Why DBS Checks Are Only One Part of Safer Recruitment in Schools
As recruitment practices evolve, schools and trusts are increasingly recognising that safeguarding should focus on more than just what happens within the classroom walls. Online behaviour now forms part of a wider digital risk landscape that education employers must now consider more consistently. Social media is an extension of the real world, and for education staff, a digital presence can offer insight into how an individual may behave in a position of trust.
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance
The latest Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance recommends that schools consider carrying out online searches as part of safer recruitment. This reflects a growing understanding that DBS checks, while essential, provide only one view of a candidate’s suitability in respect of convicted criminal behaviours. A clear criminal record does not necessarily indicate that an individual’s publicly expressed views, conduct or online interactions align with professional standards or safeguarding expectations. Digital safeguarding in education is evolving, and involves using preventative tools to identify and manage risks that may be amplified online. Issues such as harassment, discriminatory language, aggressive behaviour or the sharing of inappropriate content can all be present on social platforms and may pose both safeguarding and reputational concerns for schools.
Online Searches/Digital Safeguarding
Online searches including Social media screening and adverse media checks, when applied correctly, offer a structured and ethical way to address these risks. Checks should focus only on publicly available content, be proportionate to the role, and be carried out consistently to avoid bias. Transparency is key: candidates should be informed that online screening forms part of the recruitment process, and findings should be assessed objectively against clear criteria. When delivered as a professional, standardised service, social media screening complements DBS checks enhancing a candidate’s risk profile . Alongside identity verification and right to work checks, it helps schools build a more rounded, evidence-based understanding of a candidate’s professionalism and values.
By combining DBS checks with compliant social media screening, schools and trusts can strengthen safer recruitment and, most importantly, help create secure environments in which pupils can learn and thrive.
