Recruitment and Screening Policy

Overview

1.1. Purpose

At Junior Adventures Group (JAG), we believe that the recruitment of our employees is a foundational element in delivering on our commitment to child safety, ensuring child’s rights are enabled and high quality service. We are committed to employing individuals who uphold the values and behaviours aligned with the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people by ensuring environments where children can thrive.

This policy ensures that all recruitment and selection processes are child-safe, culturally inclusive, and reflect the voice of children. It applies to all paid and volunteer roles across Junior Adventures Group’s OSHC services in all Australian jurisdictions.

1.2. Scope

1.3. Legislative Requirements

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, Junior Adventures Group is required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the children in care.

We are committed to upholding:

• National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

• Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

• Relevant Working With Children Checks (suitability checks) or equivalent check in each jurisdiction

• National Quality Standard (NQS): QA4 – Staffing Arrangements, QA7 – Governance & Leadership

2. Policy Statement

Recruitment at JAG is a structured and comprehensive process designed to identify individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to safeguarding children, personal integrity, and professional capability. All JAG employees must undergo a multi-step recruitment process before commencing employment.

3. Principles

3.1. Child Safe Recruitment

Every recruitment stage prioritises child safety and quality service delivery. JAG employees will only be appointed following rigorous checks that confirm their suitability to work with children. Recruitment practices explicitly address child safety responsibilities, creating environments where children can thrive and include behavioral-based questioning and screening.

3.2. Screening and Application Process

JAG upholds robust screening and application process to ensure candidates are vetted and suitable to work with children, beyond their ability to work and employment history. As part of this process, candidates undergo:

• Written application submitted through our applicant tracking system, SmartRecruiters

• Text-Based AI chat interview for an early behavioural assessment

• Telephone screening by a JAG Talent Acquisition Specialist to identify suitability requirements of each candidate

• Structured formal Interview, in person or online, guided by child-safe principles

Background Checks, including:

• National Police Check

• State/Territory-specific Working with Children Check (WWCC/WWVP/Blue Card)

• Verification of qualifications relevant to the role as determined by ACECQA

• Two employment reference checks via Referoo

• People & Capability review of documentation and

• A signed JAG Safeguarding Children and Young People Declaration by the candidate

3.3. Mandatory Declarations

All successful candidates must declare any criminal offences or matters relevant to their ability to work with children. Employment offers are conditional on satisfactory completion of all screening requirements.

As a business, all employees sign a Safeguarding Children and Young People Declaration, outlining expectations and levelling understanding for working with children and young people.

JAG has employed the services of OHO for the ongoing verification of working with children checks as an employee continues their employment with JAG. This allows us to ensure real-time changes are identified at any time.

3.4. Responding to Concerns

Where a WWCC clearance is revoked or suspended, or concerns are raised about an employee or staff member’s conduct, the hiring manager, line manager or person notified must take immediate action to ensure that the employee suspends interactions with children.

Reportable conduct and mandatory reporting obligations are followed as per state legislation for Reportable Conduct Scheme Incidents. Further information can be found in the Reportable Conduct Policy.

3.5. Child Voice Integration

We recognise that children have unique insights into the qualities and behaviours of the adults who care for and educate them. In line with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations (Principle 2), we are committed to embedding child voice in recruitment processes wherever possible.

Children will be invited to participate in age-appropriate, supported ways to share their views, experiences, and preferences regarding potential staff with the service leadership team. This may include:

• Providing informal or structured feedback after supervised candidate observations

• Participating in “meet and greet” sessions with shortlisted candidates

• Contributing to the development of interview questions or selection criteria

The involvement of children is designed to ensure their perspectives help shape a safe, respectful, and engaging environment. Their participation will always be voluntary, developmentally appropriate, and guided by educators to ensure safety and wellbeing.

3.6. Onboarding and Orientation

Successful candidates are inducted through JAG’s Experts Academy, which includes:

• Orientation and service induction

• Training in Child Safe Essentials

• Training in the JAG Code of Conduct

• A clear explanation of safeguarding responsibilities and reporting obligations

• State specific child safety requirements are required

3.7. Ongoing Training and Development

All JAG employees are engaged in continuous learning through:

• Annual mandatory training refreshers

• Online and face-to-face professional development

• Topics include child safety, safeguarding, WHS, inclusion, and professional conduct

• Weekly action item required through JAGs Playbook (weekly whole of business communication)

JAG employees have prescribed training relevant to their roles. It is a condition of employment that employees understand and uphold JAG’s policies, procedures and values, which is addressed through ongoing training and development.

Key policies include:

• Safeguarding Children and Young People

• Employee Code of Conduct

• Complaints and Feedback

• Technology, Devices and Internet Use

3.8. Commitment to Continuous Improvement

We review and evaluate our recruitment, onboarding, and training processes regularly. Feedback from candidates, employees, and compliance reviews inform our improvements.

3.9. Child Safety

We safeguard children through our procedures and practices, with particular attention to the people they encounter and their experiences within our service. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. JAG provides policies and procedures to equip JAG employees with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe. Service Practice is continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business.

All JAG employees will be screened prior to their engagement with the service.

As part of the induction and orientation process, JAG employees must commit to Safeguarding Children and Young People.

As part of induction, volunteers, students, and visitors receive an understanding of JAG Policies, Procedures and Professional Code of Conduct, inclusive of the National Model Code and Active Supervision.

4. Key Terms

WWCC – Working with Children Check

WWVP – Working with Vulnerable People

Blue Card – NSW specific WWCC/suitability check

Valid clearance, issued by an approved government agency, in accordance with their state or territory.

JAG employees

Any adult that governs, manages, conducts work for, or provides activities to JAG in a paid or unpaid activity spanning all levels of the organisational structure

Referoo

Online platform for verifying professional references

OHO

Online platform for the initial and ongoing screening of mandatory clearance and declarations for our employees.

Experts Academy:

JAG’s internal learning and induction platform

Reportable Conduct Scheme Incidents

Allegations or concerns about child-related misconduct by an employee, volunteer, or contractor. It includes:

• Sexual offenses (against, with, or in the presence of a child)

• Sexual misconduct (grooming, inappropriate conversations or contact, exploitation)

• Physical assault or ill-treatment of a child

• Neglect that significantly endangers a child’s health or safety

• Behaviour that causes psychological harm to a child

• an offence under section 43B (failure to protect) or 316A (failure to report) of the Crimes Act 1900. (NSW Only)

• inappropriate discipline or not protecting children from harm. (ACT Only)

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Reg 84: Child protection training required.

Reg 77: Health, hygiene, and safety practices.

Reg 181 & 183: Responsible person and record keeping.

Reg 168 & 170: Governance, policies, and staffing arrangements.

Regulation 77 - Health, hygiene, and safe food practices

Regulation 84 - Awareness of child protection law

Regulation 168 - Education and care service must have policies and procedures

Regulation 170 - Policies and procedures to be followed

Regulation 181 - Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider

Regulation 183 - Storage of records and other documents

Other Relevant Legislation

Educational and Care Services National Regulations

Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)

Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)

Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)

Related Policies

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Employee Code of Conduct

Complaints and Feedback

Technology, Devices and Internet Use

Reportable Conduct

Related Procedures

Technology, Device and Internet Use

Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

Supervision of Children

Staff Review and Support

Safeguarding Declaration

Other

National Model Code

National Principles for Child Safe Organisations

Version 1.0

Change History

JAG Policy Change Register

Date Approved

September 2023

Date Implemented

September 2023 (superseded work instruction)

Document Owner

Quality Service Development

Document Approvers

CEO / Approved Provider

Last reviewed

1 June 2025

Next Review

12 Months

Download our Safeguarding Declaration.