Public sector recruiters in the dark about radicalisation proposals
13 March 2015
While the government is reportedly going to require Jobcentre Plus officials to identify vulnerable clients who may be susceptible to radicalisation, it remains unclear whether such requirements will be extended to public sector recruiters and resourcing departments.
Fri, 13 Mar 2015
While the government is reportedly going to require Jobcentre Plus officials to identify vulnerable clients who may be susceptible to radicalisation, it remains unclear whether such requirements will be extended to public sector recruiters and resourcing departments.
Earlier this week, The Telegraph reported it had seen a leaked draft of the Home Office’s counter-extremism strategy that includes a new requirement for staff at job centres to identify vulnerable claimants who may be susceptible to radicalisation.
The paper adds the proposal forms part of a new “get tough” strategy from government to tackle the perceived growing threat to the UK from Islamist extremists.
Shubber Raja, managing director at healthcare recruiter MediLink Consulting expressed concerns over a lack of clarity of what the government’s new requirements for additional checks will be and whether they will also apply to recruiters.
“However, we already rigorously vet the backgrounds of all our applicants, including checks on criminal convictions and references from previous employers,” he told Recruiter.
But it appears recruitment departments in the wider public sector are set to adapt policy if such a requirement is extended to other areas of the civil service.
According to Joanna Ruffle, head of people and policy, Southend Council, the local authority does not currently have a specific policy on this area but is monitoring developments.
She said in a statement: “We are keeping an eagle eye on the national debate around this, along with any potential changes in policy that we would need to be aware of, and whether we need to consider implementing specific policy and training around this. I am sure that other colleagues in the sector will be doing the same.”
Meanwhile Dean Shoesmith, joint executive head of HR at the London Boroughs of Sutton and Merton, told Recruiter the councils he represents are open to adapting child protection policies already in place.
“We would meet with the police either about an existing employee or a potential employee [the council had concerns about] and have a review of the person’s background and history. We generally do that for child protection purposes but it’s not inconceivable we could use a case conference where we have other concerns as well.
“I have to say in all honesty, we’ve not had one relating to extremism but it’s possible we could or would.”
Earlier this week, The Telegraph reported it had seen a leaked draft of the Home Office’s counter-extremism strategy that includes a new requirement for staff at job centres to identify vulnerable claimants who may be susceptible to radicalisation.
The paper adds the proposal forms part of a new “get tough” strategy from government to tackle the perceived growing threat to the UK from Islamist extremists.
Shubber Raja, managing director at healthcare recruiter MediLink Consulting expressed concerns over a lack of clarity of what the government’s new requirements for additional checks will be and whether they will also apply to recruiters.
“However, we already rigorously vet the backgrounds of all our applicants, including checks on criminal convictions and references from previous employers,” he told Recruiter.
But it appears recruitment departments in the wider public sector are set to adapt policy if such a requirement is extended to other areas of the civil service.
According to Joanna Ruffle, head of people and policy, Southend Council, the local authority does not currently have a specific policy on this area but is monitoring developments.
She said in a statement: “We are keeping an eagle eye on the national debate around this, along with any potential changes in policy that we would need to be aware of, and whether we need to consider implementing specific policy and training around this. I am sure that other colleagues in the sector will be doing the same.”
Meanwhile Dean Shoesmith, joint executive head of HR at the London Boroughs of Sutton and Merton, told Recruiter the councils he represents are open to adapting child protection policies already in place.
“We would meet with the police either about an existing employee or a potential employee [the council had concerns about] and have a review of the person’s background and history. We generally do that for child protection purposes but it’s not inconceivable we could use a case conference where we have other concerns as well.
“I have to say in all honesty, we’ve not had one relating to extremism but it’s possible we could or would.”
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