How iCan Teach UK Ensures Compliance and Safeguarding for Overseas Hires
Recruiting overseas teachers brings enormous benefits to UK schools — from addressing teacher shortages to enriching school communities with global perspectives. But with international recruitment comes a serious responsibility: ensuring that every hire meets the highest standards for safeguarding and compliance.
At iCan Teach UK, safeguarding isn’t just a box-ticking exercise — it’s at the core of everything we do. Schools need to trust that the teachers they welcome into their classrooms are not only qualified, but fully vetted and prepared to work in line with UK safeguarding standards.
Here’s how we ensure compliance at every stage of the recruitment process.
01 Enhanced DBS Checks
Every overseas teacher placed through iCan Teach UK must undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check — the most rigorous level of criminal record screening available in the UK.
- If the teacher is applying from outside the UK, we help them apply for a DBS in advance of their arrival.
- We ensure that all documentation is current, legitimate, and correctly verified.
- Teachers are not cleared for placement until their DBS has been fully processed and reviewed.
02 Overseas Police Clearance
Because the DBS only covers criminal records within the UK, we also obtain police clearance certificates from each country where the teacher has lived for a significant period.
This is a non-negotiable part of our process.
- Teachers must provide official criminal background checks from their home country and any other relevant jurisdictions.
- We advise and support candidates through the process of obtaining these documents, which can vary by country.
03 Rigorous Reference Checks
No candidate is considered for placement without a minimum of two professional references, covering at least the last two years of employment.
- References must come from senior leaders — ideally heads of department or school principals.
- We do not accept open or character references. All referees are contacted directly to verify authenticity.
- References are checked for any gaps in employment, concerns regarding conduct, or safeguarding red flags.
04 Mandatory Safeguarding Training
All iCan Teach UK candidates complete up-to-date safeguarding training prior to arrival in the UK — ensuring they understand:
- The principles of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).
- How to recognise and report signs of abuse or neglect.
- UK-specific expectations around child protection, professional boundaries, and duty of care.
We partner with trusted training providers to deliver online safeguarding modules, which must be completed as part of our onboarding process.
05 Compliance with APSCo Standards
iCan Teach UK is proud to follow the compliance code set by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) — the gold standard for ethical and professional recruitment in the UK education sector.
This means:
- Our compliance processes are independently audited.
- We are held accountable to industry-leading safeguarding, data protection, and fair recruitment practices.
- Schools can have full confidence that every placement meets both legal requirements and best-practice benchmarks.
06 Ongoing Support and Monitoring
Our responsibility doesn’t end once a teacher is placed. iCan Teach UK provides:
- Pastoral support to help teachers settle into life and work in the UK.
- Regular check-ins with schools and staff to ensure performance, wellbeing, and safeguarding compliance are maintained.
- A dedicated compliance team to respond quickly if any concerns arise post-placement.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to working with children and young people, there can be no compromise on safeguarding. That’s why iCan Teach UK goes beyond the basics — ensuring every overseas teacher is fully vetted, trained, and supported to uphold the highest standards in UK education.
We believe that safe recruitment is successful recruitment — and that peace of mind for schools starts with a trusted, transparent process.
📩 Register with iCan-Teach UK today and let us help you take the first step: https://dunbareducation.com/register
