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CRB News
CRB NEWS - OCTOBER 2009
Welcome to the first edition of CRB News, the
new and improved customer newsletter from the CRB.
To view CRB News in a different format, click Web version or
PDF version.
This month:
VBS is here
VBS Launch, Monday 12 October
VBS and CRB in the spotlight
Contacts
VBS is here
VBS is hereThis month sees the launch of the Vetting &
Barring Scheme (VBS) and after our intensive communications
campaign, we hope that you now have all the information you need
and are prepared for the changes this month.
In this issue, we thought it would be useful to remind you why
the Scheme is being introduced and why it is fundamental to
enhancing the current safeguards used to protect children and
vulnerable adults. We have also incorporated a summary of the
changes taking place this month and some useful questions and
answers.
How it all started….
The Vetting & Barring Scheme was established as a result of
the Bichard Inquiry following the murders of Jessica Chapman and
Holly Wells in 2002. One of the recommendations made by Sir Michael
Bichard suggested that:
‘New arrangements should be introduced requiring those who wish
to work with children, or vulnerable adults, to be
registered. The register would confirm that there is no known
reason why an individual should not work with these clients.’
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was created in
response to this recommendation and followed a full public
consultation. It provides the legislative framework for the VBS and
the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
The VBS is designed to ensure that anyone who presents a known
risk to vulnerable groups is prevented from working with them.
How it will work….
From 26 July 2010, individuals applying for roles working with
children and vulnerable adults in a Regulated Activity will be able
to register with the ISA. Those already working in these sectors,
and remaining in their current roles, will not be required to
register until much later in the roll out of the Scheme.
Once registered, individuals will be continuously monitored and any
new relevant criminal information and referrals will be sent to the
ISA for consideration.
Individuals will need to apply for ISA-registration, using a new
application form, through one of the CRB’s Registered or Umbrella
Bodies. You will be able to apply for ISA-registration and/or a CRB
check using the same form.
Trained caseworkers at the ISA will consider all relevant
information from police sources, regulatory bodies and information
referred from a range of other organisations and individuals and,
using a structured decision- making process, decide whether an
individual poses a risk to children and/or vulnerable adults and
should, therefore, be barred.
Once ISA-registration starts in July 2010, anyone with a
legitimate interest in and consent of an individual will be able to
check that individual’s ISA-registration status online for free and
subscribe to receive updates if that individual’s ISA-registration
status changes.
The CRB will be responsible for the application and monitoring
elements of the Scheme and will continue to provide access to an
individual’s full criminal record through a CRB check so that
employers can continue to assess their suitability for a specific
position.
VBS Launch, Monday 12 October
This month, on 12 October, the Home Office will launch the first
phase of the VBS. As previously stated, at this stage there
are slight changes to the way that you will apply for CRB
checks. You can continue to use the current application form
until the ISA-registration phase of VBS is introduced in July
2010.
From Monday 12 October, the following increased safeguards will
further enhance the protection of children and vulnerable
adults:
- The new ISA barred lists take effect, replacing the three
current barred lists PoCA, PoVA and List 99. The lists hold
details of individuals barred from working in Regulated Activity
with children and vulnerable adults, as defined in the Safeguarding
Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
- A check of these lists is only available as part of an Enhanced
CRB check. Standard CRB checks will only reveal information
held on PNC and applicants will no longer be able to request a
check of the lists if they are applying for a Standard CRB
check.
- Standard CRB checks are no longer available for posts working
with children and vulnerable adults. For positions involving
work with children and vulnerable adults, individuals should apply
for an Enhanced CRB check. All other positions covered by the
Exceptions Order 1975 to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
will still be entitled to a Standard CRB check.
- Eligibility for Enhanced CRB checks extends to include anyone
working in a Regulated Activity with a Regulated Activity provider,
as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act. A
diagram illustrating the principles of Regulated Activity was
included in August’s edition of Disclosure News and is available on
the CRB website www.crb.gov.uk/newsletter
- There is a new duty for employers, social services and
professional regulators to refer information to the ISA. Any
information about individuals who may pose a risk to children and
vulnerable adults must be referred to the ISA. Information on
how to refer can be found on the ISA website http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/
- Criminal penalties are effective. It will be a criminal
offence for barred individuals to seek employment with vulnerable
groups and also for any employers to knowingly permit them to
engage in Regulated Activity.
- The PoVAFirst service is renamed ‘ISA Adult First’.
Offering the same service at the same cost, the name will change to
accommodate the replacement of the PoVA list by the new ISA Adults’
barred list. The PoVAFirst service will cease on Friday 9 October
and will re-launch on Monday 12 October as ISA Adult
First. The new website address will be www.crb.gov.uk/isaadultfirst.
What you may be asking….
What happens if the CRB has not completed my Standard CRB
application by 12 October 2009?
If you have submitted an application for a Standard CRB check
and requested a check of the PoCA, PoVA and List 99 lists and the
application is not fully processed before 12 October, the check
will only reveal information from the PNC. You would therefore need
to submit another application for an Enhanced CRB check and pay the
fee in order to obtain a check of the new ISA barred lists.
For any Standard applications submitted after 12 October
requesting a check of the lists, the application form will be
returned to the Countersignatory and the same requirement to submit
a new application for an Enhanced CRB check will apply.
What happens if the CRB has not completed my Enhanced CRB
application by 12 October 2009?
The CRB certificate will display the result of the searches of
the new ISA barred lists instead of the PoCA, PoVA and List 99
lists in response to the relevant boxes ticked on the application
form.
What next….
We will continue to provide regular updates leading up to July
2010, when the first phase of ISA-registration will begin. In the
coming months, we will provide you with all of the necessary
information that you will need, including details on the change
over from the old to the new CRB/ISA application form, the
ISA-Online Checking Service and the gradual, phased roll out of
ISA-registration.
Early in 2010, we will be providing you with a sample of our new
application form. The new form will incorporate both an
application for ISA-registration and a CRB check. To help you to
familiarise yourself with the new form, and identify any
training needs, we will be sending you a DVD that will provide
guidance and take you through the process for completing the new
form. This guide will also be available to download from the
CRB website, in conjunction with a question-by-question assistance
tool.
In the Spring, we will also provide you with a stock of the new
application form. You will receive a quantity of stock, that
we have calculated is equivalent to the number of applications that
you would normally submit to the CRB in any three month
period. This stock of forms should enable you to
prepare to submit relevant applications
in July 2010, the first phase of ISA-registration.
Steve Long, CRB Interim Chief Executive said:
"We know from our recent Customer Research Programme that
employers recognise the importance of CRB checks in protecting
children and vulnerable adults and we have always strived to
improve the service that we provide to further enhance this
protection.
"Although the main changes will be implemented in July next
year, this first phase of the Scheme is vitally important as it
brings additional safeguards and changes for the CRB that will
further enhance the protection already offered. The launch in
October will help to prepare us for those further elements of the
Scheme, including ISA-registration and continuous
monitoring."
Need more info?
We will place an update on the CRB website on 12 October
following the launch and, in the following months, we will continue
to keep you up to date with the latest developments through future
editions of CRB News.
In addition to this, a comprehensive suite of VBS guidance has
now been published and is available on the ISA website
http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/.
You can also obtain more information about the ISA and VBS by
calling 0300 123 1111.
VBS and CRB in the spotlight
You will be aware that, in recent months, the CRB and VBS has
come under the media spotlight and we understand that, as a result,
you may have some unanswered questions. We’ve picked out the
main stories that have featured over the last two months and
provided some clarification.
VBS and ISA coverage
Most recently, there has been extensive coverage surrounding the
VBS and we have been closely monitoring these reports and liaising
with the Home Office and the ISA to address some of the issues
raised. As reassurance for you, we would like to clarify the
following:
- ISA-registration does not replace the need for CRB checks.
- ISA-registration is a legal requirement for anybody working or
volunteering in a Regulated Activity for a Regulated Activity
provider. The requirement for ISA-registration commences in
July 2010 and will be phased in over five years.
- The current statutory requirements for CRB checks will continue
to operate when ISA-registration commences in July 2010.
Please contact your relevant statutory body for more information
e.g OFSTED, CSQI, DH, DCSF.
- The CRB will continue to provide access to CRB checks providing
employers with an individual’s full criminal record, and not just
those offences that may lead or contribute to an individual being
barred by the ISA; this information will continue to enable
employers to make a more informed recruitment decision as to
whether an individual is suitable for a particular role.
- If customers apply for an Enhanced CRB check at the same time
as ISA-registration, the CRB check is included in the
ISA-registration fee of £64. ISA-registration with or without
an Enhanced CRB check, is provided free-of-charge for
volunteers.
- To ensure that the VBS provides appropriate protection for
those who need it without imposing a disproportionate burden on
those who do not have regular contact with vulnerable groups, a
specific element of the Scheme is now being checked.
In response to some of the concerns raised, Ed Balls, the
Secretary of State for the Department of Children, Schools and
Families, has asked Sir Roger Singleton to check that the
‘frequent’ and ‘intensive’ principles used to define who is covered
by the Scheme are appropriate for real life situations. Sir
Roger Singleton, who is also the Government’s Chief Adviser
on the Safety of Children, will report back by the beginning of
December as to whether any adjustments to the ‘frequent or
‘intensive’ definitions need to be made.
The process does not impact on the timetable for introducing the
new Scheme, the first elements of which will go live on 12
October.
CRB coverage
Accuracy
Several publications reported on the accuracy of CRB checks in
August and we have been working internally to continuously improve
accuracy with the aim of issuing 100% of CRB checks free from
error. Our first and foremost priority is to help protect children
and vulnerable adults by assisting organisations who are recruiting
people into positions of trust and, as part of this, it is
important that the quality and accuracy of our service remains our
top priority.
As you know, we rely on the accuracy and completeness of
Disclosure application forms to process our checks and we have
already completed some work with you to monitor compliance with
your duties as Registered Bodies. If you do need any help, we
provided a useful check list in June’s edition of Disclosure News
that highlighted the most common errors and there is further
guidance available on our website http://www.crb.gov.uk/
Approved information
In July, a radio interview resulted in extensive coverage
surrounding approved or ‘soft’ information. The media
coverage raised concern that people may be unaware of the police
information that is released as part of their CRB check and
attracted attention to the process for Enhanced CRB
checks.
As you are aware, for Enhanced CRB checks, we request any
relevant and proportionate information from police forces which is
a requirement outlined in Part V of the Police Act. It is and
always has been the decision of the Chief Officer of every relevant
police force to provide any information that may be relevant to a
person’s application and, in his or her opinion, should be included
on the Disclosure. In arriving at a decision as to whether
the information is relevant and suitable for disclosure, police
forces use the ACPO/CRB Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) and a
risk assessment procedure. Compliance activity is also conducted by
the ACPO/CRB Standards and Compliance Unit (SCU) to ensure that
forces have undertaken their statutory requirements under Part V of
the Police Act.
The information should always be relevant, balanced and factual
information that would help the employer to make an informed
recruitment decision.
Contact
Address
PO Box 110
Liverpool L69 3EF
Information line ....0870 90 90 811
Registration line... 0870 90 90 822
Disputes line......... 0870 90 90 778
Welsh line ............0870 90 90 223
Application line ....0870 90 90 844
Minicom line......... 0870 90 90 344
Website
http://217.12.8.115/uk.f280.mail.yahoo.com/ya/www.crb.gov.uk
For more information on VBS
Website
http://217.12.8.115/uk.f280.mail.yahoo.com/ya/www.isa-gov.org.uk
Telephone:
ISA Information line .... 0300 123 1111
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