Volunteer Police Cadets Safer Recruitment Policy

1. Statement of Policy

As a Police Service operating Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC), Dyfed-Powys Police are committed to the safeguarding and protection of all children, young people, and adults at risk.  To ensure this takes place this policy is written to ensure it meets UK Youth Safe Space Standards. 

Dyfed-Powys Police will carefully select, train, and support all those with any responsibility within the organisation, in line with national Safer Recruitment principles and legislation (as outlined in sections 3 & 4).

Dyfed-Powys Police recognise that not everyone who applies for a role working with children, young people and adults at risk are suitable.  This policy is part of our safeguarding commitment to ensure that:

• all workers (whether paid or voluntary) are the right people for the role.
• we deter and reject unsuitable applicants.
• we provide a framework for safe practice.
• we continually review and learn by applying best practice for safer recruitment.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the DPP VPC Safeguarding Policy and its related procedures for managing concerns and risk.

Dyfed-Powys Police procedures for Safer Recruitment are set out in the Volunteer Police Cadets Safer Recruitment Procedures document.

The Designated Responsible Officer (DRO) is ultimately accountable for ensuring that these procedures are followed during the recruitment of VPC Leaders from within and outside of the organisation.  In the case of any dispute the DRO is the final decision maker and if necessary, can consult with the VPC National Safeguarding Manager for support. 

It is the responsibility of the Inspector, Central Prevention Hub and all managers involved in the recruitment process to ensure that this policy and its procedures are followed; that compliance is monitored and that the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk is prioritised at all stages of the recruitment process and in addition to general Force recruitment procedures.

This means that Dyfed-Powys Police must: 

• Ensure that recruitment and selection processes are inclusive, fair, consistent and transparent,  
• Adhere to safer recruitment legislation, guidance and standards, responding positively to changing understandings of good safer recruitment practice,
• Produce and disseminate practice guidance on safer recruitment, ensuring that such practice guidance is compatible, and updated,
• Ensure management, staff and volunteers are trained on safer recruitment practice guidance,
• Introduce systems for monitoring adherence to the safer recruitment practice guidance and review them regularly. This can be achieved through the Continuous Improvement Framework,
• Take any other reasonable steps to prevent those who might harm children or adults from taking up, positions of respect, responsibility, or authority where they are trusted by others such as: DBS checks, behavioural interview questions, period of ‘probation’.

Oversight of this policy is the responsibility of the National Safeguarding Manager, on behalf of the Safeguarding Gold Group who represent the interests of the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) and Portfolio holder Lead for the VPC scheme.

The policy is intended to meet the agreed non-negotiable NPCC standard of the UK Youth Safe Spaces Framework.  As a force, operating a VPC programme Dyfed-Powys Police have adopted and aligned the NVPC policy to meet these standards.

This policy applies to all those involved with the Dyfed-Powys Police Volunteer Police Cadet (VPC) programme.  This includes all categories of Dyfed-Powys Police Officers and Staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed-term, temporary or seconded staff.  It also includes Police Support Volunteers and any person who comes into contact with the Volunteer Police Cadets.

This policy must be reviewed biennially, however any amendments to guidance will be actioned as appropriate and notification of such action will be circulated to all interested parties and implemented via the Operational Policing Board.

2. Policy Scope

This policy applies to the recruitment of all roles i.e., Police Officers, Police staff whether paid to conduct the role or not and volunteers within the VPC.  It also covers any young person aged 18 and above, who take on responsibilities as a leader.

Safer recruitment practice should also include those persons who may not have direct contact with children, young people or adults at risk, but because of their presence will still be seen as safe and trustworthy i.e. hold a position of trust e.g. Force VPC Officer, VPC Safeguarding Officer etc. Equally if working in partnership with other groups, or there are contractors or agency staff working in the same building then the principles of safe recruitment should be included in the terms of any contract drawn up.  

3.  Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

The following legislation is relevant to this policy, either because it has influenced its introduction and/or its content:

• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975
• The Police Act 1997
• The Human Rights Act 1998 and the United Nations Convention the Rights of the Child
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
• The Children Act 2004
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Equality Act 2010
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
• Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
• NVPC Safeguarding Policy
• Wales Safeguarding Procedures
• Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales

Relevant Force Policies/Procedures:

• Dyfed-Powys Police Volunteer Police Cadet Safe to Operate Standards Manual of Guidance
• Dyfed-Powys Police Volunteer Police Cadets Safeguarding Policy
• Dyfed-Powys Police Volunteer Police Cadets Safeguarding Procedures
• Dyfed-Powys Police Volunteer Police Cadets Safer Recruitment Procedures
• Dyfed-Powys Police Equality and Diversity Policy
• Dyfed-Powys Police Health & Safety Policy
• Dyfed-Powys Police Data Protection Policy

4.  Options and Contingencies

Safer Recruitment Principles

The Volunteer Police Cadets Safer Recruitment Procedures cover the point of identifying a vacancy or creating a role to completion of the induction and probation period when the person is confirmed in post.  Expectations covering the ongoing supervision, management and support of staff and volunteers can be found within Dyfed-Powys Volunteer Police Cadets Safe to Operate Standards Manual of Guidance.

5.  Take action and review

This policy and the associated guidance process must be reviewed initially after one year. Further reviews must be conducted as required and at a minimum biennially. The policy is operated in conjunction with the Volunteer Police Cadets Safe to Operate Standards.

The Policy is monitored by the Inspector, Central Prevention Hub and amendments or additions must be implemented via the Dyfed-Powys Police Operational Policing Board.

The contact for any queries in relation to this policy is Chief Inspector, Central Prevention Hub, Police Headquarters.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty. 

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: November 2024