This policy has been developed to embed safer recruitment practices and procedures throughout Chiltern Music Therapy and to support the creation of a safer culture by reinforcing the safeguarding and well-being of children, young people and vulnerable adults when they are in our care. This policy complies with guidance outlined in “Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy”.
This policy reinforces the expected conduct outlined in the Code of Conduct for Staff as well as the organisation’s Whistle Blowing Policy with which all staff are expected to be familiar with. All successful candidates for paid staff or volunteer positions will be made aware of these documents.
This policy is an essential element in creating and maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all clients Chiltern Music Therapy works with and aims to ensure both safe and fair recruitment and selection of all staff and volunteers by:
Chiltern Music Therapy is committed to using procedures that deal effectively with those adults who fail to comply with the organisation’s safeguarding and child/VA protection procedures and practices.
Our aim at all times is to recruit the person who is most suited to the particular job. Recruitment will be solely on the basis of the applicant's abilities and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the job.
Qualifications, experience and skills will be assessed at the level that is relevant to the job.
Before embarking on the process of recruitment, the all aboarder must ensure that there is an up-to-date job advert for the post. The job advert will describe the duties, responsibilities and level of seniority associated with the post, as well as the type of qualifications, training, knowledge, experience, skills, aptitudes and competencies required for effective performance of the job.
We are committed to applying our equal opportunities policy at all stages of recruitment and selection.
Shortlisting, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, pregnancy or maternity leave or trade union membership.
Any candidate with a disability will not be excluded unless it is clear that the candidate is unable to perform a duty that is intrinsic to the role, having taken into account reasonable adjustments. Reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process will be made to ensure that no applicant is disadvantaged because of their disability.
The Allaboarder, will:
All advertisements for posts of regulated activity, paid or unpaid, will include the following statement;
Chiltern Music Therapy is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All post holders in regulated activity are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and a satisfactory DBS check.
All applicants will have had access to the job advert containing roles and responsibilities and person specification. When applying for a role applicants will also have access to Chiltern’s Safer Recruitment policy including data protection. They will also be asked to complete the Equality and Diversity monitoring form (Completion of this form is not mandatory. Non completion will not impact the recruitment process in any way).
At least one member of the Recruitment Panel will have successfully completed training in safer recruitment within the last 5 years.
Candidates will be short listed against the person specification for the post.
Candidates called to interview will receive:
Questions put to job applicants during an interview will not be discriminatory or unnecessarily intrusive. The interview will focus on the needs of the job and skills needed to perform it effectively. Clear notes will be taken for comparison purposes. The candidate will be given the opportunity to discuss any concerns or ask any questions.
Selection techniques will be determined by the nature and duties of the position but all vacancies will require an interview of short-listed candidates. Interviews will always be face-to-face or via a digital platform and may include additional interview techniques such as observation or exercises.
Candidates will be required to:
An offer of appointment will be conditional and all successful candidates will be required to:
All checks will be documented and retained on the personnel file. Any unsatisfactory checks or discrepancies in the information received will be followed up. Employment will commence subject to all checks and procedures being satisfactorily completed.
All staff and volunteers who are new to the organisation will receive information on the organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures and guidance on safe working practices which would include guidance on acceptable conduct/behaviour. These expectations will form part of new staff members’ induction training.
All successful candidates will undergo a period of induction and will:
We will process personal data collected during the recruitment process in accordance with data protection regulations. In particular, data collected as part of the recruitment process is held securely and accessed by, and disclosed to, individuals only for the purposes of managing the recruitment exercise effectively to decide to whom to offer the job. Inappropriate access or disclosure of job applicant data constitutes a data breach and should be reported immediately. It may also constitute a disciplinary offence, which will be dealt with under our disciplinary procedure.
Job applicant privacy notice
The Company is aware of its obligations under the Data Protection Act (2018) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR) and is committed to processing your data securely and transparently. This privacy notice sets out, in line with UK-GDPR, the types of data that we hold on you as an employee of the Company. It also sets out how we use that information, how long we keep it for and other relevant information about your data. This notice applies to current and former employees, workers and contractors.
Data controller details
The Company is a data controller, meaning that it determines the processes to be used when using your personal data. Our registration reference with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is ZA254219. The data controller details are as follows:
Rosie Axon
Chiltern Music Therapy,
Kings Head House,
15 London End,
Beaconsfield,
HP9 2HN
01442 780541
www.chilternmusictherapy.co.uk
Data protection principles
In relation to your personal data, we will:
Types of data we process
We hold many types of data about you, including:
How we collect your data
We collect data about you in a variety of ways including the information you would normally include in a CV or a job application cover letter, or notes made by our recruiting officers during a recruitment interview. Further information will be collected directly from you when you complete forms at the start of your employment, for example, your bank and next of kin details. Other details may be collected directly from you in the form of official documentation such as your driving licence, passport or other right to work evidence on commencement.
In some cases, we will collect data about you from third parties, such as employment agencies or former employers when gathering references.
Personal data is kept in personnel files or within the Company’s HR and IT systems with restricted access.
Why we process your data
The law on data protection allows us to process your data for certain reasons only:
All of the processing carried out by us falls into one of the permitted reasons. Generally, we will rely on the first three reasons set out above to process your data.
We need to collect your data to ensure we are complying with legal requirements such as:
We also collect data so that we can carry out activities which are in the legitimate interests of the Company. We have set these out below:
If you are unsuccessful in obtaining employment, your data will not be used for any reason other than in the ways explaining in relation to the specific application you have made.
Criminal conviction data
We will only collect criminal conviction data where it is appropriate given the nature of your role and where the law permits us. This data will usually be collected at the recruitment stage, however, may also be collected during your employment should you be successful in obtaining employment. We use criminal conviction data in the following ways:
We rely on the lawful basis of fulfilling the contractual and legitimate interests of the Company to process this data.
If you do not provide your data to us
One of the reasons for processing your data is to allow us to carry out an effective recruitment process. Whilst you are under no obligation to provide us with your data, we may not able to process, or continue with (as appropriate), your application.
Sharing your data
Your data will be shared with colleagues within the Company where it is necessary for them to undertake their duties with regard to recruitment. This includes, for example, those in the department where the vacancy is who responsible for screening your application and interviewing you.
In some cases, we will collect data about you from third parties, such as employment agencies.
Your data will be shared with third parties if you are successful in your job application. In these circumstances, we will share your data in order to obtain references as part of the recruitment process and or obtain a criminal records check etc.
We do not share your data with bodies outside of the European Economic Area.
Protecting your data
We are aware of the requirement to ensure your data is protected against accidental loss or disclosure, destruction and abuse. We have implemented processes to guard against such.
Where we share your data with third parties, we provide written instructions to them to ensure that your data are held securely and in line with GDPR requirements. Third parties must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure the security of your data.
How long we keep your data for
In line with data protection principles, we only keep your data for as long as we need it for and this will depend on whether or not you are successful in obtaining employment with us.
If your application is not successful and we have not sought consent, to keep your data for the purpose of future suitable job vacancies, and to comply with best practice retention periods for auditing purposes. We will keep your data for six months if you are not successful at shortlist stage and for twelve months if you are not successful at interview stage once the recruitment exercise ends.
At the end of this period, we will delete or destroy your data, unless you have already withdraw your consent to our processing of your data in which case it will be deleted or destroyed upon your withdrawal of consent.
If your application is successful, your data will be kept and transferred to the systems we administer for employees. We have a separate privacy notice for employees, which will be provided to you.
Automated decision making
No decision will be made about you solely on the basis of automated decision making (where a decision is taken about you using an electronic system without human involvement) which has a significant impact on you.
Your rights in relation to your data
The law on data protection gives you certain rights in relation to the data we hold on you. These are:
Where you have provided consent to our use of your data, you also have the unrestricted right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent means that we will stop processing the data that you had previously given us consent to use. There will be no consequences for withdrawing your consent. However, in some cases, we may continue to use the data where so permitted by having a legitimate reason for doing so.
If you wish to exercise any of the rights explained above, please contact The Data Protection Controller.
Making a complaint
The supervisory authority in the UK for data protection matters is the Information Commissioner (ICO). If you think your data protection rights have been breached in any way by us, you are able to make a complaint to the ICO.
Data Protection Officer
The Company’s Data Protection Controller, The Data Controller, Kings Head House, 15 London End, Beaconsfield, HP9 2HN.