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NFAQ accredited Safeguarding

Safer Recruitment

Safer recruitment training for nurseries — meet your statutory duties with robust checks, policies and induction.

Every early years setting has a legal duty to stop unsuitable people getting access to the children in its care. The greatest risk sits at the point of recruitment, because that is the moment a stranger becomes a colleague. This safer recruitment training for nurseries takes you through the whole process, from writing the advert to confirming someone in post, and sets out exactly what the law now requires.

The course has been rewritten for the EYFS framework in force from 1 September 2026, which changed the rules on when a new person may start work. If your policy or your habits still allow a supervised start while a DBS certificate is on its way, this course is for you.

Why safer recruitment matters

People who want to harm children look for settings where the checks are weak. Serious case reviews and Ofsted findings return to the same failures: a reference never taken up, a gap in employment nobody asked about, a DBS certificate “in the post” for months, a volunteer who was “only helping out”. Safer recruitment is a chain of steps, and the chain is only as strong as the step you skip.

The suitability requirements in Section 3 of the EYFS are legal requirements for every registered provider, and Ofsted inspects against them. Under the September 2026 framework, nobody may begin working or volunteering in your setting until you have received their enhanced DBS certificate with children’s barred list information. At least one written reference must be obtained before a person is recruited, and a record of every check must be kept.

What’s in the course

  1. Why safer recruitment mattersThe three aims: deter, identify and reject, and prevent.
  2. The legal frameworkThe Childcare Act 2006, the EYFS, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, the 2018 Disqualification Regulations and KCSIE.
  3. What changed on 1 September 2026No start before the certificate, the end of the supervision exemption, and the new reference standard.
  4. Who must be checked, and which checkStaff, volunteers, people living or working on the premises, contractors and visitors.
  5. The recruitment process, step by stepJob description, advert, application form, references, interview, identity, DBS, overseas checks and disqualification.
  6. Starting work: the gateWhy shadowing, supernumerary or risk-assessed starts are not allowed, and how to use the waiting time.
  7. Positive disclosures, induction and probationMaking fair, documented decisions, and what contracts and induction must cover.
  8. Ongoing suitability, records and policiesThe LADO and DBS referral duties, the single central record, and the policies Ofsted expects.
  9. Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.

What you’ll learn

  • Why nobody may start, even shadowing or under a risk assessment, until the enhanced DBS certificate with barred list information has been received
  • Who needs an enhanced check with barred list information, including regular volunteers now that the supervision exemption has gone
  • How to take up references under EYFS paragraph 3.20: no “to whom it may concern” letters, none obtained by the applicant, none from family members
  • Why you always use an application form rather than a CV, and explore every gap in employment at interview
  • How to handle a declared conviction fairly: set it aside until after shortlisting, then assess it against the role
  • When to use the DBS Update Service, when an overseas check is needed, and how to handle disqualification declarations
  • What to record on the single central record: what was checked, when, by whom, and the DBS certificate number
  • How agency and bank staff, students, contractors and visitors should be checked and supervised

Who this course is for

  • Nursery managers and owners who recruit staff and volunteers
  • Deputies and senior staff who sit on interview panels
  • Anyone who keeps the single central record or checks agency staff and students on arrival
  • Managers reviewing their safer recruitment policy against the September 2026 framework

How it works

  • OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
  • One in-depth lessonWith narrated audio and four scenario checks.
  • 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
  • CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.

Training your team

Safer recruitment works best when everyone who shortlists, interviews and checks new starters applies the same rules. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. It pairs well with Designated Safeguarding Lead (Level 3) and Effective Supervision and Appraisal for Early Years Managers.

Frequently asked questions

Can a new member of staff start before their DBS certificate arrives?

No. Since 1 September 2026, EYFS paragraph 3.17 means nobody begins working or volunteering until you have received their enhanced DBS certificate with barred list information. A risk assessment cannot authorise an early start. Induction or e-learning done away from children, such as at home, is acceptable.

Do supervised volunteers need a DBS check?

Regular volunteers do, whether supervised or not. The only exception is an occasional supervised helper, such as a parent joining a single outing, who does not stay overnight and does not provide personal care.

How many references do we need?

At least one written reference, obtained by you before the person is recruited, from their current employer, training provider or education setting and completed by a senior person. Two, including the most recent employer, is good practice.

Does a conviction on a DBS certificate mean we cannot appoint?

Not automatically, unless the person is barred or disqualified. Assess the case fairly against the role, decide at a senior level, and document your reasons.

What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?

You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.

Will this help at Ofsted?

Ofsted does not approve training providers. Your certificate is evidence that you completed the training. Ofsted will ask to see your single central record, and the course shows you what it must contain.