Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) Launch Quality Standard

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), professional body for recruitment companies in the UK launched the new quality standard for education recruitment companies on Wednesday May 8^th 2013.

The new standard, known as ‘REC audited education’ will provide assurance to education providers across England and Wales who regularly use recruitment agencies to provide teaching and non-teaching staff.

The standard replaces the now defunct quality mark that was previously run by the department for education (DfE) in conjunction with REC. The quality mark was abolished in February 2013 by the department DfE after it was decided that government funding was to be withdrawn. The decision came as the DfE felt it was time for the recruitment industry to independently make arrangements for compliance with legislation.

Leah Seltzer, Head of compliance at New Directions commented ‘Since the disbandment of the Quality Mark there did seem to be some disarray amongst education agencies and their respective clients. It is essential that schools have the confidence that all appropriate checks are taking place. REC Audited Education will provide peace of mind to many, and the Compliance department at New Directions welcome its launch’.

The REC developed the new scheme in conjunction with stakeholders from the education sector including individual schools, local authorities and unions, this has ensured that the new scheme is focusing on the issues considered important to them.

REC chief executive Kevin Green says ‘When a school turns to a recruitment agency to help them find staff to work with children and young people, they have to be confident that all the appropriate checks have taken place. The aim of our scheme is to give head teachers peace of mind that they are working with an accredited supplier who adheres to the very highest standards.

To achieve REC Audited Education status and display the badge, recruitment agencies will have to prove they are not just compliant with all necessary legislation and regulations but that they operate the very best practice”.

Read more about the quality mark here: http://www.recruiter.co.uk/news/2013/05/rec-launches-quality-mark-successor-for-education-recruiters/