Natalie Clemens, General Manager of abrs, explains why child safe recruitment must go beyond qualifications to intentionally assess values, judgement and practice capability in order to strengthen services and protect children, young people and families.
At abrs, child safe recruitment is not something we speak about lightly. It is a core part of how we think about recruitment quality, sector responsibility and the role hiring decisions play in shaping safer services for children, young people and families.
As a recruitment agency working closely across children, youth and families, we know the impact of recruitment extends well beyond filling a vacancy. The people appointed into these roles can hold significant influence in the lives of children and young people. They may be supporting families through periods of crisis, working alongside children who have experienced trauma, contributing to safety planning, documenting concerns, or helping deliver services that are intended to protect, strengthen and restore family relationships.
That is why recruitment in this space must go further than assessing whether a person has the right qualifications or enough experience on paper. It must also consider how that person is likely to show up in practice, how they understand responsibility, how they work with boundaries, and whether they are capable of operating in ways that genuinely keep children safe.
Why child safe recruitment matters
Child safety is often discussed in the context of policy, governance and organisational culture, and rightly so. But recruitment is one of the earliest points at which safety can either be strengthened or compromised.
A poor hiring decision in child-focused services can have far-reaching consequences. It can affect team culture, service quality, risk management and, most importantly, the experience and safety of children and young people. When recruitment is too transactional, too rushed or overly focused on vacancy management alone, there is a risk that critical indicators are missed.
In our view, child safe recruitment means being more deliberate. It means looking beyond surface-level capability and taking the time to assess the qualities that matter in environments where trust, judgement, regulation, accountability and relational practice all matter deeply.
Looking beyond qualifications and tenure
A strong resume does not automatically mean someone is safe, suitable or aligned to the realities of the work.
Experience and qualifications are important, but they are only part of the picture. In roles working alongside children, young people and families, it is equally important to understand how a candidate thinks, how they respond under pressure, how they speak about children and families, how they understand professional boundaries, and whether they demonstrate the level of self-awareness and accountability the role requires.
At abrs, this means we place value on the behavioural and practice-based aspects of recruitment, not only the technical ones. We want to understand how a person approaches complex situations, what sits behind their motivation to work in the sector, and whether their examples reflect sound judgement and safe practice.
What child safe recruitment looks like at abrs
Our approach is guided by the abrs Practice Framework and the principles that shape how we recruit and partner with organisations.
That means we do not assess suitability through one lens alone. We look at the broader practice context of the role and the environment the person is entering. We consider how candidates demonstrate alignment with values-based work, child-focused practice, family-centred thinking, cultural humility, relationship-building, and an understanding of trauma and its impacts.
This also influences the way we engage with clients. Child safe recruitment is not just about candidate attraction. It is about helping organisations make stronger and more informed hiring decisions. That includes being thoughtful about role scoping, asking better questions during briefing, considering the real demands of the position, and ensuring the assessment process reflects the nature of the work.
We believe recruitment should support organisations to appoint people who are not only capable of performing tasks, but who can contribute positively to the safety, culture and integrity of the service.
Recruitment has a role in prevention
One of the reasons I care so strongly about this area is because recruitment is often underestimated in conversations about child safety.
We tend to talk about child safety once a person is already in the organisation, through supervision, training, reporting pathways and internal policy settings. Those things matter enormously. But the recruitment process sits upstream from all of that. It is one of the first opportunities an organisation has to test alignment, identify risks, and set expectations around practice and accountability.
That is why I believe recruitment agencies working across children, youth and families should be prepared to hold a higher standard. We should not be focused only on speed, placement volume or filling gaps. We should be contributing to safer services by lifting the quality of assessment and being clear about the behaviours, judgement and practice capability these roles require.
A continued focus for abrs
At abrs, child safe recruitment is not an add-on. It is embedded in how we think about ethical recruitment, workforce quality and the broader responsibility we carry as a sector-specialist recruitment partner.
We know the organisations we work with are often operating in complex environments, supporting some of the most vulnerable members of the community. They need more than resumes. They need recruitment processes that recognise the seriousness of the work and the importance of appointing people who are suited not just to the role, but to the responsibility that comes with it.
That remains an important focus for me as General Manager, and for our team.
Because when child safe recruitment is done well, it does more than support a hiring outcome. It helps strengthen organisations, improve workforce quality and contribute to safer environments for children, young people and families.
If your organisation is recruiting within children, youth and families and wants a recruitment partner that applies a stronger child safe lens, contact abrs to discuss how we can support your hiring needs.
