References

A ‘reference’ is information given by an employer or someone else to help assess someone’s suitability for a role.  

Best practice would be to obtain at least two references, but you should check your organisation’s policy to see if there is a specified number of references required.

There are three main reference types:  

• Basic factual reference. This simply states the position held by someone in an organisation and the dates of employment / volunteering. Many organisations will only provide this type of reference.
• Enhanced factual reference. This provides this information plus the main duties a person held, relevant disciplinary records, sickness / absence (not related to disability or parental leave), salary and reason for leaving.
• Character reference. This provides an opinion on somebody’s strengths, qualities and other aspects of their character. This could come from anybody who knows the applicant but isn’t related to them, not just an employer.  

​A reference must be fair and accurate; unfair or misleading references can be challenged in court.​

All information requested must be relevant and proportional, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. A relevant question would be whether the referee knows any reason why the person should not be working with children or adults at risk of harm

Factual references should always include the current or most recent employer or volunteer manager. References from family members are not appropriate but references can be personal e.g. if someone would like to help in a creche setting, a parent whose child they have babysat for could be appropriate.​

In the context of places of worship, it is good practice to request details of previous places of worship the person has attended and request details for a referee from the previous church.  

Things to consider​ 

One of the most debated aspects of the safer recruitment process, particularly for voluntary or smaller organisations, is the request for references. Although the information given in a reference may be limited, and asking for them may seem overly formal, asking for references is another strong deterrent to those who wish to cause harm.​ 

You should consider the role and the formality of your recruitment process when deciding what is appropriate e.g. requesting three employment references from someone who wants to be on a coffee morning welcome team would seem excessive.