Blog

Several high profile cases where women were murdered by partners who had not disclosed their violent past led to the Police implementing a trial of new legislation which has been dubbed “Clare’s Law”, after Clare Wood, murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2009. The scheme – which is officially called the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme – has now been rolled out across the country. Similar legislation known as “Sarah’s Law” allows parents to ask for Police to disclose whether someone who has access to a child has certain convictions. So, what exactly can you find out?

Most of us know what DBS checking, and often DBS – or the older term of CRB – is used to describe the process across the UK. In fact, DBS checking through the Disclosure and Barring Service is only used in England and Wales, and there are separate processes for those living in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, the body which administers police checking is called Access NI, so here’s a guide to getting police checks done if you’re living or applying for a job in Northern Ireland.

Over the years, the process for being checked out as a suitable person to work with children od vulnerable adults has changed considerably. Many of the changes recognise the fact that checking was not dynamic; the check was done at one given point in time and any information which came to light after that point would not be disclosed until the person concerned came to renew their DBS check or moved to another job elsewhere. The DBS Update service sets out to address some of these issues with DBS checks in an attempt to streamline the procedure.

Sometimes, dealing with the government appears to be a never-ending list of abbreviations and acronyms. If you’re confused about all these letters and what they might mean, read on for a simple guide.

Most of us are used to the idea of going through a process of checking when applying for a certain type of job or when volunteering to go into our child’s school and help out with reading or crafts. But what is less known is that some people enrolling on a University course might have to go through the process too, and that offers won’t be confirmed until a satisfactory check has been carried out. In the worst case scenario, this could mean someone passing all of their exams with top grades, flying through an interview, yet still being turned down because of something on their Police record.

Press and TV news stories recently have been full of stories about people convicted or charged with child abuse when working in a position of responsibility, or committing similar offences against vulnerable adults. Processes for checking and vetting workers and volunteers have changed over the years, and in 2017 we’re now mostly aware that people require to be DBS checked before starting work. There is a lot of confusion though about who can get checks done and in what circumstances an individual can ask for checks to be done on someone close to them.

If you’re applying for a job or voluntary position, you may have seen the terms PVG or Disclosure Scotland bandied around. The police checking process for applicants to work with children or vulnerable groups in Scotland is different from other parts of the UK, and the organisation which administers the checks and sends out the certificates is called Disclosure Scotland.

The NHS is the UK’s biggest employer. 1.4 million people in the UK work for the health services in some way, and although many of them will be in clinical jobs such as being a nurse or pharmacist, there are many thousands more working in support roles in management and administration. Working for such a large organisation has its benefits, but certain disadvantages too, so if you are thinking of a career change for 2017, or just fancy doing something a bit different for a career here’s what you need to know about taking a job with Britain’s biggest employer.

The process for carrying out police checks on workers and volunteers is constantly evolving, and it can be confusing for both workers and employers to keep up with what they are supposed to do, and when. The situation becomes even more complex where an individual needs DBS clearance for various situations – for example someone who works part time as a nurse, then volunteers to help out at their children’s school and with football at the weekend. Do they need three separate DBS checks to be done? And how often should those DBS checks be redone or updated?

There are an estimate 10 million people in the UK who have some sort of criminal record, ranging from serious career criminals with a string of convictions to someone who shoplifted as a teenager and has stayed out of trouble ever since. Many of us never think about past misdemeanours or minor brushes with the Police until they are asked to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for a new job which involves working with vulnerable groups such as children. A criminal record doesn’t automatically rule you out from working in these types of jobs, and each case is considered on its merits by the employer. A minority of people will be in for a surprise when they are issued with their DBS certificate only to see inaccurate or completely wrong information listed. How does this happen and how can it be put right?