CRB Checks

Many people will be fimiliar with the term CRB check. These are checks that are made to confirm that someone wishing to work with children has no criminal record for child related offences. Everyone working in a school should have had clearance and indeed it is recommended that anybody who works with children or is involved in a voluntary capacity such as a scout leader has one.

Over 70,000 CRB checks are requested each week.

What Does CRB Stand For?
CRB stands for Criminal Records Bureau.

What Checks are Made?
There are two levels of checking carried out. The first is called Standard Disclosure and the second is called Enhanced Disclosure. Standard Disclosures show details of any current or spent convictions. These are all held on the Police National Computer and cover all crimes, not just those related to children.

There are two specific child related lists that will be searched as well, these are the Protection of Children Act (POCA) list and something called List99. List99 contains information held under section 142 of the Education Act 2002.

Enhanced disclosures take longer as information is requested from local police forces either where someone is living now or has lived over the previous five years. Enhanced disclosures can take over 14 days.

A further delay in the process can occur if it is not possible to tie up someone's details on the Police National Computer. When this happens a set of fingerprints may be requested.

Who Carries Out The Checks?
The Criminal Records Bureau is part of the Civil Service. To complete a CRB check contact can also made with the police, Department of Health and Department of Education.

How Do I Get a CRB Check?
Any school or other group who wishes you to be checked should supply you with the necessary forms. You will also need to supply standard identity verification documents such as a passport, birth certificate, driver's licence or utility bill. Some schools and other organisations have started to insist that parents accompanying children on a school trip are CRB checked. At the moment this seems to be aimed more at men than women.

Self employed people or individuals cannot currently apply for a CRB check to be carried out on themselves. Rather worryingly if you are a parent directly employing a nanny, au pair or babysitter you cannot apply to for a CRB check to be carried out before agreeing the employment. This could be considered a major loophole as nannies, au pairs and babysitters normally have access to children while nobody else is around.

What do you think?
Login or Register to add a comment or ask a question.