Suitable candidates are interviewed by the Nursery Manager, ideally with another management team member or relevant practitioner. Pre-approved questions ensure fair treatment. Interview notes are filed or securely disposed of based on the outcome.
Background Checks
DBS
Enhanced DBS check, including a Children’s Barred List check where required, for all staff, volunteers and students via Zinc. ID verification completed as part of this process. Checks must be received before employment, volunteering or placement activity commences.
All successful candidates who have lived or worked overseas within the last 10 years must provide an overseas criminal record check (also known as a Certificate of Good Conduct), where this is available from the relevant country or countries, before employment can commence.
References
Two employment or educational references, dated within the last five years, that:
Are not open references (e.g. “To whom it may concern”)
Are requested directly from employers, not submitted by candidates
Include a reference from relevant employer of the last time the candidate worked with children, if not currently working with children. If applicant has never worked with children, ensure reference is from current employer, training provider or education setting
Are completed by a senior person with appropriate authority if from candidate’s current employer, training provider or education setting
Cannot be completed by family members
Include verification of individual’s most recent relevant period of employment, if candidate is not currently employed,
Originate from a legitimate source, verified where needed
Where it is not possible to obtain two employment or education references, a character reference may be accepted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the People & Development Lead. The referee's identity and relationship to the candidate will be verified directly by the People & Development Lead before the reference is accepted.
It's the People & Development Lead’s sole responsibility is to obtain references and pass these on to the nursery DSL (nursery management team), in which they will review using professional curiosity and make enquiries where necessary, using the checklist found in Appendix 1.
Nursery managers must:
Contact referees to clarify content where information is vague or insufficient information is provided
Compare the information on the application form with that in the reference and take up any discrepancies with the candidate
Establish the reason for the candidate leaving their current or most recent post, and
Ensure any concerns are resolved satisfactorily before appointment is confirmed.
Recruitment is not confirmed until all suitability checks are fully completed.
Staff Qualifications
Hopscotch verifies all relevant professional qualifications before employment commences. For early years qualifications, we use the Department for Education's Check an Early Years Qualification service to confirm that qualifications are recognised as full and relevant for working within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) staff:child ratios in England. Where appropriate, evidence of the verification outcome will be retained on the employee's personnel file.
Ongoing Suitability
Staff must complete and regularly update:
Staff Suitability Form
Health Statement
Required Training
Before starting work, staff must complete courses on:
Safeguarding Children
Prevent Awareness
Recognising and Preventing FGM
Food Standards Food Allergens and Intolerance
What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused
In addition to this training, all new staff members will receive in house Hopscotch safeguarding training within the first 3 months of employment. The training slides can be found here: 🌻Safeguarding Resources. More information can be found in this policy under Hopscotch Safeguarding Training.
Induction Process
Nursery Managers are responsible for thorough staff induction, covering:
Roles and responsibilities
Emergency procedures
Safeguarding and child protection
Health and safety
The Nursery Management Team follow a comprehensive induction passport tailored to the role. Only upon completion can a new employee pass probation. Hopscotch induction passports can be accessed here - Hopscotch Induction Passports.
A link to all Hopscotch policies and procedures is provided in the onboarding email. Digital versions are accessible on the Hopscotch 📜Policies.
New Staff and Volunteer Requirements
All new staff and volunteers must:
Understand safeguarding and child protection policies
Recognize signs of child abuse
Know how to respond to child disclosures
Understand the procedure for reporting child welfare concerns
Staff Suitability Policy
Ongoing suitability of staff at each Hopscotch nursery setting is the responsibility of the Nursery Manager and Nursery Management Team.
They must undertake ongoing suitability assessments of all their staff teams and ensure that supervision, appraisals, training and other performance review and improvement tools are implemented effectively. Any reservations about the suitability of any member of staff working at Hopscotch should lead to prompt action i.e. a change of duties or tasks. If the Nursery Manager is not sure then they should discuss the matter with the Hopscotch Head of Operations, the Hopscotch HR Manager or the Hopscotch Managing Director. Failure to protect the wellbeing and welfare of children attending Hopscotch by not undertaking ongoing suitability assessments and checks could be considered a failure to properly implement effective safeguarding measures and could result in disciplinary action being taken.
Hopscotch is committed to ensuring that all staff, including students, volunteers and any agency/supply staff are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their role in order to work with or be in regular contact with children. We have effective systems in place to ensure that this includes making a decision about suitability, as part of the recruitment process and monitoring continued suitability, as part of regular staff and/or student supervision.
The People & Development Lead and Nursery Manager are responsible for ensuring that all staff and students have an enhanced check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), and that the results of such a check are assessed as part of a decision on suitability.
All required DBS checks must be received before a new employee commences employment. Volunteers and students must have the appropriate checks in place before commencing any activity for which a DBS or Children’s Barred List check is required.
We recognise that the enhanced DBS disclosure is only one part of a suitability decision and nursery management will ensure every individual working with a child goes through a vigorous recruitment and induction procedure (as laid out in the Safe Recruitment policy). We will also ensure they receive continuous support, training and supervision from management in order to provide a safe, secure and healthy environment for all children in the nursery. We act on any information that comes to our attention that suggests someone may no longer be suitable for their role.
All students will also receive an interview to ensure they are suitable for the nursery and an induction process to ensure they fully understand and are able to implement the nursery procedures, working practices and values. All students will be fully supervised to ensure they receive the appropriate support, training and information they may require.
We request confirmation that all necessary checks have been completed by the agency before using any supply/agency staff. We have a short induction prior to them working with the children. It is our policy that all agency/supply staff are fully supervised and not left alone with children.
Once checks are obtained we record the criminal records check reference number, the date the check was obtained and details of who obtained it. We also collect this information for any agency/supply staff prior to using them.
Managing Allegations Against People Working with Children
All managers, staff, volunteers and contractors working at Hopscotch undergo rigorous pre-employment suitability checks in line with our Safer Recruitment Policy.
Ongoing suitability is monitored through:
Regular supervision meetings
Peer observations
Staff suitability declarations
Safeguarding competency assessments
DBS Update Service checks (where subscribed)
Regular safeguarding training and compliance audits
If an allegation is made against a member of staff, student, volunteer, agency worker or any other person who lives or works on the nursery premises, whether the alleged incident occurred within or outside the setting, Hopscotch will respond promptly and in accordance with statutory safeguarding guidance.
An allegation may relate to a person who has:
Behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child.
Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child.
Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.
Behaved, or may have behaved, in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children.
The allegation must be reported immediately to the senior manager on duty or a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). Where the allegation concerns the senior manager or DSL, it must be reported immediately to the Hopscotch Senior Management Team.
The safety and welfare of children will always be the primary consideration. Where necessary, immediate steps will be taken to safeguard children, which may include temporarily redeploying the individual to non-contact duties or, where appropriate, suspension. Suspension is a neutral act and will only be considered where necessary following consultation with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
Hopscotch will not undertake a detailed investigation before consulting the LADO. Only sufficient initial fact-finding will be carried out to establish the basic facts and determine whether the allegation meets the reporting threshold.
Where an allegation meets the harm threshold, the LADO will be notified immediately for advice and direction. Hopscotch will follow all guidance provided by the LADO, Children's Social Care and, where appropriate, the Police.
Ofsted will be notified at the earliest possible opportunity of any allegation of serious harm or abuse by a person living, working or looking after children on the premises, and in all cases within 14 days, in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.
Where required, Hopscotch will:
Fully cooperate with the LADO, Children's Social Care, the Police, Ofsted and any other relevant agencies.
Keep accurate, confidential records of all actions, decisions and communications throughout the process.
Provide appropriate support to the child, family and the member of staff throughout the investigation.
Seek HR and legal advice where appropriate before making employment decisions.
Where allegations are substantiated, Hopscotch will manage the matter under its disciplinary procedure and, where appropriate, this may constitute gross misconduct and result in dismissal.
Where a member of staff is dismissed, resigns or otherwise leaves employment before the conclusion of an investigation, and they may have been dismissed because they harmed a child or posed a risk of harm, Hopscotch will make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as required by law. Advice will be sought from the LADO where appropriate.
All safeguarding records relating to allegations against adults working with children will be retained until the individual reaches normal retirement age or for 21 years and 3 months from the date of the allegation, whichever is longer.
Where an allegation is found to be unfounded, false or unsubstantiated, Hopscotch will support the individual's return to work through an appropriate reintegration plan, which may include additional supervision, mentoring, wellbeing support or other reasonable measures.
Staff Training and Development
We are committed to ensuring all staff are qualified, have opportunities for professional development and have relevant up-to-date training in safeguarding children.
All new staff, volunteers and students will participate in an induction programme before taking up their duties and will be allocated an experienced member of staff to mentor them for the duration of the induction.
All staff will be required to complete online child protection training upon appointment.
All volunteers and students will be required to complete the online child protection training.
All training must reflect the requirements of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 and informed by the Brighton & Hove Local Safeguarding Children Board training strategy and plans.
Staff are required to update their knowledge by attending Brighton & Hove Council approved training every two years.
Staff supervision meetings will record discussions regarding continuing professional development and subsequent identification and planning of training to meet those needs.
Staff will receive training in FGM and Prevent.
All Lead Practitioners and members of the Nursery Management Team will receive Designated Safeguarding Lead training. All DSLs will provide feedback upon receiving DSL training, in order for the DSL Committee to review safeguarding policies annually.
Hopscotch Safeguarding Training
In addition to this training, all new staff members will receive in-house Hopscotch safeguarding training within their first three months of employment. This training is specifically tailored to Early Years practice and goes beyond statutory requirements. It is delivered by a trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and refreshed annually for all staff.
The training is interactive and scenario-based, using both real and hypothetical situations to ensure staff develop a practical understanding of safeguarding in everyday nursery life, allowing staff to explore different perspectives and consider appropriate responses. The training slides can be found here: 🌻Safeguarding Resources.
To support staff in applying their knowledge, managers provide follow-up opportunities for reflection during supervision and team meetings. Staff are encouraged to discuss how safeguarding principles apply in their daily work, identify challenges, and share effective practice.
Management adopts a dynamic and responsive approach to staff development. This means that if concerns are identified regarding an individual’s confidence, understanding, or practice, targeted support or additional training will be arranged. This may include refresher sessions, one-to-one coaching with a DSL, or specialist training focused on specific safeguarding themes. This ensures all staff remain confident, competent, and able to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities effectively.