Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)
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The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) aims to help employers make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain types of work, through a service called Disclosure.
Employers can ask successful candidates to apply to the CRB for a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure, depending on the duties of the particular position or job involved. In addition to information about a person's criminal record, Disclosures supplied in connection with work with children will contain details of whether a person is included on List 99, the Protection of Children Act List, or is disqualified by the courts from all work with children. Enhanced Disclosures may also contain details of acquittals or other non-conviction information held on local police records, relevant to the position or post for which the person has been selected.
The Bureau aims to process 90 per cent of Enhanced Disclosures within four weeks and 90 per cent of Standard Disclosures within two weeks of receipt of a correctly completed application.
Enhanced Disclosures cost £36 and Standard Disclosures cost £31. Disclosures for volunteers are free of charge.
Arrangements for List 99 checks
The DCSF strongly recommends that Disclosures are obtained on staff before they
take up post but recognises that in certain exceptions staff may need to
be employed at short notice. In these circumstances, headteachers have the
discretion to employ staff who have not yet received their Disclosure, provided
that they have been checked against the DCSF's List 99 and that all other
relevant pre-appointment checks have been carried out on them, see the Background checks on staff entry. Appointments should be
made subject to receipt of a satisfactory Disclosure.
List 99 checks are available through the DCSF's List 99 Team and through TP Online's List 99 checking system. Information on obtaining List 99 checks can be obtained by email.
Checks on overseas staff
The CRB's Overseas Information Service is a fax-back service which provides
employers with details of the sort of criminal record information which new
employees may be able to obtain from their home countries. The CRB does not
have any involvement in applications by individuals to overseas authorities.
Employers should also be aware that they will have to arrange for information
returned from overseas authorities to be translated into English.
At present the Overseas Information Service covers 17 countries:
- Australia
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Irish Republic
- Italy (excluding Vatican City)
- Jamaica
- Malaysia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Philippines
- Poland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
People from some other countries not currently served by the CRB Overseas Information Service may apply to their home police force for a certificate of good conduct. The level of information contained in these certificates varies from country to country: some are complete extracts from the criminal record; others are partial.
Where an applicant is from a country where criminal record checks cannot be
made for child protection purposes, employers must take extra care in taking up
references and carrying out other checks on a person's background.
Last updated: 01 September 2008
Main text
Legislation
Key documents
Best practice
Further information
