Using volunteers during Industrial Action in Schools

Using volunteers during Industrial Action in Schools

The arrangements set out in Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education allow schools to:

• Use existing members of the school volunteer workforce - for example, parents who regularly come in to help with reading - the school will have already carried out CRB and other checks.
• These volunteers could work unsupervised with children during a strike day, just as they may already do if a school allows them to do so.
   
• Use volunteers who have a CRB disclosure from another walk of life - for example, as a sports coach or scout group helper.
These volunteers could work unsupervised with children, subject to the head teacher or principal carrying out a risk assessment.

The risk assessment should include factors such as, how recent the CRB disclosure is, the nature and duration of the contact with children, the ages of the children, what other checks can be carried out and what further information is available in assessing suitability. 

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/emergencyplanning/b00199934/advice-for-handling-industrial-action-in-schools/appropriate-staff-cover