Kingston Noble

What's the point of references? Unless they are obtained correctly!! The number of candidates we have rejected because of poor references is quite alarming, candidates who are currently working in children's services. How is this happening?? Here's a few reasons: Taking reference contacts at face value - If a candidate provides reference details of a contact at their current employer, how do you know that is the right person to provide a reference. They could be a colleague or friend happy to provide a reference but not authorised by the organisation to do so. Emailing a referee without calling first - Without calling the referee, how do you know they even work for the organisation. I have seen some very elaborate scams where fake emails addresses have been created to provide references. Referees using Hotmail, Gmail or other non-organisation accounts – Why would the referee not provide a reference using an organisation email address? If the reference is provided from a personal account, it cannot be deemed a legitimate reference on behalf of the organisation. Some smaller companies may use Hotmail or Gmail accounts, but these can be verified online. Not checking the organisation details – More often than not, references will only contain basic information such as dates of employment and confirmation of Safeguarding or disciplinary investigations. I have had candidates tell me they work with children and young people, yet when I have checked online, found that the company is registered to support adults only. How we do things at Kingston Noble! ·     All referees are verified by calling the company directly and confirming the person is authorised to provide a reference and is the best person to do this. ·     If a non-organisation account is provided, we will check whether that account is associated with the organisation. If not, the referee will be rejected, and our team will use professional curiosity to establish why the details were provided in the first place ·     Where only basic details have been provided on the reference, we will research the organisation to ensure the job role given by the candidate matches the support provided by the organisation We really need to get this right to ensure the candidates we are introducing to children's services are safe to work with young people.

Well hello September!! 👌 Don't get me wrong, I do love the summer holidays but business can be a little slower than I'd like. Not many people looking for a new role and even fewer decision makers around to confirm interviews🥱 Now September is here!! Everyone's back at work, refreshed from their break and it's all guns blazing 🔥🔥 So far we have booked 6 interviews and registered some great candidates in just 2 days😁🙌🏿 I spoke to a fantastic candidate this morning. She has nearly 30 years experience working with adults and children. She is currently an RI but looking to step into a Residential Management or Operations Management position. She is based in Birmingham but happy to travel up to an hour. If you think this candidate could be just what you're looking for, get in touch and I can give you more info. I'm also working with a very experienced Children's Home Manager. He has over 20 years experience supporting children with LD and Autism. He is currently working in an EBD service but has decided he is better suited to LD and on the look out for that perfect organisation. Get in touch if you would like more info. In other news 🗞️🗞️ Any children's Social Workers or Commissioners supporting a child who may need to go into residential or hospital care, but would prefer to stay in the family home? We have a Children's Intensive Support Work service which could provide the answer. Just send me a message and I will get straight back to you 😊

One of the many reasons I ❤️ my job is that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you know you have had a positive impact on someone’s career. Below is an email I received from a fabulous lady I placed as a Contractor with one of my client’s a year ago and has just been taken on permanently 👏👏 Hello all, I commenced my permanent position yesterday with BCT and wanted to thank you all for your time, encouragement and patience with me over the past year. I have really felt supported during this time and wanted to express my gratitude for the opportunity to make the transition over to Birmingham. Thanks again for your time and good luck for the business in the future 😊 Kind Regards, Aphton Coley

Is Unconditional Positive Regard Overused in Recruitment? Unconditional positive regard is a concept introduced by humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers. It refers to the practice of accepting and valuing a person without any conditions or judgments, regardless of what they say or do. Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR) is a cornerstone in many counselling practices, but is it being overused in recruitment? 🤔 It's essential to make candidates feel valued and respected, yet there's a thin line between encouragement and misplaced endorsement. In recruitment, continuously providing unrestrained positive feedback can sometimes set unrealistic expectations. As recruiters, our role involves helping candidates identify areas for growth to better align with job opportunities. Sugar-coating or avoiding constructive feedback may lead to misalignment and eventual dissatisfaction, both for the candidate and the employer. While UPR fosters a supportive atmosphere, balance is crucial. Delivering honest and constructive feedback, while maintaining respect and empathy, leads to more authentic interactions and better placements. Remember, it's about quality matches. #Recruitment #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalGrowth

QCF Diploma or Personality…. Which should come first? One of the biggest challenges recruiters face working in the children’s residential care sector is finding candidates with a QCF Diploma in Children & Young People. Ofsted have put a huge emphasis on employers ensuring staff are qualified at this level. Although Ofsted regulation allow for staff to be recruited and then complete the qualification within 2 years, a large proportion of employers insist on new recruits already having the qualification. Often, they are concerned they will be downgraded at inspection for not having enough staff qualified to this level. So, what’s so special about this qualification? With a QCF Diploma, professionals gain in-depth knowledge on safeguarding, child development, and effective communication – all essential skills for creating a safe and nurturing environment. It equips you with the tools to handle complex situations, advocate for the children’s best interests, and provide emotional stability. But what the Diploma can’t teach are natural components of someone’s personality, essential to support young people in a residential setting. Traits such as Empath, Resilience, Compassion, Emotional Intelligence and natural curiosity. I have spoken to and unfortunately had to reject many individuals who have all of the personality traits and previous experience, but don’t have the QCF Diploma. Conversely, I have also spoken to a happily rejected some candidates who have none of the personality traits but have the experience and QCF Diploma. There are an increasing number of employers favouring the QCF qualification over personality traits when recruiting, as they feel they are complying with regulations. There in nothing in Ofsted regulations stipulating the proportion of staff who need to be QCF qualified. There is, however, a requirement that staff need to have the necessary skills, experience and training to meet the needs of the child. This requirement specifically relates to either a child already in place or the level of need an organisation can support as prescribed in their Statement of Purpose. Depending on the level of current or proposed need to be supported, in my experience, this skillset is evidenced by previous experience and personality traits. Whilst the QCF Diploma is absolutely essential longer term, is it really a requirement at recruitment stage? I would be interested to hear what other recruiters and providers think about this!!

I have an urgent requirement for a Physiotherapist to join a Residential Service based in Telford with a salary of up to 45K. My client is also looking for temporary Physiotherapy cover in the same service. We have £250 payable to any referral leading to a permanent placement

Are any of my connections on the HealthTrust Europe Framework? We are looking to get onto the framework next time it renews, but in the mean time I would be very keen to subcontract with an existing supplier

I am currently working with a Deputy Children's Home Manager. They have over 2 years experience in a supervisory capacity within a residential service supporting young people with EBD. This candidate has both QCF level 3 C&YP and Level 5 L&M. They are based in Telford but happy to travel to surrounding towns or cities. My candidate is looking for a new position as a Deputy Manager or a step up to Registered Children's Home Manager. Please get in touch if you would like more information. #childrenshome #deputymanager #registeredmanager #ebd #QCF5 #QCF3 If anyone would like to find out more, get in touch.

Responsible Individual candidate - Birmingham or surrounding areas I have the pleasure of representing a very talented Children's Social Work Team Manager. They have recently taken redundancy from a Local Authority where they held an Ofsted Outstanding rating for some considerable time. They are now looking for a change of scenery with their next role and are open to a part time Responsible Individual position. If anyone would like some more information or would like to meet my client, please get in touch. #responsibleindividual #Ofted #outstanding #socialworker #teammanager #EBD #learningdisabilities