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Online, Social Media & DBS Checks for Schools and Trusts
Meet KCSIE requirements without delay, inconsistency or unnecessary risk with two pre-employment safeguarding checks that stand between a shortlisted candidate and a safe appointment.
Related services:UK Work Permits & Visa Support | HR Advisory Service | HR Strategic Support
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Safeguard your pupils and protect your reputation with safer recruitment checks
The pre-employment checks you run before an appointment are the ones that protect your pupils, your staff and your schools reputation long after a hire is made.
Judicium Education helps you make those checks more reliable, consistent and affordable - with lawful online and social media searches, and accurate DBS applications that meet your statutory obligations while minimising delay, inconsistency and risk.
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In depth checks, without the resubmissions
Keeping Children Safe in Education requires an Enhanced DBS check for all school and MAT employees and volunteers, and where those individuals engage in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, an Enhanced check with barred list information.
Judicium's online DBS service is designed to avoid unnecessary delays by preventing checks from being rejected and needing resubmission.
+ What's covered in the DBS checking service
- Enhanced DBS checks, with children's or adults' barred list information where required
- Applications checked for accuracy before they reach the Disclosure and Barring Service
- A loyalty rate when you have already used our online and social media checks
- Free of charge for volunteers
Pricing: £49.50 per check (volunteers free of charge) plus administration of £14 per check for Judicium Education HR clients or £18 for clients of other Judicium services.
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Know what’s public before you appoint
Online checks are a vital part of complying with the safer recruitment requirements of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
Partnering with Judicium for Online and Social Media checks help schools and trusts assess a shortlisted candidate's online presence over a two-year period, returning a simple risk report rather than raw data, so you can minimise risk and discuss anything flagged with the candidate before making the appointment.
+ The 7 index measures of our online and social media checks
- News reports
- Personal listings
- Blogs and vlogs
- General searches
- E-commerce and retail
- Professional networking
- Social media
The index measures we use, in line with KCSIE requirements, act as a powerful screening and online behaviour evaluation tool that objectively, lawfully, and fairly assesses a shortlisted candidate, so you can make better informed decisions to safeguard your pupils.
What Judicium’s safer recruitment checks give schools and academy trusts
What’s included
Safer recruitment, made more reliable, consistent and affordable.
Online and social media searches and DBS checks from one team, so both statutory checks are handled to the same standard with no gaps between them.
Get in touchSeven established index measures build an objective, lawful and fair assessment of a shortlisted candidate's online presence over a two-year period. Reporting contains only information relevant to KCSIE, so you stay compliant without exceeding your authority.
Our online DBS service makes sure the information reaching the Disclosure and Barring Service is accurate and in line with requirements, preventing the rejections and resubmissions that delay a start date.
Findings come back as a straightforward risk report rather than raw data, so you can discuss any flagged concern with the candidate and make an informed decision before you appoint.
Fixed per-check pricing, a reduced administration fee for Judicium Education HR clients, free DBS checks for volunteers, and a lower rate again when you use both services for the same candidate.
Why it matters
What getting your safer school recruitment checks right delivers
01
Avoid delays that lose candidates
Rejected and resubmitted DBS applications hold up start dates. Our service is built to get them right first time.
02
Stay lawful, and stay in scope
Online searches cover only what KCSIE asks about, protecting your school and your candidates from overreach.
03
Decide on evidence, not instinct
A clear risk report lets you raise any concern with the candidate before you appoint, not after.
Testimonials
People Matters Thought Leadership Series
People Matters is our bold, people-first thought leadership platform where education leaders explore people, policy and payroll challenges in true, trusted partnership.
“Conversations for the Unapologetically Curious...”
- A bold, people-first thought leadership platform exploring the real issues shaping the education sector today
- For leaders and change-makers covering people, policy and payroll across schools and trusts
- A trusted space to share ideas, challenge thinking and build confidence through change
Judicium HR Training Programme
The Judicium HR Training Programme is our practical, term-by-term training portfolio where school leaders build the confidence and know-how to manage people well at every stage of the employee lifecycle.
Access the right training, at the right time, all year round...
- A structured programme of CPD-accredited sessions and short briefings following the rhythm of the academic year
- For leaders, headteachers, governors, and line managers handling HR across schools and trusts
- A practical space to master the essentials, tackle challenges and make confident, compliant decisions
Free people matters Guide
Getting DBS and Social Media Checks Right
A detailed guide helping headteachers, school business managers and HR managers close the gaps in their safer recruitment checks before inconsistency turns into risk.
What's inside the guide
- An overview of the current safer recruitment landscape for schools and trusts
- The potential risks created when DBS and online checks are applied inconsistently
- A Q&A with Pauline Russell, plus practical steps in the right direction
Related Content
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Frequently asked questions about Online and Social Media checks & DBS
Yes, but the checks must be lawful, fair and non-discriminatory. Our online searches align with UK GDPR and employment law and report only on content relevant to the concerns Keeping Children Safe in Education sets out, over a defined two-year period, so nothing goes beyond a reasonable level.
Seven established index measures of a candidate's online presence: news reports, personal listings, blogs and vlogs, general searches, e-commerce and retail, professional networking, and social media. The output is a simple risk report you can discuss with the candidate.
It is not a legal requirement, but it is best practice to tell candidates that pre-employment checks may include online searches. It keeps the process transparent and supports compliance with employment regulations.
Yes, but the decision must be objective, proportionate and legally justifiable. Document the concern, keep decision-making non-discriminatory, and make sure it aligns with safer recruitment and employment law.
There is no statutory requirement for regular re-checks. Many schools renew enhanced DBS checks every three years, or use the DBS Update Service for real-time monitoring.