MORE THAN JUST A BACKGROUND CHECK

With the recruiting season already upon us, Coleen Hoare, Founder of chk Education looks at the responsibility agencies have for child protection.
Growing concerns

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%.) 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. It’s a shared commitment that extends to every professional involved in the hiring process. Agencies play a pivotal role in creating safer learning environments, and this responsibility goes far beyond conducting basic background checks.

Why safer recruitment matters more than ever

The international education landscape presents unique safeguarding challenges. Teachers and educational professionals often move between countries, jurisdictions and different regulatory frameworks. This mobility, while enriching for educational communities, can create gaps in safeguarding oversight that unscrupulous individuals might exploit.

As recruitment professionals, we occupy a crucial position in the safeguarding ecosystem. We’re often the first point of contact for candidates, the bridge between schools and potential employees, and sometimes the only constant as educators transition between different educational systems.

Agencies and safer recruitment

Effective safer recruitment needs training. We work with the Safeguarding Alliance and are currently in the important process of renewing our agents’ certification. This can’t be a box-ticking exercise. It’s a must for any recruiter. As the BISSC coalition emphasises, documents alone don’t protect children – people do. But strong frameworks empower people to act with confidence, clarity, and care.

We firmly believe that recruitment firms, alongside the schools they serve, must conduct safer recruitment practices that extend well beyond the minimum requirements. 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

There is no room for complacency in the industry and there are potential gaps that must be covered in recruitment processes that everyone must address together:

Data sharing between schools and agencies

One of the most pressing issues is the fragmented nature of information sharing between educational institutions and recruitment agencies. When a teacher moves from one school to another, particularly across international borders, crucial safeguarding information can be lost in transition.

We need robust, secure systems that allow relevant safeguarding information to follow educators throughout their careers, whilst respecting privacy laws and ensuring due process. This isn’t about creating a punitive system but rather ensuring that schools have access to the information they need to make informed hiring decisions.

Consistency across jurisdictions

International schools operate under various regulatory frameworks, which can mean inconsistencies in safeguarding standards. What constitutes adequate safeguarding checks in one country may not meet the standards of another. As noted in recent discussions about the BISSC Safer Recruitment Code of Conduct, international settings face disproportionate risks due to varying vetting practices, global mobility of staff and students, regulatory loopholes, and limited legal recourse. As the full-time professionals,  agencies working in this space must understand these variations and always aim for the highest standards being applied.

BISSC Misconduct Disclosure Scheme

We’re encouraged by initiatives like the BISSC (British International Schools and Services Coalition) Misconduct Disclosure Scheme for International Schools, which launched at the recent COBIS annual conference and came into effect on 1 September 2025. This landmark framework represents a significant step forward in creating more transparent and effective safeguarding systems in international education.

The BISSC recognises that fragmented standards, inconsistent practice, and gaps in global recognition of safe recruitment create vulnerabilities that must be addressed. As the coalition notes, safe schools begin with safe hiring, and recruitment is the first gateway into any school community.

Safeguarding is “not just a policy tick box” but rather our sector’s “golden thread” – a collective responsibility to reduce risk for children and young people worldwide.

The new code addresses the unique challenges faced by international schools, including 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” but rather 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 and that robust frameworks empower people to act with confidence, clarity, and care.

Good practice at every step

As recruitment professionals, we must therefore acknowledge that our role in safeguarding extends through the entire candidate journey:

Before recruitment:

  • Implementing robust screening processes
  • Training our teams to recognise potential red flags
  • Establishing clear safeguarding policies and procedures for everyone involved in the process

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. We can’t work in silos and expect to create the comprehensive protection our students deserve.

We all have to be part of the solution, which means continuously improving our practices, advocating for better systems, and never becoming complacent about the critical role we all play in keeping children safe.

Coleen Hoare is the Founder & Managing Director of chk Education

Connect: coleen@chkeducation.com

FEATURE IMAGE: by Oxana Lyashenko on Unsplash 

Support Images: by Hobi industri , Photos of Korea , Karolina Grabowska & Kateryna Hliznitsova all on UnsplashÂ