The Critical Role of Recruiters in School Safeguarding.
According to a TES global safeguarding survey, 85% of international educators report more safeguarding concerns now than five years ago, a rise felt across Asia (70%), Europe (67%) and Africa (74%.) Moreover, this uptick isn’t just anecdotal. It’s driven by digital risks – with 88% naming increased online exposure as a key factor.
When it comes to protecting children in educational settings, safeguarding isn’t just the responsibility of schools. Rather, it Is a shared commitment. It extends to every professional involved in the hiring process. At chk Education, we believe recruitment agencies play a pivotal role in creating safer learning environments. This responsibility goes far beyond conducting basic background checks.
Why Safer Recruitment Matters More Than Ever
The international education landscape presents unique safeguarding challenges. Specificially, teachers and educational professionals often move between countries, jurisdictions, and different regulatory frameworks. Whilst this mobility enriches educational communities, it can simultaneously create gaps in safeguarding oversight. Unscrupulous individuals might exploit these gaps.
As recruitment professionals, we occupy a crucial position in the safeguarding ecosystem. Indeed, we’re often the first point of contact for candidates. We serve as the bridge between schools and potential employees. Sometimes we are the only constant as educators transition between different educational systems.
Our Commitment to Safer Recruitment
The entire team at chk Education has completed the Safeguarding Alliance’s safer recruitment training. We recently renewed our certification in October 2025. However, this isn’t a box-ticking exercise for us. Instead, it’s a fundamental part of how we operate. A reflection of our values. As the BISSC coalition emphasises, documents alone don’t protect children – people do. Nevertheless, strong frameworks empower people to act with confidence, clarity, and care.
We firmly believe that recruitment firms must conduct safer recruitment practices. These must extend well beyond the minimum requirements. Consequently, this means:
- Comprehensive candidate screening that looks beyond qualifications to examine behavioural patterns and professional conduct
- Structured interview processes designed to identify potential safeguarding concerns
- Thorough reference checking that asks the right questions and probes for relevant information
- Ongoing professional development to stay current with best practices and emerging threats
Addressing the Gaps: Where We Can Do Better
Through our experience in international education recruitment, we’ve identified significant gaps. Current safeguarding practices must address these issues:
Data Sharing Between Schools and Agencies
One of the most pressing issues is the fragmented nature of information sharing. This occurs between educational institutions and recruitment agencies. Specifically, when a teacher moves from one school to another crucial safeguarding information can be lost. This is particularly true across international borders.
Therefore, we need robust, secure systems. These should allow relevant safeguarding information to follow educators throughout their careers. They must respect privacy laws and ensure due process. Importantly, this isn’t about creating a punitive system. Rather, it ensures that schools have access to the information they need. This enables informed hiring decisions.
Consistency Across Jurisdictions
International schools operate under various regulatory frameworks. This creates inconsistencies in safeguarding standards. For instance, what constitutes adequate safeguarding checks in one country may not meet the standards of another. Recent discussions about the BISSC Safer Recruitment Code of Conduct note this issue. International settings face disproportionate risks. These stem from varying vetting practices, global mobility of staff and students, regulatory loopholes, and limited legal recourse. Accordingly, recruitment agencies working in this space must understand these variations. They must always aim for the highest standard.
The Promise of the BISSC Misconduct Disclosure Scheme
We’re encouraged by initiatives like the BISSC (British International Schools and Services Coalition) Misconduct Disclosure Scheme for International Schools. It launched at the recent COBIS annual conference and comes into effect from 1 September 2025. Furthermore, this landmark framework represents a significant step forward. It creates more transparent and effective safeguarding systems in international education.
The BISSC recognises what we’ve long understood. Fragmented standards, inconsistent practice, and gaps in global recognition of safe recruitment create vulnerabilities. These must be addressed. As the coalition notes, safe schools begin with safe hiring. Recruitment is the first gateway into any school community.
Additionally, the new code addresses the unique challenges faced by international schools. Varying vetting practices, global mobility of staff, regulatory loopholes, and limited legal recourse. Crucially, it emphasises that safeguarding is “not just a policy tick box.” Rather, it is our sector’s “golden thread.” A collective responsibility to reduce risk for children and young people worldwide.
These initiatives recognise that safeguarding is a collective responsibility. Robust frameworks empower people to act with confidence, clarity, and care.
Moving Forward: Our Responsibilities as Recruiters
As recruitment professionals, we must acknowledge that our role in safeguarding extends throughout the entire candidate journey:
Before Recruitment:
- Implementing robust screening processes
- Training our teams to recognise potential red flags
- Establishing clear safeguarding policies and procedures
During the Process:
- Conducting thorough interviews that include safeguarding-focused questions
- Verifying qualifications and employment history meticulously
- Maintaining detailed records of all interactions and decisions
After Placement:
- Providing ongoing support to both candidates and schools
- Facilitating feedback loops that can identify concerns early
- Contributing to the broader conversation about safeguarding improvements
Building a Safer Future Together
Effective safeguarding in education requires collaboration. Between schools, recruitment agencies, regulatory bodies, and the broader educational community. Clearly, we cannot work in silos. We cannot expect to create the comprehensive protection our students deserve.
At chk Education, we’re committed to being part of the solution. Ultimately, this means continuously improving our practices. It means advocating for better systems. It means never becoming complacent about the critical role we play in keeping children safe.
We believe that by taking our safeguarding responsibilities seriously, we can help create safer educational environments. By supporting initiatives that strengthen protection across the international education sector, we enable every child to learn, grow, and thrive safely.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. If you’re a school leader or fellow recruitment professional interested in discussing safer recruitment practices, we’d welcome the conversation. Together, we can build stronger safeguards for the children in our care.
