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Checks for staff who have lived or worked overseas

You must make 'appropriate' further checks on staff who have lived or worked outside the UK. Find out how to mitigate risk early on in the process, assess risks with your candidates and what 'appropriate' further checks you can carry out.

Updated
on 28 July 2026See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 4729
Contents
  1. Make 'appropriate' further checks
  2. Before you decide on additional checks, make sure your recruitment process is robust
  3. How to decide whether you need additional checks
  4. What additional checks could be appropriate (and how to do them)
  5. If you're still not confident after additional checks ...

Make 'appropriate' further checks

You must carry out the typical required pre-employment checks for all candidates, including an enhanced DBS certificate and separate children's barred list check if they'll be engaging in regulated activity, even if the individual has never been to the UK.

If the candidate will be volunteering in a role that involves teaching, training, instructing, or supervising children frequently, overnight or on more than 3 days in a 30-day period, this is also classed as regulated activity. Where this applies, they require an enhanced DBS certificate and separate barred list check.

This is explained in paragraph 381 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026.

If the candidate has lived or worked outside the UK, you must also make any further checks that you consider 'appropriate'.

Follow the same approach no matter which