1. Purpose and scope
This policy sets the safer recruitment practice followed by Chefs Bay when supplying chefs and catering staff to schools (state-maintained, academies, and independent), colleges, care homes, and other regulated environments. The aim is to prevent unsuitable individuals reaching contact with children, young people, or vulnerable adults, and to give clients an auditable evidence trail for their own statutory inspection.
It applies to:
- All chefs and catering staff supplied by Chefs Bay into education, care, or other regulated settings
- All Chefs Bay office staff involved in recruitment, vetting, and compliance
- All roles eligible for, or requiring, enhanced safeguarding checks
2. Regulatory framework
This policy aligns with the following statutory frameworks and guidance:
- Keeping Children Safe in Education, statutory guidance for schools and colleges, September 2025 version (in force from 1 September 2025)
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, including the December 2023 update
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, including the Personnel Supplier referral duty under sections 35-36
- Care Act 2014, including the safeguarding enquiry duty under section 42
- Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, including the Prevent duty under section 26 (where ChefsBay supports staff to comply with host-setting Prevent obligations)
- Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, Part 4 (suitability of staff and supply staff in independent schools)
- Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004, including the section 11 duty on host institutions
- Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (Royal Assent 29 April 2026), with provisions awaiting commencement
- Sections 15 to 25 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, the Home Office Code of Practice on right-to-work checks, and the IDSP framework in force from 6 April 2022
- Disclosure and Barring Service framework under Part V of the Police Act 1997 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975 (as amended by SI 2023/767 and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022)
3. Principles
We are committed to:
- Preventing unsuitable individuals from working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults
- Robust pre-deployment checks, with role-by-role assessment of DBS eligibility
- Accurate and auditable recruitment records, retained in line with UK GDPR retention requirements
- A culture of vigilance: every chef and every office staff member is responsible for raising safeguarding concerns
4. Recruitment and vetting checks
Every applicant must complete the following checks before clearance for work. Each check is recorded on the Safer Recruitment Form and reflected on the Single Central Record described in Section 5.
4.1 Identity verification
We verify full name, date of birth, current address, and photographic identification. Three forms of identity are required where the role calls for them. Identity is checked by a trained member of staff and recorded on the Safer Recruitment Form.
4.2 Right to work in the UK
For British and Irish nationals, we use Yoti, a Home Office-certified Identity Service Provider, for digital identity-document verification under the IDSP framework that came into force on 6 April 2022. For other nationals, we use the Home Office online checking service via a share code. Biometric Residence Permits ceased to be acceptable for right-to-work checks on 31 October 2024 following the eVisa transition. We record the check method, the date, and the reference, and we retain evidence for the statutory period (two years after the worker leaves).
4.3 Disclosure and Barring Service checks
DBS check level is decided by the role and the client’s risk assessment, not by a blanket rule. Defaulting every applicant to Enhanced plus both Barred Lists is unlawful: eligibility for barred-list checking must be assessed against the legal definition of regulated activity.
In practice:
- Education placements involving regulated activity (ongoing roles where unsupervised contact with children is part of the work, including lunchtime supervision or food technology support): Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List, plus a section 128 prohibition check where the role carries management responsibility, plus Update Service registration where the placement is repeat or ongoing.
- Care home kitchen-only placements (cooking in the kitchen, no resident contact): Enhanced DBS without Adults’ Barred List. Where the client identifies that the role does involve regulated activity (helping residents to eat as part of care, close personal contact), Adults’ Barred List is added.
- Adhoc bookings (one-off catering at a school event, single-shift care home cover with constant supervision): Basic DBS may be accepted where the client documents a risk assessment for constant supervision.
DBS checks are processed through Aaron’s Department. We record DBS certificate number, level of check, date of issue, and Update Service status. Candidates bring the original DBS certificate on the first day of placement.
4.4 Overseas checks
Where a candidate has lived or worked overseas in the last five years, we obtain a certificate of good conduct (or equivalent) from the relevant country, and any additional references the role calls for. KCSIE September 2025 paragraphs on overseas checks are followed for school placements.
4.5 References
We request two references covering previous employment or training. At least one is from the most recent employer. References are sought before interview where possible, and we ask referees to confirm safeguarding-relevant information specifically. Open testimonials addressed “to whom it may concern” are not accepted.
4.6 Online and social media checks
For shortlisted candidates being placed into school or care settings, we conduct online and social media checks in line with the KCSIE September 2025 expectation. We document the date, the platforms searched, and the outcome.
4.7 Employment history and gaps
We review the candidate’s full employment history. Gaps are explained in writing. Concerns are escalated to the Designated Safeguarding Lead before clearance.
4.8 Qualifications and professional competence
Where relevant, we verify professional qualifications, food safety training (Level 2 minimum), allergens awareness training in line with Food Standards Agency expectations, and any role-specific requirements (COSHH, IDDSI awareness for care, allergens awareness for PPDS production).
4.9 Medical fitness
Candidates disclose any medical condition that may affect their suitability for work. Where appropriate, we conduct an occupational health risk assessment.
4.10 Safeguarding interview
Where the role calls for it, the Designated Safeguarding Lead conducts a safeguarding interview covering understanding of safeguarding responsibilities, reporting concerns, professional boundaries, and suitability to work with children, young people, or vulnerable adults. Completion is recorded on the Safer Recruitment Form.
4.11 Section 128 prohibition check (independent schools and academies)
For roles in independent schools or academies that include management responsibility, we check the section 128 prohibition list maintained by the Department for Education. Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, Part 4 applies in full where the placement is into an independent school.
5. Single Central Record
All vetting information is collated and maintained on our Single Central Record, including identity, right to work, DBS details (number, level, issue date, Update Service status), references, qualifications, safeguarding interview outcome, and section 128 check where applicable. The Single Central Record is updated before a candidate is cleared for work and is available for client audit on request.
6. Safer Recruitment Form
The Safer Recruitment Form records every vetting check, confirms compliance with safer recruitment standards, and gives clients an auditable record. The form is shared with clients on request and supports our internal quality assurance.
7. Day 1 requirements
Every chef placed into a school, care, or other regulated setting brings the original DBS certificate and a photographic form of identification on the first day. The host site verifies these on arrival.
8. Ongoing safeguarding responsibilities
We remind chefs of safeguarding expectations at the start of each placement. Concerns are reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at Chefs Bay (Jessica Ruth Bond, ruth@chefsbay.co.uk) and through the host setting’s own safeguarding route. Update Service checks are carried out where applicable.
We hold a duty as a Personnel Supplier under sections 35-36 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 to refer information to the DBS where (broadly) we have removed a chef from regulated activity because of harm or risk of harm. This duty sits alongside, not replacing, the host institution’s own duty.
9. Safer recruitment training
The Designated Safeguarding Lead and any Chefs Bay office member who interviews candidates for school or care placements has completed safer recruitment training in line with the KCSIE expectation that at least one panel member has done so. Training is refreshed every two years.
10. Data protection
Vetting records contain special-category and criminal-conviction data within the meaning of UK GDPR Articles 9 and 10 and Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018. We process this data under the safeguarding-condition basis. DBS certificate copies are not retained beyond six months unless a specific reason is documented. Privacy information is published at chefsbay.co.uk/privacy/.
11. Reporting concerns
Safeguarding concerns are reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Jessica Ruth Bond, at ruth@chefsbay.co.uk. Where a concern relates to a protected disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, write to hr@chefsbay.co.uk. Disclosures are treated in confidence and protected from detriment.
12. Review
This policy is reviewed every 12 months, or sooner if KCSIE, Working Together, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 commencement orders, or other relevant legislation changes. The next scheduled review accounts for the September 2026 KCSIE update if and when it is published.
13. Sign-off
Approved by:
Michael Szalaty
Managing Director, Chefs Bay Hospitality Limited
Date: 6 May 2026
Chefs Bay Hospitality Limited · Companies House 13588811 · VAT 389155944 · ICO ZB226754
Registered office: 1 Queen’s Park Road, Handbridge, Chester, CH4 7AD Operational base: Liscard Business Centre, 188 Liscard Rd, Wallasey, CH44 5TN
Policy CB-POL-003 · Version 2.0 · Effective 6 May 2026 · Next review 6 May 2027
