Early 2013 The CRB are currently working to develop and deliver a new Update Service with a proposed implementation date of early 2013. The Update Service will allow individuals (if they choose to subscribe to it, and pay a small fee) to apply for a criminal record check once and then, if they need a similar sort of check again, to reuse their existing certificate, with their organisation checking online to see if it is still up to date. This will avoid many unnecessary repeat applications. More information will be made available about this new service – in the meantime it is business as usual.

14 December 2012 Safety Net recently gave a talk on the change from the CRB to the new DBS service (see below). To download the two presentations, please use the following links: Home Office presentation  /  Safety Net presentation.

December 2012  The work of the CRB and of the ISA will be merged into a single, new Non-Departmental Public Body. This will be called the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The DBS will carry out the CRB’s and ISA’s functions, so this will not represent a change to the services which you receive – it just means that they will be provided by one organisation rather than two. Contact details for the DBS will be available in due course.

10 September 2012 UPDATED Safety Net CRB Information Pack to incorporate the changes to regulated activities and Freedom of Information Act changes.

1 September 2012 The CRB’s revised identification checking guidelines, effective from 28 May 2012 now includes an external ID validation check required for Route 2. This is an additional administration cost to Safety Net.  Therefore, from 1 September 2012, the administration fee for each application will rise from £25 to £27 for not-for-profit organisations and from £35 to £37 for commercial organisations.

31 August 2012  From this date, all ID checks will be carried out in line with new guidance (see 28 May 2012)

1 August 2012  Protection of Freedoms Act: Whilst it currently remains business as usual at the CRB and the ISA, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 will bring changes to the criminal records checking process, starting from 10 September 2012 some changes may impact on your checking processes. There will be a timetable of change around these new provisions that will be brought in over the coming months. It  may mean you need to amend your internal processes and documentation to incorporate these changes. Visit our Protection of Freedoms Act webpage. 

31 July 2012 The CRB have published a revised (July 2012) guide to the identification checking guidelines, effective from 28 May 2012. This includes further information about the external ID validation check required for Route 2. The lastest version of the guidcance can be downloaded from the CRB website.

15 June 2012  Updated SAFETY NET CRB Service Information Pack incorporating recent changes to the Protection of Freedoms Bill

7 June 2012 the CRB advise that final comprehensive guidance will be available “in the next few weeks”.

30 May 2012 New Disclosure Checklist providing applicants with the full list of documents that can be provided to prove their identity. Part of the CRB’s new and revised ID checking guidelines (see 28 May 2012)

30 May 2012  Twenty one documents no longer accepted as proof of ID in the revised ID checking guidelines.

28 May 2012 The CRB has introduced new and revised identity checking guidelines.  The CRB are reducing the number of documents acceptable for ID verification in the hope this will reduce people’s ability to use documents that are easily obtained or forged to assert their identity to obtain a CRB certificate. In particular, the changes will make it more difficult for individuals to conceal previous criminal records by changing their name.  The new process has a phasing-in period of three months. This is to allow organisations time to bring existing processes in to line with the new requirements.

March 2012 The CRB have amended their eligible positions guidance  There are some roles that are no longer eligible for CRB checks including any work which is normally concerned with the provison of any form of information, advice or guidance wholly or maily to children which relates to their physical, emotional or educational well-being and is provided by means of telephone or other form of electronic communication including the internet and mobile telephone text messaging.

March 2011 As a result of the Criminal Records Regime Review, the CRB will now start to develop plans to make the following changes to its service.  Changes due in 2012.

16 March 2011 As a result of the recent Government changes to the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) the cost of an Enhanced CRB check will increase by £8 from 6 April 2011.  All other fees remain unchanged.  Therefore an Enhanced CRB check will cost £44.

11 February 2011 The Government’s Freedoms Bill calls for a merging of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority to form “a streamlined new body providing a proportionate barring and criminal records checking service”.

22 December 2010 Both Ise of Man and Channel Islands driving licences are acceptable identity documents in the CRB application process.  The CRB will treat them as an equivalent to the UK document

December 2010 Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Adult First update – the amount of information held by the ISA has increased considerably which means that slightly more results are coming back as “wait for the CRB certificate”.

17 November 2010 A measure in the new Freedom Bill announcement will allow people who were prosecuted for consensual gay sex at a time when this was illegal, to apply to have their convictions removed from the Police National Computer and other police records.  The Freedom Bill is due to be published in January 2011.

20 October 2010 The Government  announced their four year Spending Review to Parliament, within which they are considering legislation to increase the portability of CRB Checks and researching and developing a continuously updated disclosure product.  Further information will be available at publication of the Criminal Records Review due in Spring 2011.

15 June 2010 The Government announced their intention to remodel the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) back to “proportionate, common sense levels” (http://www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk/)

Whilst implementation of the VBS is halted whilst a review takes place, the safeguarding regulations introduced in October 2009 continue to apply. These include:

A person who is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults will be breaking the law if they work or volunteer, or try to work or volunteer with those groups.

An organisation which knowingly employs someone who is barred to work with those groups will also be breaking the law.

If your organisation works with children or vulnerable adults and you dismiss a member of staff or a volunteer because they have harmed a child or vulnerable adult, or you would have done so if they had not left, you must tell the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

During the review, the Independent Safeguarding Authority will continue to carry out its work as an independent decision making body as well as continuing to maintain the barred lists. They will also continue to accept referrals.

Contact Liz on 01273 414981