Appendix 6: International Presbytery and Presbytery of Jerusalem recruitment and police checks

Recruitment process

A volunteer or paid worker wishing to do regulated or non-regulated work in the International Presbytery and Presbytery of Jerusalem will require to be recruited by the congregation. The recruitment process and information about regulated work is included in Chapter 3 of this handbook.

All workers should have a job/role description.

Applicants (paid or voluntary) wishing to undertake regulated work with children and/or protected adults will require to carry out the following:

• The applicant applies for a country-wide enhanced police check
• The applicant applies for a country-wide enhanced police check if they were born and have lived overseas until adulthood
• The applicant applies for a country-wide police check from any country where they have spent six months or more in the last 10 years.

The SG03-IP and Presbytery of Jerusalem Self-Disclosure form must be completed.

The police check(s) and the SG03-IP and Presbytery of Jerusalem Self-Disclosure form must be sent to the Safeguarding Service by the applicant for risk assessment.

The Safeguarding Service will add the applicant's details to the recruitment database. If there are no concerns, a clearance email will be sent to the Safeguarding Coordinator.

If the police check(s) and/or SG03-IP and Presbytery of Jerusalem Self-Disclosure form contains information, this information may require to be risk assessed by the Safeguarding Committee Recruitment Sub-Committee. The Safeguarding Service will advise the applicant about this process.

A worker in the International Presbytery should complete police check(s) every 2 years. The Safeguarding Coordinator can use the SG07 Congregational Register to monitor when a police check is required.

It is mandatory for all workers undertaking regulated work with children and/or protected adults to attend safeguarding training.

Congregational appointments - the applicant's details can be included on the SG07 Congregational Register when the Kirk Session appoints the worker.

Presbytery appointments - the Presbytery Clerk will receive a clearance email from the Safeguarding Service and the applicant's details can be included on the SG7a Presbytery Register.

Appointment of a Locum

As per the Safeguarding Act 2018, the following police checks are required for Locum posts in Church of Scotland congregations

An individual undertaking a locum role in a congregation in the UK

PVG Scheme Membership or a Disclosure and Barring Service check through the Church of Scotland for work with children and protected adults is required. The individual will include the PVG/DBS information on the Locum Appointment form. The SG03 Self-Disclosure Form is completed as part of the PVG/DBS process.

The Church of Scotland requires an overseas police check from applicants who have spent six months or more (in a single period) in a non-UK country in the last 10 years and/or who were born and have lived overseas until adulthood. Where possible, the police check should be an enhanced check.

A PVG update should be completed each time an overseas police check is required.

It is the Church of Scotland's policy that an individual must not be put in to post until they have been recruited and PVG clearance from the Safeguarding Service has been received.

An individual travelling from Scotland to undertake a Locum role in a congregation in the International Presbytery or Presbytery of Jerusalem

We can process a PVG check.

The Church of Scotland requires overseas police check from applicants who have spent six months or more (in a single period) in a non-UK country in the last 10 years and/or who were born and have lived overseas until adulthood.

The SG03 Self-Disclosure Form should be completed.

If an individual is going to be working as a Locum for more than three months they should apply for a country-wide enhanced police check for the country that they are working in after three months.

However, the country's safeguarding policies and procedures should be followed and a police check applied for if this is required before carrying out regulated work.

An individual travelling from another country other than Scotland (for example, USA) to undertake a Locum role in a congregation in the International Presbytery or Presbytery of Jerusalem

A country-wide enhanced police check (for example, an FBI check) is required.

The Church of Scotland requires an overseas police check from applicants who have spent six months or more (in a single period) in a non-UK country in the last 10 years and/or who were born and have lived overseas until adulthood.

The SG03-IP and Presbytery of Jerusalem Self-Disclosure form should be completed.

If an individual is going to be working as a Locum for more than three months they should apply for a country-wide enhanced police check for the country that they are working in after three months. However, the country's safeguarding policies and procedures should be followed and a police check applied for if this is required before carrying out regulated work.

All police checks and Self-Disclosure forms are sent to the Safeguarding Service by the applicant for risk assessment.