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Background
In December 1998 the Government announced its intention to establish a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The CRB began operation in April 2002, and has greatly increased access to criminal records checks for employment and volunteering related purposes.
Aimed primarily at those working with children or vulnerable adults, job applicants apply for disclosure certificates, which give details of any spent and unspent criminal convictions. Employers can use the information from the CRB to help decide on an applicant’s suitability. The CRB operates in England and Wales, alongside the Scottish Criminal Records Office.
The CCPR and its members positively support the aims of the CRB in ensuring greater child protection. National governing bodies and their affiliated clubs employ a large number of coaches and volunteers who are regularly involved in working with children. The information from the CRB can aid in recruitment decisions, alongside other work on child protection already being undertaken by sport and recreation.
CCPR Policy
Whilst welcoming the introduction of the CRB, sport and recreation has expressed concern about the charges for disclosure certificates. The new figures for checks have been announced by the Criminal Records Bureau. From 1 April 2005, the Disclosure fee will rise by the cost of inflation; Disclosures for volunteers will continue to be issued by the CRB free of charge. With effect from 6 April 2006 the Standard Disclosure costs £31.00 and the Enhanced Disclosure costs £36.00.
After a concerted campaign by the voluntary sector the Government announced in February 2001 that volunteers would be exempt from proposed charges for disclosure certificates. This followed a similar announcement by the Scottish Executive in December 2000 of an exemption for volunteers in Scotland. Whilst charges for volunteers are exempt, the paid employees of voluntary organisations are not.
Accessing Criminal Records Information
Safe recruitment procedures are an integral part of vigilant child protection policies. Governing bodies are advised to ensure that systems are in place for themselves and their affiliated clubs to be able to access criminal records information. Whilst there is no specific legal obligation, Government strongly recommends criminal records checks as good employment practice. If a child abuse case occurred, and it was discovered that the governing body had not implemented effective recruitment procedures, questions would be asked. Governing Bodies may wish to consider the following options for accessing criminal records information:
A) Become a Registered Body
A registered body processes disclosure applications, and receives information on individuals back from the Bureau. Registered bodies abide by the CRB's 'Code of Practice' which sets down requirements in areas such as secure storage of information.
Registration with the CRB currently costs a one-off fee of £300 (however the Government is proposing to introduce an annual fee). When registering the governing body would nominate counter signatories to sign-off applications for disclosure certificates. To register each counter signatory with the Bureau costs £5 per person. Many organisations that register with the CRB incur employment costs relating to this role.
B) Process Applications through Other Organisations
A variety of organisations have registered with the CRB as 'open' umbrella bodies. These are organisations who are willing to process applications from outside bodies. Therefore governing bodies that do not wish to register with the CRB (perhaps because they lack the resources to fulfil the Registered Body role, or only process a small number of applications) could approach an 'open' umbrella body to carry out the administration on their behalf. It is likely that there would be a charge for this service. CCPR provides its members with access to a robust and affordable checks service via its enterprise partner the Media Group (www.themediagroup.tv) . If you wish to explore other providers visit www.crb.gov.uk .
Why the CCPR is not a CRB Registered Body?
It has been suggested that the CCPR might become an umbrella registered body. Two key issues would need resolving in order for CCPR to progress this:
• Would funding be available to support the CCPR operation?
• Would there be added value for members?
Funding
The CCPR cannot absorb the costs of running a CRB service, estimated at £200k per year, without extra funding. CCPR and other voluntary bodies have lobbied Government to provide financial assistance to voluntary organisations for running the CRB service. The Government has indicated that funding will not be forthcoming at present.
Value to Members
The CCPR would wish to provide more than just a 'postbox service' to members. As a 'postbox' the CCPR would merely pass requests to the CRB, and then return all the paperwork to members for them to make a decision. This would not effectively lift the burden for members.
CCPR could provide a quality service by advising members on recruitment decisions. However by making an input into recruitment decisions CCPR would make itself liable should the decision prove incorrect and an offence subsequently occurred. Assurances provided by the CRB in this area have been vague, with no firm legal advice provided.
As the operator of a registered body service, CCPR would have to ensure the system ran efficiently and effectively. Significantly under CRB guidance, CCPR would have to be 'satisfied' that all recipients of criminal record information observed the CRB Code of Practice. A number of issues, including secure storage of information in all parts of the process would need to be investigated to satisfy CCPR of this.
Conclusion
In the absence of funding, and in light of the difficulties in providing a 'value-added' service to members, the current CCPR position is that it should not register with the CRB. However, given the imperative of effective child protection policies, CCPR will continue to pressure Government on the need for sports bodies to view criminal records information and its responsibility to make sensible arrangements for access.
Future Plans
The Government is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Bichard Report. With this in mind it laid before Parliament The Vulnerable Persons Bill in March 2006 and is setting up a Vetting and Barring System. The CPPR has requested that the voluntary and sporting sector has a voice on the proposed Independent Barring Board.
The CCPR will keep members informed as the Government’s plans progress
Useful contact information:
CRB Website - www.crb.gov.uk
CRB Address- Criminal Records Bureau, PO Box 110, Liverpool, L3 6ZZ
CRB Telephone No - 0870 90 90 822
Criminal Records Bureau
Background In December 1998 the Government announced its intention to establish a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The CRB began operation in April 2002, and has greatly increased access to criminal records checks for employment and volunteering related purposes. Aimed primarily at those working with children or vulnerable adults, job applicants apply for disclosure certificates, which give details of any spent and unspent criminal convictions. Employers can use the information from the CRB to help decide on an applicant’s suitability. The CRB operates in England and Wales, alongside the Scottish Criminal Records Office. The CCPR and its members positively support the aims of the CRB in ensuring greater child protection. National governing bodies and their affiliated clubs employ a large number of coaches and volunteers who are regularly involved in working with children. The information from the CRB can aid in recruitment decisions, alongside other work on child protection already being undertaken by sport and recreation. CCPR Policy Whilst welcoming the introduction of the CRB, sport and recreation has expressed concern about the charges for disclosure certificates. The new figures for checks have been announced by the Criminal Records Bureau. From 1 April 2005, the Disclosure fee will rise by the cost of inflation; Disclosures for volunteers will continue to be issued by the CRB free of charge. With effect from 6 April 2006 the Standard Disclosure costs £31.00 and the Enhanced Disclosure costs £36.00.
After a concerted campaign by the voluntary sector the Government announced in February 2001 that volunteers would be exempt from proposed charges for disclosure certificates. This followed a similar announcement by the Scottish Executive in December 2000 of an exemption for volunteers in Scotland. Whilst charges for volunteers are exempt, the paid employees of voluntary organisations are not. Accessing Criminal Records Information
Safe recruitment procedures are an integral part of vigilant child protection policies. Governing bodies are advised to ensure that systems are in place for themselves and their affiliated clubs to be able to access criminal records information. Whilst there is no specific legal obligation, Government strongly recommends criminal records checks as good employment practice. If a child abuse case occurred, and it was discovered that the governing body had not implemented effective recruitment procedures, questions would be asked. Governing Bodies may wish to consider the following options for accessing criminal records information: A) Become a Registered Body
A registered body processes disclosure applications, and receives information on individuals back from the Bureau. Registered bodies abide by the CRB's 'Code of Practice' which sets down requirements in areas such as secure storage of information. Registration with the CRB currently costs a one-off fee of £300 (however the Government is proposing to introduce an annual fee). When registering the governing body would nominate counter signatories to sign-off applications for disclosure certificates. To register each counter signatory with the Bureau costs £5 per person. Many organisations that register with the CRB incur employment costs relating to this role. B) Process Applications through Other Organisations
A variety of organisations have registered with the CRB as 'open' umbrella bodies. These are organisations who are willing to process applications from outside bodies. Therefore governing bodies that do not wish to register with the CRB (perhaps because they lack the resources to fulfil the Registered Body role, or only process a small number of applications) could approach an 'open' umbrella body to carry out the administration on their behalf. It is likely that there would be a charge for this service. CCPR provides its members with access to a robust and affordable checks service via its enterprise partner the Media Group (www.themediagroup.tv) . If you wish to explore other providers visit www.crb.gov.uk . Why the CCPR is not a CRB Registered Body?
It has been suggested that the CCPR might become an umbrella registered body. Two key issues would need resolving in order for CCPR to progress this: • Would funding be available to support the CCPR operation? • Would there be added value for members? Funding
The CCPR cannot absorb the costs of running a CRB service, estimated at £200k per year, without extra funding. CCPR and other voluntary bodies have lobbied Government to provide financial assistance to voluntary organisations for running the CRB service. The Government has indicated that funding will not be forthcoming at present. Value to Members
The CCPR would wish to provide more than just a 'postbox service' to members. As a 'postbox' the CCPR would merely pass requests to the CRB, and then return all the paperwork to members for them to make a decision. This would not effectively lift the burden for members. CCPR could provide a quality service by advising members on recruitment decisions. However by making an input into recruitment decisions CCPR would make itself liable should the decision prove incorrect and an offence subsequently occurred. Assurances provided by the CRB in this area have been vague, with no firm legal advice provided. As the operator of a registered body service, CCPR would have to ensure the system ran efficiently and effectively. Significantly under CRB guidance, CCPR would have to be 'satisfied' that all recipients of criminal record information observed the CRB Code of Practice. A number of issues, including secure storage of information in all parts of the process would need to be investigated to satisfy CCPR of this. Conclusion
In the absence of funding, and in light of the difficulties in providing a 'value-added' service to members, the current CCPR position is that it should not register with the CRB. However, given the imperative of effective child protection policies, CCPR will continue to pressure Government on the need for sports bodies to view criminal records information and its responsibility to make sensible arrangements for access. Future Plans
The Government is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Bichard Report. With this in mind it laid before Parliament The Vulnerable Persons Bill in March 2006 and is setting up a Vetting and Barring System. The CPPR has requested that the voluntary and sporting sector has a voice on the proposed Independent Barring Board.
The CCPR will keep members informed as the Government’s plans progress Useful contact information: CRB Website - www.crb.gov.uk CRB Address- Criminal Records Bureau, PO Box 110, Liverpool, L3 6ZZ CRB Telephone No - 0870 90 90 822 |
