ABSTRACT
Recruitment requirements have often specified that posts are open only to religious people where there is no justification for such a restriction. Hence, capable non-religious people have been prevented from applying. Before discussing the development and adoption of better recruitment practices, it is worth considering why this inequality in recruitment has persisted. Historically, institutions recruited chaplains to perform Christian church ministry. Restricting recruitment to Christians would have been consistent with that. The Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network and Humanists UK are trying to ensure that equality analyses are of high quality. Where engagement and cooperation are not possible, Humanists UK are prepared to challenge unjustified recruitment restrictions, using legal means if necessary. Inclusive recruitment not only provides opportunities for people to provide non-religious pastoral care, it also helps institutions by enabling them to recruit from a large proportion of the population who are non-religious. Attracting a wider range of motivated, competent people will help build a stronger, more inclusive care service.
