Letterkenny Educate Together NationalSchool

Garda Vetting Policy

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Letterkenny Educate Together NationalSchool Garda Vetting Policy.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

This was written up by Bairbre Ní Churráín, teacher, after training by the patron body Educate Together.

RATIONALE

The patron body, Department of Education and management of the school consider Garda Vetting to a source of useful information in protecting the wellbeing and safety of pupils in the school.

RELATIONSHIP TO CHARACTERISTIC SPIRIT OF THE SCHOOL

Child-centred:The safety of each child in the school is critical. Garda Vetting allows the school to make informed choices about the suitability of each adult working in the school.

Democratic:Any choices influenced by information from the vetting process will be democratic and made by the nominated people.

Co-educational:Boys and girls are to be equally protected in the school. Information from the vetting process will be used appropriately regardless of the gender of the adult.

Multi-denominational:Ethical background, culture or race has no influence during the vetting process.

AIMS

This policy aims to:

  • Safeguard the well-being of all children in the school by requiring all staff to undergo Garda Vetting.
  • Set out the procedure the school uses when vetting an adult.
  • Ensure information from vetting forms and reports is used appropriately and to safeguard confidentiality in the vetting process.

GUIDELINES (CONTENT OF POLICY)

Vetting of all possible staff with unsupervised access to children:

All candidates who have been offereda position in the school as a staff member must give their written permission, on a Vetting Application form, permitting An Garda Síochana to disclose their personal data regarding convictions and/or prosecutions; pending or completed, successful or not, in the state or elsewhere; to the school’s Authorised Signatory. The Educate Together Patron Body is an Authorised signatory: able to submit Garda Vetting Applications to the Garda Central Vetting Unit and to receive Vetting disclosures from the Garda Vetting Unit.

If the adult has already been through a vetting procedure he/she must make the original Vetting Disclosure available to the persons authorized within the school.

Thepersons authorized to view Vetting Disclosures within the school are the Chairperson of the Board of Management and the Principal.

All rules of Data Protection will be observed in respect of any data received following a Garda Vetting Request or a Disclosure being provided:

  • Information will be obtained and processed fairly
  • Information will be kept/used for a specified, explicit and lawful purpose
  • Use of and disclosure of information obtained occurs only in ways compatible with these purposes
  • Information will be kept safe and secure
  • Information will be accurate, complete and up to date
  • It will be retained only while necessary for the purpose obtained
  • Information received from the Vetting Unit will be shared with the individual at their request.

Decisions on whether to employ an adult will involve consideration of all administration information from stages of the recruitment and selection procedure as well as the Garda Vetting findings. In the case of convictions, cognisance will be taken of restorative justice and rehabilitation of offenders. All disclosures received from the Garda Central Vetting Unit will be managed within a Natural Justice Framework.

If an applicant disputes the content of the Garda Vetting Disclosure in any way the dispute dealt with fairly and appropriately.

Every conviction may ultimately affect the suitability of persons to work with the school.

The school recognises that there are some instances, in particular, that maydeem an individual unsuitable to work within the school. These causes for serious concern are outlined below:

Some Causes for serious review of staff:

The school consider the following as reasonable grounds for it not to proceed with the appointment or employment of an individual if:

  • The individual/candidate has been convicted of a crime that relates to the ill treatment or neglect of children/minors/vulnerable people.
  • The individual/candidate has charges/convictions relating to the ownership, production, possession or distribution of child pornography.
  • Where the candidate is known to the Child Protection services where this knowledge would involve concerns around the candidates suitability to work with children.
  • Where there is a finding of “confirmed” child abuse or neglect by the Health Services Executive but may not have attracted a criminal conviction. (There are three categories that the Health Service Executive can confirm abuse – 1. through a medical examination, 2. through an admission of guilt by the alleged perpetrator or 3. Via a ruling of a court).
  • Any other offence that in the school’s opinion deems the person unfit to work in or with the school.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

  • Children are not supervised by staff deemed unsuitable by the school.
  • Vetting Disclosures are received about all staff members.
  • Information from Vetting Disclosures are used appropriately in deciding the suitability of an adult working unsupervised with children in the school.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY

New and existing staff members are required to make their Vetting Disclosure available to the Authorized Persons in the school or to sign the Garda vetting form.

The Chairperson and the Principal are to send filled in forms to Educate Together.

Educate Together is to communicate directly with the Garda Vetting Unit.

The Chairperson and the Principal are to treat disclosure information appropriately and confidentially.

IMPLEMENTATION DATE

This will be implemented in the school year 2007/2008.

TIMETABLE FOR REVIEW

This policy will be reviewed in 2014/2015.

RATIFICATION & COMMUNICATION

The Board of management reviewed and ratified this policy in September 2012and a summary was included in the policy booklet for the whole school community. The full policy is available in the office.

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