Safer recruitment statement

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) are committed to the safeguarding and protection of children, young people and adults at risk of abuse and/or neglect and as such operates a safer recruitment process.

NFRS recruitment is centred around a value-based approach, ensuring that candidates not only have the right knowledge and experience but also share the values that underpin our Service. Safer recruitment practices strengthen this approach by ensuring that our employees are suitable to work with vulnerable people within Nottinghamshire.

Safer recruitment practices are embedded within our recruitment policies ensuring that NFRS has a robust selection and pre-employment process. These include reference checks, checks of gaps in employment, identity checks and criminal record checks.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 2023 gave Fire and Rescue Services the authority to access higher levels of DBS checks.

All employees working for NFRS will be required to undertake a Standard DBS check as a minimum. For roles which have direct contact to vulnerable people, the successful candidate will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check which, in certain cases, may also include a check against the adult or child barred lists. In addition, NFRS require candidates to disclosure criminal convictions (both spent and unspent), subject to DBS filtering rules.

Our Recruitment and Selection and Disclosure and Barring Service policies allow us to respond to any disclosures of criminal offences brought to our attention by undertaking a risk assessment and ultimately rejecting applicants where they are deemed to be unsuitable to work with vulnerable people. Undertaking a risk-based approach protects vulnerable members of our community while also allowing NFRS to remain committed to the rehabilitation of offenders ensuring a reasonable and proportionate response is taken in all cases.