| For most employers, ensuring that potential staff are | | | | when an individual in a position of trust abuses that |
| trustworthy or suitable for a role is becoming | | | | responsibility in a criminal manner. Not only is there the |
| increasingly important as part of a comprehensive | | | | immediate business impact of any forced closure, but |
| pre-employment process. Background checks can | | | | the long-term damage to the reputation of a business |
| cover a range of different areas, such as criminal | | | | cannot be underestimated. Clearly, it should be a high |
| records, qualifications, medical history, professional | | | | priority for employers to have a thorough knowledge |
| body membership, media searching and previous | | | | of the background of all of its employees. |
| employment history. | | | | What is a CRB check? |
| Of all background checks perhaps the most important | | | | A CRB check has 3 different levels - basic, standard |
| is the CRB check. CRB vetting is becoming | | | | and enhanced. |
| increasingly popular as part of the recruitment process, | | | | The basic CRB check, also termed a Basic Disclosure, |
| and are essential for any function that involves | | | | is an investigation into any criminal records held for an |
| working with children or vulnerable adults. A CRB | | | | individual. The Basic Disclosure check looks for unspent |
| check looks at any official records held by the | | | | convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act |
| authorities that might indicate whether an individual is | | | | 1974. Although CRB vetting is usually carried out for |
| suitable to work in a particular role. | | | | those working with children and vulnerable adults, |
| Why do employers need CRB checks? | | | | employers in other sectors may also require a basic |
| The topic of personal security for people who need to | | | | CRB check for prospective staff. |
| entrust their safety to others, such as looking after | | | | A standard CRB check (Standard Disclosure) goes a |
| children or working with disabled adults, is currently | | | | little deeper than a basic check. The standard |
| quite popular in the mainstream media. Criminal | | | | disclosure check is necessary for anyone working with |
| breaches of the trust that society places in people are | | | | children or vulnerable adults, and in addition to checking |
| usually met with a strong media response. A recent | | | | previous convictions, also looks at any recorded |
| example would be the case of Vanessa George, a | | | | cautions, reprimands or warnings held by the Police. |
| nursery worker who was convicted in December | | | | There may also be checks made against the |
| 2009 of several offences against children at the | | | | Protection of Children List, the Protection of Vulnerable |
| nursery where she was employed. Every major | | | | Adults List and any information held under Section 142 |
| newspaper and television channel picked up on the | | | | of the Education Act 2002. |
| story, with headlines running from the initial investigation | | | | The enhanced CRB check, Enhanced Disclosure, is the |
| in June through to the conviction in December. | | | | highest level of vetting available. It contains all of the |
| Ultimately, the nursery at which Vanessa George was | | | | checks made in the Standard Disclosure, but also |
| employed was closed for some time. | | | | includes any relevant information held by local police |
| This example highlights the damage that can be done | | | | forces. |
| to a business and potentially to the local community | | | | |