Candidate vetting, qualification verification and safeguarding procedure
1. Purpose
This procedure outlines the processes undertaken by DCM Recruitment Ltd to ensure that all work-seekers supplied to educational establishments are suitably vetted, qualified and safe to work with children and young people. The procedure supports compliance with current Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2026), the
Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, REC standards, Home Office right to work requirements and relevant safeguarding legislation.
2. Types of workers supplied
DCM Recruitment Ltd may engage and supply:
• Qualified teachers
• Early Career Teachers
• Cover supervisors
• Teaching assistants
• Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA)
• SEND and SEMH support staff
• Learning mentors and behaviour support workers
• School office and administration staff
Candidates are expected to possess the qualifications, experience and skills appropriate to the role they are undertaking.
3. Qualification requirements
DCM Recruitment Ltd will establish the minimum qualification requirements for each role. Where appropriate, this may include QTS, HLTA status, Level 2 or Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualifications, degree qualifications or other recognised vocational awards.
4. Qualification verification
Before any placement is confirmed:
• Copies of relevant qualifications will be obtained.
• Original certificates or certified copies will be reviewed where appropriate.
• Professional registrations will be checked where applicable.
• Qualification records will be retained securely within the DCM Recruitment digital compliance system.
• Candidates will not be placed until all required qualification checks have been satisfactorily completed.
5. Overseas qualifications
Where candidates hold qualifications gained outside the United Kingdom, DCM Recruitment Ltd will assess whether equivalency evidence is required.
Where appropriate:
• A UK ENIC (formerly NARIC) Statement of Comparability will be obtained.
• Overseas qualifications will be reviewed before placement.
• Additional overseas police checks and safeguarding checks will be completed where required.
• Records of overseas qualification checks will be securely retained.
6. Candidate engagement
All work-seekers are made aware of the basis upon which they are engaged before commencing work. DCM Recruitment Ltd issues a separate Key Information Document (KID) and Terms of Engagement to ensure candidates understand their engagement arrangements and responsibilities.
7. Safeguarding and safer recruitment
All candidates must successfully complete the DCM Recruitment safer recruitment process, including:
• Identity verification
• Right to work checks
• Enhanced DBS and Children’s Barred List checks where required
• Employment history checks and gap analysis
• Reference checks
• Safeguarding declarations
• Prohibition and other statutory checks where applicable
8. Right to work verification
DCM Recruitment Ltd carries out right to work checks as part of its candidate vetting process and in accordance with current Home Office guidance. A candidate will not be cleared for a first assignment until DCM is satisfied that appropriate evidence of their right to work has been obtained and verified.
Where a third-party employer or umbrella company is the legal employer of a worker, that organisation remains responsible for meeting its own statutory right to work obligations. DCM's vetting check does not remove or replace the legal employer's responsibility.
8.1 Permitted checking routes
Depending on the individual's circumstances, DCM may use one of the following lawful checking routes:
• a manual document-based right to work check using original documents from the current Home Office acceptable document lists;
• the Home Office online right to work checking service using a valid right to work share code and the individual's date of birth;
• a Digital Verification Service (DVS), using Identity Document Validation Technology, for an eligible British or Irish citizen who holds a valid British or Irish passport or Irish passport card; or
• the Home Office Employer Checking Service (ECS) where the individual's status cannot be verified through the normal manual or online routes and the Home Office criteria for an ECS check are met.
DCM's standard process remains a manual document-based check where this is a valid checking route. The Home Office online service will be used where the individual's immigration status must be evidenced digitally,
including where the individual holds an eVisa.
8.2 Manual document-based checks
When completing a manual check, the staff member carrying out the check must complete all of the following steps:
• Obtain the original document or documents permitted by the current Home Office guidance. A scanned copy, photograph or document viewed only on a video call is not sufficient.
• Check the documents in the presence of the candidate, either physically in person or by live video link while DCM is in physical possession of the original documents.
• Check that photographs and dates of birth are consistent with the candidate, the documents appear genuine and have not been tampered with, any differences in names are supported by appropriate evidence, and the candidate is permitted to undertake the type of work being offered.
• Check any restrictions on the type of work, hours or period of permission. Where student immigration permission limits working hours, relevant academic term and vacation dates must be obtained and retained where required.
• Take a clear copy of the required pages or documents in a format that cannot be manually altered and make a secure record of the date on which the right to work check was carried out.
Expired physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) must not be accepted as manual proof of right to work. Where the candidate has digital immigration status, the Home Office online checking service must be used where required by current guidance.
8.3 Home Office online checks
Where an online check is required, DCM staff must:
• obtain a valid right to work share code from the candidate and their date of birth;
• use the employer section of the official GOV.UK Home Office online right to work checking service rather than relying on a screenshot or information shown to the candidate;
• check that the photograph and biographical details shown by the Home Office service match the candidate, either in person or by live video call;
• confirm that the result permits the candidate to undertake the proposed work and identify any restrictions or expiry date; and
• save or print the Home Office profile page showing the candidate's photograph, right to work status and the date on which the check was completed.
8.4 Digital Verification Service checks
Where DCM chooses to use a DVS, it will only do so for an eligible British or Irish citizen with a valid passport or Irish passport card and in accordance with current Home Office requirements. DCM must retain evidence of the DVS check and satisfy itself that the photograph and biographical details returned by the service match the candidate presenting for work. Candidates who cannot or do not wish to use a
digital route must not be treated less favourably and must be offered another lawful checking route.
8.5 Employer Checking Service
The Employer Checking Service may be used where the Home Office guidance permits or requires it, including where a candidate cannot demonstrate their continuing right to work through a normal manual or online check
because of an outstanding immigration application, appeal, administrative review, eligible document or technical issue.
Where the ECS issues a Positive Verification Notice, DCM will retain the notice and record any expiry or follow- up date. A candidate must not be cleared where the ECS or other evidence does not confirm a right to undertake the proposed work.
8.6 Time-limited permission and follow-up checks
Where a candidate has time-limited permission to work, DCM will record the expiry date and required follow-up date within its compliance system. A follow-up check must be completed on or before the relevant expiry date if the candidate is to continue being supplied.
No assignment may be offered or continued beyond the recorded expiry date unless DCM has obtained satisfactory evidence of continuing right to work or, where applicable, a valid Home Office verification. Where there is an outstanding application or other circumstance recognised by Home Office guidance, the candidate will be given a reasonable opportunity to provide evidence and the matter will be escalated before any decision is made.
8.7 Recording and retention
For every right to work check, DCM will retain sufficient evidence to show what was checked, the route used, the date of the check, the outcome, any restrictions and any follow-up date. Right to work evidence will be stored securely within the DCM Recruitment digital compliance system and retained in accordance with DCM's Data Retention & Secure Disposal Policy. As a minimum, right to work evidence will normally be retained for the duration of the relevant engagement and for two years afterwards
where required by applicable Home Office rules.
8.8 Discrepancies, uncertainty and escalation
If a document appears altered, the identity does not match, a work restriction is unclear, a share code does not work, a candidate cannot provide acceptable evidence, or the staff member is otherwise uncertain, the candidate must not be cleared for placement until the issue has been resolved.
The matter must be escalated to the Managing Director or the Director responsible for compliance. Staff must not make assumptions about immigration status or attempt to interpret complex immigration circumstances without reference to current Home Office guidance or appropriate professional advice.
8.9 Non-discrimination
Right to work checks must be carried out consistently and fairly. DCM will not make assumptions about a person's right to work based on nationality, ethnicity, accent, name or other protected characteristic. Candidates must not be treated less favourably because they use one lawful checking route rather than another.
9. Safeguarding training and briefings
Prior to their first placement, all work-seekers receive a safeguarding briefing that includes:
• current Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2026) expectations
• professional boundaries and staff conduct
• reporting safeguarding concerns
• completion of Safeguarding Children Level 1 online training
Safeguarding information is refreshed regularly and candidates are expected to keep up to date with current safeguarding guidance.
10. Information provided to clients
DCM Recruitment Ltd will, in accordance with the Conduct Regulations, offer to provide copies of qualifications and other relevant compliance information to clients upon request. Schools will be provided with sufficient information to make informed placement decisions.
11. Record keeping
All vetting and qualification records are securely stored within the DCM Recruitment digital compliance system and retained in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
and DCM Recruitment Ltd's Data Retention & Secure Disposal Policy.
12. Monitoring and review
This procedure will be reviewed annually or sooner in response to legislative changes, Home Office right to work guidance, REC guidance, KCSIE updates, audit findings or changes to DCM Recruitment Ltd's working practices.
Related documents and guidance
• Safer Recruitment Policy
• Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy
• Key Information Document (KID)
• Terms of Engagement
• Safeguarding Policy
• Data Protection & GDPR Policy
• Data Retention & Secure Disposal Policy
• DBS and Update Service Policy
• Reference Checking and Employment History Verification Procedure
• Current GOV.UK Employer's Guide to Right to Work Checks
