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States Greffe
Deputy Kristina Moore
Chief Minister
Chair, States Employment Board
BY EMAIL
27th February 2023 Dear Chair,
Safeguarding and Employment Checks
Considering the recent media coverage of a senior official within the Department for Children, Young People, Education and Skills pleading guilty to making indecent images of children, I am writing to you as Chair of the States Employment Board (SEB) on behalf of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), specifically to gain assurances over the current processes and checks in place for employees working with children and vulnerable groups, and those that work in positions of trust.
I would be grateful if you could provide some further information to PAC in relation to the following key points:
- Can you please confirm the processes and checks in place pre-employment for employees appointed to work with children or vulnerable groups, or who work in related services (including management and administration) in order to ensure the safety of vulnerable people. Can you also please detail what exactly these checks are checking for (i.e. criminal record, concern over specific behaviours, additional psychological screening etc.)
- Is there a requirement for staff working with children and vulnerable groups, or who work in related services (including management and administration) to have regular checks made during the course of their employment? If so, please detail the processes in place to ensure this is undertaken and monitored.
- What ongoing processes are in place to maintain assurances that checks other than DBS are made throughout a person's employment, especially those who maintain a position of trust?
- Given the significant work that has been undertaken in relation to safeguarding since the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, what assurances can be given in relation to the implementation of learning around safeguarding which was highlighted in the report?
I would be grateful of a response to the points listed above by Monday 6th March 2023. Yours sincerely,
Deputy Lyndsay Feltham
Chair, Public Accounts Committee
Scrutiny Office | States Greffe | Morier House | St Helier | Jersey | JE1 1DD Tel: 01534 441080 | Fax: 01534 441077 | email: scrutiny@gov.je