1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
1.1 This Safer Recruitment and Selection Policy (“the Policy”) sets out the principles, procedures, and controls by which Hull City Ladies Football Club (“the Club”) recruits, selects, and appoints workers in a manner that is lawful, transparent, equitable, and consistent with safeguarding best practice.
1.2 This Policy applies to:
a) all employees, workers, volunteers, contractors, consultants, and agency staff;
b) all individuals involved in recruitment and selection activities on behalf of the Club;
c) any third parties engaged to recruit or select personnel for or on behalf of the Club; and
d) all applicants, whether internal or external.
1.3 This Policy shall be reviewed annually and additionally where required to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory guidance, or safeguarding standards. Any amendments shall be implemented at the earliest practicable opportunity.
2. SAFER RECRUITMENT PRINCIPLES
2.1 The Club recognises that any individual may present a risk of harm to children or adults at risk and is committed to taking all reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent unsuitable individuals from being engaged in roles within the Club.
2.2 The Club shall make suitability decisions based on a balanced assessment of relevant information, including but not limited to:
a) application and interview information;
b) references;
c) Disclosure and Barring Service (“DBS”) checks and barred list checks where applicable; and
d) any additional safeguarding or regulatory checks appropriate to the role.
2.3 The level of DBS certification and the requirement for any prohibition or barred list check shall be determined by the nature of the role and its associated duties. The Club adheres to Football Association (“FA”) guidance and GBG Online guidance on “Roles in Football” in determining DBS eligibility and level.
2.4 All applicants shall be informed that appropriate background and safeguarding checks form part of the recruitment process.
2.5 Safeguarding-related questioning shall form part of the interview process for relevant roles. The Head of Safeguarding may be consulted for advice on safeguarding interview questions.
2.6 For roles with specific safeguarding responsibilities, the Head of Safeguarding or the Club Safeguarding Officer shall attend at least one stage of the interview process.
2.7 Where a role involves significant contact with children or adults at risk, the recruitment process shall include, as a minimum:
a) completion of an application form detailing employment and experience history;
b) completion of a self-disclosure form declaring relevant criminal history;
c) verification of identity and right to work in the United Kingdom, including EU Settlement Scheme documentation where applicable;
d) verification of professional qualifications;
e) an enhanced DBS check and/or overseas criminal record check where appropriate;
f) receipt of two references, one of which must relate to the applicant’s most recent role involving work with children; and
g) registration with any relevant professional body, where applicable.
2.8 Where a DBS disclosure reveals information not previously disclosed, or where references or pre-employment checks raise concerns, the applicant shall be invited to a meeting with the relevant Disclosure Manager and hiring manager. Advice shall be sought from the County FA Safeguarding Lead, and the Club’s DBS Panel shall determine suitability. The Club reserves the right to withdraw any conditional offer of engagement.
2.9 Where an individual commences duties prior to receipt of DBS clearance, a written risk assessment shall be completed, and the individual shall not be permitted to work unsupervised with children or adults at risk.
2.10 Successful applicants shall be required to attend FA safeguarding workshops and to read and comply with all Club safeguarding policies.
3. RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS
3.1 A criminal record shall not automatically preclude an individual from engagement with the Club. Any decision shall take into account the nature of the role, the relevance of the offence, and the surrounding circumstances.
3.2 The Club complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants fairly, consistently, and without unlawful discrimination.
3.3 In accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020), certain convictions and cautions are “protected” and must not be disclosed or considered where applicable.
4. IMMIGRATION AND RIGHT TO WORK
4.1 The Club shall comply with all statutory requirements relating to immigration status and right to work in the United Kingdom.
4.2 Where overseas nationals are identified to fill genuine vacancies, the Recruitment Specialist or Human Resources function shall ensure compliance with the UK’s points-based immigration system and any applicable sponsorship or visa requirements.
4.3 Any costs associated with immigration processes shall be determined on a case-by-case basis and may be borne by the hiring department or the individual, as agreed in advance.
5. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
5.1 The Club is committed to equality of opportunity and to appointing the most suitable candidate based solely on merit.
5.2 No applicant or worker shall be treated less favourably on the grounds of any protected characteristic as defined by the Equality Act 2010, including but not limited to sex, gender reassignment, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or marital status.
5.3 Recruitment advertising, shortlisting, and interview processes shall be designed to attract and support a diverse applicant pool. Interview panels shall be diverse wherever reasonably practicable.
6. RECRUITMENT PROCEDURE
6.1 Pre-Hire and Vacancy Approval
All recruitment activity must be approved in advance. The Recruitment Specialist/HR team shall:
a) obtain written approval to recruit from the Directors and/or Technical Director;
b) review and, where necessary, update job descriptions and person specifications;
c) ensure advertisements are lawful, inclusive, and non-discriminatory;
d) ensure compliance with monitoring, audit, and record-keeping requirements; and
e) ensure all applicants receive consistent information in accessible formats.
6.2 Advertising
External vacancies shall be advertised on the Club website for a minimum of one week and through appropriate additional channels. Internal-only vacancies shall be circulated via internal communication channels. Recruitment agencies may only be used where approved suppliers are engaged.
6.3 Shortlisting
Shortlisting shall be conducted strictly against the published person specification. Decisions must be documented in sufficient detail to demonstrate fairness and objectivity. The Club shall apply the principles of the Rooney Rule where applicable and guarantee interviews to disabled applicants meeting all essential criteria.
6.4 Assessment and Selection
Selection methods shall be role-related, objective, and consistent. A minimum of two panel members shall participate in interviews. Safeguarding representation shall be included where required. Detailed records of interview responses and scoring shall be retained.
6.5 Decision-Making
Panels shall assess candidates individually and collectively. Where candidates are of equal merit, lawful positive action may be applied to address under-representation.
6.6 Offer of Engagement
Offers shall be made verbally and confirmed in writing, subject to satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. A minimum lead-in period of three weeks between offer and start date is mandatory.
6.7 Feedback
Feedback shall be provided to interviewed candidates upon request and in line with Club capacity.
6.8 Pre-Employment Checks
All required references, right-to-work checks, qualification verifications, and safeguarding checks must be completed prior to confirmation of appointment.
6.9 Documentation
All recruitment documentation shall be retained securely. Applicants may request access to interview notes in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
6.10 Onboarding and Probation
New joiners shall receive a structured induction and safeguarding briefing. Two probationary reviews shall take place at three and six months.
6.11 Recruitment and Safeguarding Training
All hiring managers must complete recruitment best practice training. All new joiners must complete role-appropriate safeguarding and compliance training.