the role. If deemed to be suitable, the application will continue.
Where it is not clear that they are suitable, The Boys’ Brigade Safeguarding Panel will invite the individual to participate in a risk assessment process to determine their suitability for the role. If deemed to be suitable, the application will continue. If the Safeguarding Panel does not consider the applicant to be suitable for the role, they will be informed.
Whilst this decision cannot be appealed, the Safeguarding Panel, in some circumstances, may advise the applicant to reapply in the future. Examples of when this can occur include (but are not limited to)
Where an applicant has traffic offences on their certificate, there may be a time-limited restriction imposed to prevent them from driving BB young people members as part of BB activities. Of note, an applicant and/or leader who has been disqualified from driving must not drive BB young people members as part of BB activities until three years after their licence has been reinstated.
All applicants, including returning leaders, must complete mandatory e-learning modules in Safeguarding and Managing Risk before being fully registered as leaders. Once registered, all leaders are required to complete the Safeguarding and Managing Risk modules of Youth Leader Training within 12 months.
All Registered leaders must adhere to the Leaders’ Code of Conduct, see here
Leader – Any registered volunteer leader. This includes all Company, Battalion and District Roles. It includes volunteers who work directly with children and young people members and those with no direct contact.
Company Captain – Includes Captains and Company Correspondents.
Children and young people – This includes Anchors, Juniors, Company, Seniors and Youth Volunteers.
Applicant – Adult aged 18+ who has applied to become a Leader.
