Originally published in the Eteach School manager's Bulletin Autumn 2003

THE INFORMATION
About the Criminal Records Bureau
The CRB runs the Disclosure service and employers can ask successful candidates to apply to the CRB for Disclosure. It acts as the central access point to criminal records information held on the Police National Computer, List 99 and the Department of Health's Protection of Children Act List. Only independent schools and maintained schools that provide their own personnel services need to register with the CRB. Otherwise, LEAs act as the registered body and authorise all applications for Disclosure for the schools they maintain.

Further CRB Guidance
Guidance issued in December 2002 states that because of delays in the CRB process, people can currently be deployed to work with children at head teachers' discretion while Disclosure is sought, provided they are not on List 99 and the other recruitment procedures described in the previous School manager Bulletin have been completed satisfactorily. Types of disclosure
There are three types of Disclosure:

• Basic Disclosures: these show details of any convictions which are not spent. They are not appropriate for people who will be working with children.
• Standard Disclosures: these show spent and unspent convictions and cautions.
• Enhanced Disclosures: these show spent and unspent convictions and cautions. The police may also provide details of acquittals or other non-conviction information relevant to the job.

• It isn't necessary for all people who come into contact with children at school to have a Disclosure. For example, visitors and those who only have contact with children on an ad hoc or irregular basis do not need to apply for a Disclosure.
• Teachers, other staff and volunteers whose job involves regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children under 18 should obtain an Enhanced Disclosure.
• At present, Disclosures do not need to be obtained for existing staff unless there are grounds for concern about an employee's suitability to work with children.

• Serious fraud or deception relating to an application may be a criminal offence and you should consider reporting the matter to the police.
• As an employer you have a duty to report to the DfES when a person is dismissed on grounds of misconduct, or who resigns ahead of dismissal in such circumstances. Reports should also be made if there may be medical grounds for barring an employee.

FURTHER DETAILS

• DfES Guidance 0278/2002, Child Protection: Preventing Unsuitable People from Working with Children and Young Persons in the Education Sector, contains further information on making background checks on school staff. It can be downloaded from Teachernet
• DfES Guidance 0780/2002, Criminal Records Bureau: Managing the Demand for Disclosures can be downloaded from Teachernet
• Telephone enquires can be made on 01325 392098 / 392099
• Email enquires should be sent Here

Originally published by Eteach