CRB Process – England & Wales
In 2002 the UK government made it possible for all organisations working with children and young people to have Criminal Records Bureau checks done on their staff. The process is dependant upon all concerned to play a part in safer recruitment; the employer/ recruiter, the local church council/ committee, the applicant and the CAS and CRB. There are two types of Disclosure, but they are applied for in the same way.
ENHANCED DISCLOSURE
These are for those who have regular contact with children and young people and whose work might involve regularly caring for, training or supervising or being in sole charge. They will also be suitable for those in a managerial or supervisory capacity for those engaged in the above work. This includes:
 Workers in Junior Churches
Teachers in Sunday School
Children’s or youth workers
Leaders of Holiday Clubs and residential weekends
Officers of youth organisations
Workers with under 5’s
Ministers/ pastors/ overseers
Lay workers (Pastoral, Children and Young People)
STANDARD DISCLOSURE
These are intended for those who regularly undertake limited roles which bring them into contact with children and young people but who have no supervising or training responsibilities. This includes those who prepare refreshments, caretakers and cleaners and similar roles as determined by the denomination. (Occasional helpers who are never left in charge, one-off helpers and visitors should understand what is required of them and are recommended to submit self disclosures to the local church.)
COST
The CRB do not charge for volunteer’s applications. For paid staff an Enhanced Disclosure is £36 and a Standard Disclosure is £31.A cheque made payable for the correct amount to ‘Churches' Agency for Safeguarding' should be sent with your application.
All applications should be sent to CAS, Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, LONDON NW1 5JR marked ‘Confidential’, NOT TO THE CRIMINAL RECORDS BUREAU.
WHAT WILL DISCLOSURES REVEAL?
An Enhanced Disclosure will contain details of all convictions held on the Police National Computer including current and spent convictions as well as details of any cautions, reprimands or final warnings. The Disclosure will indicate whether information is held on the lists compiled by the Department of Health (DofH) and the Department of Education and Skills (DfES). It will also include a check on local police records. Where an application qualifies for a Vulnerable Adults Check (statutory care bodies only) there will be a check against the 'Protection of Vulnerable Adults List'
A Standard Disclosure will contain checks in all the above categories, except for the check on local police records.
WHAT DO I DO TO APPLY?
1) You need to obtain a form – either from your own denomination or the CAS office (0207 467 5216). Please see MEMBERS INFORMATION for more details.
2) When you receive the form, follow the CAS guidance given on this website and by staff in the CAS office.
See also: CAS procedures
Sample forms are available in hard copy on request.
We appreciate all care being taken with the forms which are not easy, both by the applicant and the verifier.
If improvements can be made to the guidance on this site please let us know via CAS@methodistchurch.org.uk .
CRB AND THE LAW
The CRB have a detailed Code of Practice.
The process the CRB is engaged in is backed by law (see below for CRB and other relevant links).
RECRUITMENT OF OFFENDERS GUIDANCE
Use of the CRB by organisations is governed by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975. All organisations that employ roles excempted by the Act may use the Criminal Records Bureau, namely those voluntary or paid roles that involve access to and responsibility for children, young people or vulnerable adults.
All applicants (voluntary or paid) should be aware that there is Recruitment of Offenders guidance by the recruiting body and have sight of our policy. Contact your denomination for their policy.
A brief guide:
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The ‘Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974’ enables criminal convictions to become ‘spent’ or ignored after a specified ‘rehabilitation period’. After this period, with certain exceptions, a person with a conviction is not normally obliged to mention this when applying for a post or job. The Act is more likely to help people with few and/or minor convictions because further convictions usually extend rehabilitation periods. People with many convictions, especially serious convictions may not benefit from this act unless the convictions are very old. However, convictions regarding offences against children (new schedule 4 convictions in Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and Sexual Offences Act 2003) would not be spent or be able to be disregarded for voluntary or paid posts in the Church. |
LINKS TO FURTHER INFO
Rehabilitation of Offenders guide - NACRO publication (pdf)
Banned offences list (doc) - Those offences which prohibit someone from working with Children and young people. Also see Sexual Offences Act 2003
Other legislation - Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000
Protection of Children Act 1999
Other legislation available through CRB website: publications Data Protection Code of Practice
other links available on CRB website
Overview of the CRB process
Recruitment of offenders advice and guidance - CIPD (pdf)
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