{{org_field_logo}}

{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

---

Volunteer and Intern Recruitment, Training, and Support Policy

1. Purpose

This policy outlines how {{org_field_name}} recruits, checks, inducts, trains, supervises, supports and reviews volunteers and interns working within the care home service. Volunteers and interns can make a valuable contribution to companionship, activities, engagement and other agreed aspects of the service, but their involvement must be managed in a manner that protects the safety, welfare, dignity and rights of people who use the service.

For the purposes of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, the definition of employment includes arrangements under which people provide their services voluntarily. Accordingly, volunteers and interns who work for the purposes of carrying on the regulated activity will be subject, where applicable, to the regulatory requirements relating to recruitment, fitness, training, supervision and records.

{{org_field_name}} will manage volunteers and interns in accordance with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, including Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment), Regulation 13 (Safeguarding Service Users from Abuse and Improper Treatment), Regulation 17 (Good Governance), Regulation 18 (Staffing) and Regulation 19 (Fit and Proper Persons Employed). The purpose of this policy is to ensure that volunteers and interns are suitable for their roles, appropriately checked, competent for the duties allocated to them, properly supervised and supported, and deployed in a way that maintains safe, compassionate and person-centred care.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all individuals engaged by {{org_field_name}} in a voluntary or internship capacity within the care home, including individuals undertaking structured placements through educational institutions, community programmes or other volunteering or placement schemes.

For the purposes of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, arrangements for a person to provide their services voluntarily may fall within the regulatory definition of employment. {{org_field_name}} will therefore determine the regulatory requirements applicable to each volunteer or intern according to the nature of their role and the activities they undertake, rather than solely according to whether they are paid or unpaid.

This policy covers the full volunteer and intern lifecycle, including:

• recruitment and pre-engagement checks;
• assessment of suitability and fitness for the proposed role;
• role descriptions and boundaries;
• induction and role-appropriate training;
• safeguarding;
• supervision, competence assessment and periodic review;
• conduct and management of concerns;
• health and safety;
• record keeping; and
• ending the placement or voluntary arrangement.

All employees responsible for recruiting, allocating work to, supervising or supporting volunteers and interns must understand and implement this policy.

3. Related Policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with the following related policies to ensure consistency and regulatory compliance:

• CH02 – Fit and Proper Persons: Employed Staff Policy
• CH11 – Safe Care and Treatment Policy
• CH13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy
• CH17 – Infection Prevention and Control Policy
• CH27 – Staff Supervision, Training, and Development Policy
• CH30 – Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy
• CH29 – Whistleblowing (Speaking Up) Policy

4. Recruitment of Volunteers and Interns

{{org_field_name}} will operate effective and proportionate recruitment procedures for all volunteers and interns who work for the purposes of carrying on the regulated activity. No volunteer or intern will commence unsupervised duties, or duties for which pre-engagement checks are required, until the necessary checks have been completed and their suitability for the role has been established.

Each applicant will complete an appropriate application process and will be interviewed or otherwise formally assessed to establish their suitability, motivation, experience, skills, understanding of the proposed role and ability to work safely within the care home.

Where Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 applies, {{org_field_name}} will obtain, verify and retain the information required by Regulation 19 and Schedule 3, so far as it is applicable to the individual and role. This will include:

• proof of identity, including a recent photograph;
• the appropriate criminal record information where the role is legally eligible for such a check;
• satisfactory evidence of conduct in previous employment or work concerned with health or social care, children or vulnerable adults, where applicable;
• where the person has previously worked in a role involving children or vulnerable adults, satisfactory verification, so far as reasonably practicable, of the reason why that employment or engagement ended;
• satisfactory documentary evidence, so far as reasonably practicable, of qualifications relevant to the duties the person will undertake;
• a full employment and activity history, together with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps;
• satisfactory information about any physical or mental health condition relevant to the person’s capability to perform tasks intrinsic to the proposed role, after reasonable adjustments have been considered and made where required; and
• any other information or checks required by law for the particular role.

References and other evidence of previous conduct will be obtained where required to establish suitability and to satisfy the applicable Schedule 3 requirements.

The level of Disclosure and Barring Service check will be determined separately for each role according to the duties to be undertaken, the setting, frequency of activity and the applicable statutory eligibility criteria. {{org_field_name}} will only request a Standard or Enhanced DBS check, including an Adults’ Barred List check, where the particular role is legally eligible for that level of check. An Adults’ Barred List check will only be requested where the statutory eligibility requirements are met.

Where a role constitutes regulated activity with adults, {{org_field_name}} will undertake the appropriate barred-list checking requirements before permitting the individual to undertake that regulated activity. A person who is barred from regulated activity with adults must not be permitted to undertake regulated activity from which they are barred.

The registered manager or delegated responsible person must be satisfied that the individual is of good character and has the competence, skills, experience and health, after reasonable adjustments where required, necessary to undertake the agreed role safely.

Recruitment and suitability records must be accurate, complete, kept securely and made available for regulatory purposes where required.

5. Role Clarity and Agreements

Each volunteer and intern is provided with a written role description outlining their duties, responsibilities, boundaries, and who they report to. While they are not counted in the staffing numbers or permitted to undertake regulated care tasks, they play a crucial role in providing companionship, administrative support, social engagement, and assistance with activities. A Volunteer/Intern Agreement is signed, setting clear expectations around conduct, confidentiality, safeguarding, and professionalism. Volunteers and interns are informed that they are part of the team and expected to uphold the same ethical standards as paid staff.

6. Induction and Training

Every volunteer and intern will receive an induction that is appropriate to their role and is completed before they undertake duties without the level of supervision required during induction.

The induction will include, as relevant to the person’s role:

• the values, policies and procedures of {{org_field_name}};
• the person’s role description, responsibilities, limits and reporting arrangements;
• safeguarding adults, including recognising possible abuse or neglect and immediately reporting concerns;
• whistleblowing and speaking up;
• health and safety requirements;
• infection prevention and control;
• confidentiality, information governance and data protection;
• dignity, respect, equality and person-centred working;
• emergency and evacuation procedures;
• accident, incident and near-miss reporting;
• professional and personal boundaries;
• how to raise concerns about unsafe practice or risks to people using the service; and
• any additional knowledge or skills required to undertake the individual’s allocated duties safely.

Volunteers and interns working for the purposes of the regulated activity must receive training about learning disability and autism that is appropriate to their role. The content, level and method of training will reflect their duties, their level of contact with people using the service and the support needs of the people they may work with.

Safeguarding and other mandatory or role-specific training must be refreshed at appropriate intervals and whenever changes in the person’s duties, identified learning needs, legislation, regulatory requirements or risks make further training necessary.

Where a volunteer or intern undertakes an activity requiring specific knowledge, skill or competence, they must receive appropriate instruction, training and supervision and must not undertake the activity independently until their competence has been demonstrated and recorded.

Training and induction records will be maintained securely and kept up to date. The registered manager or delegated supervisor will monitor completion of required training and take prompt action where training requirements have not been met.

Interns undertaking a formal educational placement will additionally have documented learning objectives and, where applicable, an agreed learning or placement plan developed with the educational institution. Educational placement requirements do not replace {{org_field_name}}’s responsibilities for ensuring that the individual is suitably trained, competent and supervised for the activities undertaken within the service.

7. Supervision and Support

Each volunteer and intern will have a named supervisor who has sufficient experience, knowledge and authority to oversee the individual’s activities and provide appropriate support.

The level and frequency of supervision will be proportionate to:

• the individual’s role and responsibilities;
• their experience and competence;
• the level of contact they have with people using the service;
• any identified risks;
• the needs of people they support; and
• whether the individual is undertaking a formal educational placement.

Volunteers and interns must receive appropriate supervision during induction and whenever undertaking activities for which competence has not yet been demonstrated. They must not undertake duties independently where supervision is required to protect the health, safety or welfare of people using the service.

Supervision will consider:

• performance against the agreed role description;
• competence to undertake allocated activities;
• compliance with safeguarding and professional boundaries;
• training and development needs;
• any concerns, incidents or near misses;
• the individual’s wellbeing and support needs;
• feedback from the volunteer or intern; and
• whether the individual’s duties or level of supervision require adjustment.

The individual’s performance and suitability to continue in the role will be reviewed periodically through a proportionate appraisal or formal review process. Any identified training, learning, development or supervision needs will be recorded and acted upon.

Where concerns arise about an individual’s competence or fitness to undertake their role, the level of supervision or the activities allocated to them must be reviewed immediately and appropriate protective action taken.

For interns undertaking formal placements, supervision and review arrangements will also take account of the requirements agreed with the educational provider. These arrangements do not replace the care home’s responsibility for ensuring safe deployment, appropriate supervision and competence within the service.

Records of supervision, competence assessments, formal reviews and any actions identified will be maintained securely.

8. Performance, Conduct and Boundaries

Volunteers and interns must comply with {{org_field_name}}’s expected standards of conduct, safeguarding requirements, confidentiality requirements, professional boundaries and all policies relevant to their role.

Their duties must remain within the scope of their written role description and within the limits of their training, competence and authorisation. Volunteers and interns must not undertake activities for which they have not been assessed as competent or for which the necessary supervision, authorisation or checks have not been completed.

Concerns about behaviour, attendance, competence, fitness, safeguarding, professional boundaries or compliance with this policy must be reported promptly to the named supervisor or registered manager and recorded in accordance with the relevant organisational procedure.

Any allegation, disclosure, evidence or suspicion of abuse, neglect or improper treatment must be reported immediately and managed in accordance with CH13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy. {{org_field_name}} will take immediate and proportionate action to protect people using the service and will make referrals or notifications to the local authority safeguarding team, police, Disclosure and Barring Service, Care Quality Commission, professional regulator or other relevant body where required by law or the circumstances of the concern.

Where there is an immediate or potential risk to people using the service, the volunteer or intern will be removed from the relevant duties or otherwise restricted from contact as necessary while the concern is assessed or investigated. Any action taken will be necessary and proportionate to the identified risk.

The suitability and fitness of volunteers and interns will be kept under review throughout their engagement. Where a person no longer meets the fitness, competence, conduct or health requirements applicable to their role, {{org_field_name}} will take the action necessary and proportionate to protect people using the service and ensure compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements.

Where the individual is registered with a health or social care professional regulator and a concern meets the relevant referral or notification criteria, {{org_field_name}} will notify or refer the matter to that regulator as required.

Serious misconduct, safeguarding concerns, unsafe practice or repeated failure to comply with required standards may result in suspension from duties or termination of the voluntary or internship arrangement following appropriate consideration of the circumstances and safeguarding requirements.

9. Recognition and Retention

{{org_field_name}} is committed to recognising the valuable contributions of volunteers and interns. We provide certificates of achievement, offer references, and celebrate their impact through appreciation events and feedback mechanisms. Volunteers are offered the opportunity to continue in long-term roles if mutually agreed, and interns may be invited to apply for paid positions where available. We aim to retain a loyal, engaged volunteer base by ensuring their work is meaningful, supported, and rewarding.

10. Health, Safety and Insurance

All volunteers and interns are covered by {{org_field_name}}’s public liability and employer liability insurance. They are expected to comply with all health and safety guidance and report any accidents, near misses, or concerns immediately. A risk assessment is conducted for each role, and additional assessments may be carried out for individuals with specific needs. We provide appropriate PPE and support to all volunteers and interns to ensure their wellbeing in line with our CH17 – Infection Prevention and Control Policy.

11. Equality and Inclusion

In accordance with CH30 – Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy, we are committed to inclusive volunteering and internship opportunities that reflect the diversity of our community. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of care, and make reasonable adjustments where needed. No individual will be disadvantaged based on age, race, disability, religion, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

12. Exit and Feedback

At the end of a volunteer or internship placement, an exit meeting is held to reflect on their experience, capture feedback, and offer references or certificates. Volunteers and interns are encouraged to remain connected through our alumni or volunteer network if applicable. Their feedback informs service development, and they are encouraged to return or reapply in future if interested.

13. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if there are changes in relevant legislation, CQC requirements, or operational needs

---

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright © {{current_year}} – {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved.