COBIS schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. All applicants to COBIS schools must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks. COBIS requires all prospective and member schools to complete mandatory regular training in both Safer Recruitment and Child Protection.
Click here to view the latest COBIS Safeguarding Update.
- Please note - COBIS member schools and non-member schools can access the COBIS service administering Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
- In addition to DBS checks, COBIS strongly recommends that all teachers undergo a Prohibition Order check. We are working in collaboration with the National College for Teaching and Leadership to offer access to this service to overseas schools.
- View the Department for Education (DfE) Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment guidance
- Our colleagues at the Council of International Schools have put together a helpful briefing document covering the appropriate police background checks to obtain from prospective employees' current and previous countries of employment and residence.
Contact us with any questions and for further guidance
- Department for Education (UK) Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment Guidance
- Safer Recruitment and Child Protection Training
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
- International Child Protection Certificate
- The International Task Force on Child Protection
- Education Portal
- The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
- Department for Education (DfE) Guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education - Revision
- International Criminal Background Check Procedures
Department for Education (UK) Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment Guidance
As a guide for COBIS Schools, the following statutory guidance from the Department for Education sets out the responsibilities of all local authorities, schools and Further Education (FE) colleges in England to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- View the full DfE guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education on the DfE website here.
Safer Recruitment and Child Protection Training
COBIS offers a range of training opportunities related to Safer Recruitment, Child Protection, and Safeguarding.
- Click here to read about Child Protection Courses
- Click here to read about the COBIS/EduCare online training opportunities
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
In 2012 the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged to form a new organisation, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
COBIS member schools and non-member schools can access the COBIS service administering Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
International Child Protection Certificate
The International Task Force on Child Protection
The International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) was formed in April 2014 to help international school communities address child protection challenges.
For more information please click here.
To download the June 2016 Report, please click here.
Education Portal
The International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) have worked in partnership to develop an Education Portal where schools can access child protection resources and report suspected or known abuse. Please click here to access the Education Portal.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
Department for Education (DfE) Guidance on Keeping Children Safe in Education - Revision
In September 2016 the DfE issued a revised version of the statutory guidance - Keeping Children Safe in Education. This is a useful guide for COBIS Schools which sets out the responsibilities of all local authorities, schools and Further Education colleges (in England) to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
Download the Guidance
- The NSPCC have also published a briefing on the key updates to Keeping Children Safe in Education. Click here to download the NSPCC briefing
International Criminal Background Check Procedures
Our colleagues at the Council of International Schools have put together a helpful briefing document that covers the appropriate checks to request from a prospective employee's current and previous countries of employment and residence. The document is the result of extensive research into governmental, law enforcement and embassy websites, and COBIS is grateful to CIS for compiling this invaluable resource. This guidance is another excellent example of the commitment of both organisations and others which constitute the International Child Protection Task Force.