Do I Need A Crb Check ?

If all an employer has to go on is what is contained in a curriculum vitae, they could be taking quite a risk when hiring personnel, especially in this world where protecting the rights of the vulnerable outweigh the privacy of a potential predator. It is for this reason that smart businesses will perform proper personnel vetting, or pre-employment background checks through electronic investigations and CRB checks.

The term "vetting" came to us in the early 1900s originating from the way veterinarians would check racehorses for health and soundness before allowing them to race. Today, the term has come to take on the general meaning "to check," particularly in the context of uncovering flaws. While businesses recognise the value in vetting potential candidates, there are areas of employment where these checks are a prerequisite to hiring.

The Criminal Records Bureau carries out their CRB checks as part of the recruitment process. An agency within the Home Office, namely the CRB office accesses these two lists of those who have been prohibited from working with the vulnerable. The Independent Safeguarding Authority, or ISA, owns and maintains the lists covering the Protection of Children and Protection of Vulnerable Adults.

All new entrants to the roles for those who teach, train, supervise, care for or work with vulnerable groups on a frequent or intensive basis register with the Vetting and Barring Scheme of 2009 to be assessed by the ISA. In addition to these safeguards, there is a duty to share information amongst social services and professional regulators, as well as employers. The ISA must be notified of relevant information pertaining to those who pose a threat so they can be identified and barred from employment as respects these protected groups.

For those who have been barred, it is a criminal offence to endeavor to undertake employment with vulnerable groups, just as it is for employers who knowingly hire them. Employers can check registration status using the Internet plus they can subscribe to receive notification of changes to an employee's registration status. The CRB checks provide criminal record data on three levels:

Basic Disclosure - providing the most basic details of convictions considered to be unspent as defined in the Rehabilitations of Offenders Act 1974.

Standard Disclosure - providing details of both spent and unspent convictions including information on any cautions that may have been received

Enhanced Disclosure - Providing a criminal background check (CRB) in full, of the candidate. Thsi details any spent or unspent criminal convictions and other information that may be deemed pertinent to that role they undertake.

Reasons for pre-employment personnel vetting:

• Finding the right candidate who will help to grow the business

• Hiring and training represents a major expense for an organisation

• Verifying facts on a resume can consume a great deal of time

• Matching a qualified applicant with the skill sets outlined in the interview process

• Hiring the wrong person can be more costly than not hiring anyone

• Investing in robust pre-employment checks can reduce risks relative to investing in appropriate personnel

• Obtaining and analysing relevant information prior to hiring a new employee requires experience and specialist techniques

• Vetting is a continuous process

• Re-vetting for sensitive positions should be considered at regular intervals

Criminal investigations and CRB checks are an essential part of the recruitment process that help ensure the right person for the right position at the right time.