Discover how implementing safer employment practices can enable you to create fairer, safer, and more inclusive workplace cultures for people who draw on care and support and for staff and volunteers to work in.
This guidance takes you through each stage, with practical actions, tools and resources to help you plan, recruit, manage and respond to concerns effectively.
Making safer decisions throughout the workforce journey. Safer recruitment is about making informed decisions at every stage of employment to help protect people who receive care and support.
From planning your recruitment approach through to induction, supervision and managing leavers, every stage of the workforce journey plays a role in reducing risk and supporting safe, high-quality care.
For regulated services, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assesses how effectively organisations apply safer recruitment practices. You should be able to demonstrate how you make safe decisions, manage risks and protect people throughout the recruitment and employment process.
The PRISM model Prevention, Response, Information sharing, Support and Management provides a framework for taking a consistent approach to safeguarding across the whole workforce journey. It helps organisations look beyond individual checks and consider how each stage contributes to keeping people safe.
Safer recruitment is more than completing pre-employment checks. It is about creating a safeguarding culture where organisations continually consider whether people are suitable and safe to work with those who need care and support.
This guidance provides practical steps, tools and resources to help you plan, recruit, support and manage your workforce safely.
Planning to recruit
Plan recruitment carefully by defining roles, values, and checks, preparing clear adverts, and avoiding rushed or unclear processes to ensure safe, effective hiring decisions.
Pre-employment checks
Carry out thorough, structured recruitment checks, including identity, references, and DBS, to make evidence-based decisions and prevent unsuitable individuals from entering the workforce.
Induction and probation
Use induction and probation to assess suitability in practice by setting clear expectations, monitoring performance, and addressing concerns early before confirming employment.
Identifying and managing concerns
Identify and respond to concerns promptly by following procedures, assessing risk, taking appropriate action, and keeping clear records to protect people and manage issues safely.
Ending employment safely and responsibly
Manage staff departures responsibly by recording reasons, providing accurate references, and making required referrals to reduce risk and support safe decisions across the workforce.