Recruiter’s Guide

1. Recruiter’s Guide Recruiter’s Guide Recruiter’sGuide

2. CCPAS’ Commitment We deal with requests for disclosures within a day or two of receipt. The CRB turn-around for paper checks is currently between 2 and 8 weeks, online checks are considerably quicker. You can track the progress of an application by logging on to the CRB website – https://secure.crbonline.gov.uk/enquiry/enquirySearch. You will need to input the application form reference number and the applicant’s date of birth). We are committed to working within the security procedures laid down in the CRB Code of Practice and the Police Act1997. Working within this framework we will only disclose information received about an individual to named Recruiters, or appropriate persons involved in the recruitment process within your church/ organisation. We are available to provide impartial advice in individual circumstances. If concerns arise about our level of service, they should be discussed initially with our Disclosure Unit staff. If the matter cannot be resolved, and you wish to make a formal complaint, this should be made in writing to the CCPAS CEO PO Box 133, Swanley, Kent BR8 7UQ. Complaints to the CRB should be addressed to the Director of Operations, P O Box 110, Liverpool L3 6ZZ.

3. Your Commitment In registering with the CCPAS Disclosure Service your church/organisation has agreed to follow the procedures contained in the CCPAS ‘Disclosure Service document. As an organisation working to CCPAS requirements you are obliged to: • Provide information that is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge, and ensure that all applications satisfy the criteria laid down for either Enhanced or Standard Disclosures. • Take all reasonable steps to verify the identity of each applicant for Disclosure. • Work within the CRB Code of Practice and in particular the laid down policy in relation to the rehabilitation of offenders and security of information. • Work with CCPAS exclusively as an umbrella organisation for the CRB unless required to use the services of a regulatory authority (eg OFSTED) in relation to certain specific activities. Where this happens, CCPAS must be informed and be given the necessary contact details of the other umbrella organisation involved.

4. • Inform CCPAS immediately of any breach of confidentiality or other requirement of the CRB. In such circumstances, the church/organisation understands that the CCPAS would be required to inform the CRB of the situation. • Meet agreed CCPAS charges for the service. • Cooperate with CCPAS enquiries, investigations or assurance visits which may be required as an umbrella body. • Terminate these arrangements by giving notice in writing. • Notify CCPAS immediately in the event of changes that materially affect the ability of your church/organisation to meet any of these requirements.

5. Payments The CRB charges will be met by CCPAS. We will then re-charge your church/ organisation in line with the scale of fees and charges contained in the current CCPAS Disclosure Service document. CCPAS will charge your church/organisation on a monthly basis by direct debit. Before making any deductions, our Finance Section will email you with details of the charges to be levied. This will be done giving you 15 days notice and time to raise any queries before the transaction takes place. The charges CCPAS makes may vary from time to time due to changes in charges made by the CRB and other external factors. However, you will be notified of any changes well in advance. CCPAS seeks only to cover the costs of running its Disclosure Service and makes no additional charge for providing consultation on good working practice or individual appointments.

6. New safeguarding regulations introduced in October 2009 continue to apply. These are: The creation of two new ISA barred lists – one for children and one for vulnerable adults. These lists replaced List 99, POCA and POVA Lists. • Access to these new ISA lists is available on request as part of an Enhanced CRB check. • Employers, social services and professional regulators have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about individuals for whom they are responsible who are believed to pose a risk to children or vulnerable adults.

7. • If your organisation works with children or vulnerable adults and you dismiss a member of staff or volunteer because they have harmed child or vulnerable adult, or you would have done so if they had not left prior to your intended dismissal, you must tell the Independent Safeguarding Authority. • A person who is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults will be breaking the law (and liable to prosecution incurring imprisonment and/or a fine) 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 (and liable to prosecution incurring imprisonment and/or a fine). • Eligibility for Enhanced CRB checks is expanded to include more employment and voluntary positions; such roles are known as regulated positions. • Only Enhanced CRB Disclosures are available for those working with children or the vulnerable. Standard CRB checks are no longer available for workers with these groups. We will be keeping all our members fully informed with the latest developments via email and also on our website - on our website - www.ccpas.co.uk

8. Dealing with Disclosure Applications The post must qualify for a criminal records check Before initiating these procedures, ensure that the post is one which qualifies for a criminal records check. Unless the job is “exempt”, under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975 then a check is not legally possible. Eligibility for Enhanced CRB checks You are able to apply for a CRB check if the applicant is working as a volunteer or paid worker in Regulated Activity with children or vulnerable adults. This would include positions of trust, especially within faith communities. Contact CCPAS for guidance.

9. What is Regulated Activity? Regulated activity is defined as: • Activity involving contact with children or vulnerable adults and is of a specified nature (e.g. teaching, training, care, supervision, advice, medical treatment or in certain circumstances transport) on frequent, intensive and/or overnight basis; • Activity involving contact with children or vulnerable adults in a specified place (e.g. schools, care homes etc.),frequently or intensively; • Fostering and childcare; • Certain specified positions of responsibility (e.g. school governor, director of children’s services, director of adult social services, trustees of certain charities)These positions are set out in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act2006.

10. What is the definition of a Vulnerable Adult? The previous CRB definition of a vulnerable adult has been replaced with the ISA definition found in Section 59 of the Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 which states: A vulnerable adult is a person who is aged 18 years or older and: • is living in residential accommodation, such as a care home or a residential special school; • is living in sheltered housing; • is receiving domiciliary care in his or her own home; • is receiving any form of health care; • is detained in a prison, remand Centre, young offender institution, secure training centre or attendance Centre or under the powers of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; • is in contact with probation services; • is receiving a welfare service of a description to be prescribed in regulations; • is receiving a service or participating in an activity which is specifically targeted at people with age-related needs, disabilities or prescribed physical or mental health conditions or expectant or nursing mothers living in residential care (age-related needs includes needs associated with frailty, illness, disability or mental capacity); • is receiving direct payments from a local authority/HSS body in lieu of social care services; • requires assistance in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

11. What is frequently and intensively? Any work that is carried out in any of the specified activities is regulated activity: • if it is done frequently (once a week or more), intensively (on four days or more in a single month) or overnight (between the hours of 2am and 6 am). • In health and personal care services, frequent is once a month or more. Please note that if you have people who work on a rota system (for example drivers or Sunday school or crèche workers) for 2 or 3 occasions in a month then it is advisable to still process a CRB check for them as they would still be undertaking ‘regulated activity’ and if they swap their turn on the rota then they could inadvertently fall into the ‘frequently’ category.

12. At CCPAS we receive on a daily basis several certificates containing information of serious concern which is often unknown to the person responsible for the recruitment of that worker. We can’t stress enough the value of undergoing the correct recruitment process, which includes CRB checks. A check is one part of a safe recruitment process. Taking up a criminal records check is the last stage of an appointment process. You will already have followed the safe recruitment process outlined in our ‘Introduction to Disclosure Service’ document and described in more detail in our ‘Safe and Secure’ manual and our ‘Help, I want to recruit workers safely’ booklet. Re-checks: Workers can be re-checked at any time if there is a concern, or routinely at certain intervals. Organisations will appreciate that a check is effectively out of date as soon as it is issued. In any event, it is only as good as the information on which it was based and the adequacy of the identity checks etc. Some agencies recheck workers every three years and CCPAS would suggest that this is reasonable. The Charity Commission has recently issued guidance to the effect that all Trustees of children’s organisations and workers should in effect be rechecked every three years.

13. Completing the CRB PaperDisclosure Application Form The applicant gives their completed Disclosure Application Form with original identification documents (not copies), to the Recruiter who should follow the process explained below in order to be able to complete their sections of the form. The correct identification and verification of addresses is the cornerstone of the Disclosure Service. When identity is verified beyond doubt, names can be matched with criminal records and also checked against lists held by the ISA. and Department for Education where individuals are barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. ID checking process: Recruiters must: • Check and validate the information provided by the applicant on the application form; and • Establish the true identity of the applicant, through the examination of a range of documents as set out in this guidance; and • Ensure that the applicant provides details of all names by which they have been known and all addresses where they have lived in the last 5 years; and • Ensure the application form is fully and legibly completed and the information it contains is accurate. Failure to do this may compromise the integrity of the Disclosure Service.

14. Please note that: • You must not check ID for an applicant related to you – you must ask another recruiter for your organisationto process their form. • You must only accept valid original documentation. • You must not accept photocopies. • You must not accept documentation printed from the internet e.g. internet bank statements. • Personal information (e.g. name, previous names, date and place of birth, address etc.) provided on the disclosure application form must be cross-matched with the identity documents the applicant shows you. • You should where possible, ask for photographic identity (e.g. passport, new style driving licence, etc.) and for this to be compared against the applicant’s likeness. • If the personal details in sections a1 – a3 are different to the applicant’s name at birth, ensure that you see the relevant documentation to validate their name change (for example a marriage certificate or deed poll). • At least one document must be in the applicant’s current name as recorded in Section a. • At least one document must confirm the applicant’s date of birth as recorded in Section a. • You must see at least one document to confirm the applicant’s current address as recorded in Section b.

15. • You must provide a full and continuous address history covering the last 5 years. The month that an applicant leaves one address must be the month that they arrive at the new address. Otherwise the CRB will see this as a gap. Where possible you should seek documentation to confirm this address history. • You should cross match the applicant’s address history with any other information you have been provided with as part of the recruitment, such as their CV. This can highlight if an address has not been given e.g. if the applicant’s CV shows that they have worked in Liverpool in the last 5 years but the application form only shows London addresses, you may wish to question the applicant further about this. • Only one document from each of the subgroups in Group 2 should be included in the document count e.g. do not accept two bank statements as two of the required documents, if they are from the same bank. • You cannot accept the foreign equivalent of an identity document if CCPAS that document is listed as ‘(UK)’ on the list of valid identity documents. • If an identity document is provided in a foreign language, either you or your employee must obtain a certified translation. This can be obtained using the services of a translation company or the Embassy of the country. The Embassy should also be able to confirm the validity of the document. • If you make an error in any of the boxes in which you enter a cross, then simply enter a cross in the correct box and circle the correct one.

16. What identity documents can be used? If the applicant has a UK driving licence, passport (any nationality) and/or National Insurance No. then they must record that information on their application form and they must also show you that original documentation. If they have all 3 valid documents then there is no need for them to provide any further ID (apart from proof of name change). If the applicant does not hold these valid documents then you should follow the chart set out on the next page. If you have insufficient identity documents, please contact CCPAS on 0845 120 45 49, Option 1 for further guidance. What if an applicant is unable to see me with their documents in person? The applicant can either post you their documents, or for an additional fee they may get their documents checked at a main post office. This involves completing an additional application called a Veri-fy form. If you feel this would be beneficial, then please contact us on 0845 120 45 49, Option 1 and we will explain the process in more detail How many documents do I need to see? Can applicant produce any documents from Group 1? YES:3 documents must be seen. One document from group 1 plus any two from Groups 1 or 2 NO:5 documents must be seen. Five documents from Group 2

17. List of Valid Identity Documents: Group 1 • Passport • Birth Certificate (UK) - issued within 12 months of date of birth - full or short form acceptable • Driving Licence (UK) (Full or provisional) - England/ Wales/ Scotland/ Northern Ireland/ Isle of Man/ Jersey; either photo card (only valid if the individual presents it with the paper counterpart licence; except Jersey); or old-style paper Driving Licence • Identity Card for Foreign Nationals (ICFN) • HM Forces ID Card (UK) • Firearms Licence (UK) • Adoption Certificate (UK) Group 2

18. • Do not use more than one of the following documents: Convention Travel Document; Stateless Person’s Document; Certificate of identity; Application Registration Card; Immigration Status Document (from the United Kingdom Borders Agency); CRB or Disclosure Scotland Certificate**; letter from a Head Teacher*; Connexions Card (including those carrying the PASS accreditation logo (UK); General Medical Council Certificate *documentation should be less than three months old **issued within past 12 months Please note at least one document must be in the applicant’s current name. At least one document must confirm the applicant’s current address and at least one document must confirm the applicant’s date of birth.

19. How can I check Driving Licences? Do not accept licences, other than those stated in the list of valid identity documents. English, Welsh and Scottish driving licence numbers contain information about the applicant’s name, sex and date of birth. This information is written in a special format but can be gleaned and matched against the information provided by the applicant in Section A-C. Please note that the date of birth on English, Welsh and Scottish driving licences, issued before 1977, is not recorded as a separate entry on the licence. The date of birth must be deciphered from the driving licence number and entered in the relevant field on the application form. For example the format of the number for Christine Josephine Robinson, born 2 July 1975 R O B I N 7 5 7 0 2 5 C J 9 9 9 0 1 N N N N N Y M M D D Y I I C C C C C N = 1st five letters of the surname (if the surname begins MAC or MC it is treated as MC for all). Y = YEAR of birth. M = MONTH of birth (In the case of a female, the number represented by the first M will have the value 5 added to the first digit e.g. a female born in November (i.e. 11) would display ‘61’ in the MM boxes) or if born in February (i.e. 02) would display ‘52’). D = DAY of month of birth. I = Initial letter of the first two forenames - if only one, then 9 will replace the second letter. If the licence indicates that the applicant has a middle name, ensure that one has been provided in Section A. C = Computer generated. Please note, for Northern Ireland driving licences the licence number is in a different format. The licence number is unique to the driver and the ‘name’ or ‘date of birth’ validation, as shown above, cannot be used. Do not accept licences from British dependencies (e.g. Gibraltar and Falkland Islands).

20. What if the applicant has been adopted? Registered Bodies should inform applicants that if they were adopted before the age of 10, they do not need to provide their surname at birth in Section a of the Disclosure application form, they should give their adoptive name in this section. This is because the age of criminal responsibility is deemed to be 10 years, under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Chapter 12, Section 50. This means that there is no possibility that an individual could have a criminal record in a name that was used until the age of 10. How do I check for indicators of fraud? Always check for signs of tampering when checking identity documents. Documents should be queried if they display any signs of damage, especially in the areas of personal details such as the name and the photograph. Passport Check the general quality and condition of the passport. Treat it with suspicion if it is excessively damaged; accidental damage is often used to conceal tampering examined closely for signs of damage to the laminate or for excessive glue or slitting of the laminate; these signs would indicate photo substitution. If the photograph appears excessively large, this might indicate an attempt to hide another photograph underneath.

21. There should also be an embossed strip embedded into the laminate, which will catch a portion of the photograph. Check there is no damage to this area. If the passport is from a foreign national, you can still follow the same general procedures as above. In all cases of document fraud involving a UK passport, you should report the matter to the Identity and Passport Service. This includes altered or counterfeited UK passports and instances in which it is suspected that a person might not be entitled to the UK passport they have presented. Photo driving licence Examine the licence for evidence of photo tampering or any amendment of the printed details. Remember, you must see both the photo card and its paper counterpart. Old style driving licence (no photograph) Remove the document from the plastic wallet and check that it is printed on both sides. It should have a watermark visible by holding the licence up to the light and there should be no punctuation marks in the name or address. The ‘Valid To’ date should be the day before the bearer’s 70th birthday (unless the bearer is already over 70). The ‘Valid To’ date can therefore be cross-referenced with the applicant’s date of birth.

22. Birth certificate Birth certificates are not wholly reliable for confirming identity, since copies are easily obtained. However, certificates issued at the time of birth are more reliable than recently issued duplicates. Check the quality of paper used; genuine certificates use a high grade. There should be a watermark visible when the document is held up to the light. Any signs of smoothness on the surface would indicate that original text might have been washed or rubbed away. There should be no signs of tampering, changes using liquid paper, overwriting or spelling mistakes. If a married woman submits a birth certificate she should also produce her marriage certificate to verify the name change. We would advise that wherever possible you ask an applicant to produce their birth certificate in order that you can tell whether they have changed their name at birth. Otherwise you may not be informed of important information about the applicant held in a previous name. EU Photo Identity Card Examine the card for evidence of photo tampering or any mendmentof the printed details. HM Forces ID Card Examine the card for evidence of photo tampering or any amendment of the printed details.

23. Firearms licence Check the licence is printed on blue security paper with a Royal crest watermark and a feint pattern stating the words ‘Home Office’. Examine the licencefor evidence of photo tampering or any amendment of the printed details, which should include home address and date of birth. The licenceshould be signed by the holder and bear the authorisingsignature of the Chief of police for the area in which they live, or normally a person to whom his authority has been delegated. Other forms of identification Ensure all letters and statements are recent, i.e. within the preceding 3 month period. Do not accept documentation printed from the internet. Check letter headed paper is used, bank headers are correct and all documentation looks genuine. The address should be cross-referenced with that quoted in Section A.

24. Completing the ‘registered body use only’ sections on the Disclosure Application Form As a Recruiter you are acting as an agent for us (the registered body). As such you must complete the following areas of the application form: 1. The ‘registered body use only’ box in section a. This is for verifying the personal information the applicant has entered in section a. As you cross each box you must ensure that you have checked the personal information they have entered against the identification you have been shown. For example by crossing the box to confirm that you have verified a1 – a3 you are confirming that you have checked their title, surname, forenames and any previous names against their ID. This would also apply for the verification box for a14 – you should check their date of birth against the ID shown. Likewise when you verify the box for a23 you are confirming that you have checked their driving licence no. entered against their original driving licencedocument which the applicant must show to you (the same applies for verifying the passport in a25 and National Insurance no in a21). If they have entered either the driving licence, passport or National Insurance No. details and they have not been verified by you then the form will be returned to you. All of these original documents (not photocopies) must be seen and verified by you as a Recruiter. 2. The ‘registered body use only’ box in section b. This confirms that you have checked the current address against the ID the applicant has shown you.

25. 3. Section w – evidence of identity. Simply complete your full name here and confirm that you have established the true identity of the applicant by examining the required documents and have completed the verification boxes. 4. Section x : • Line 60 – always enter ‘yes’. • Line 61 – position applied for. Please see and carefully read Appendix 3 • Line 62 – Organisation name – this should be exactly as recorded on our records and will be shown on your ‘Recruiters Validation Form’. • Line 63 – level of check. Always cross ‘enhanced’ as standard checks don’t apply for those working with children or vulnerable adults. • Lines 64 & 65 – You can ask for a check against either one or both of these lists but it is important that you only request these checks if the applicant is working with those groups concerned (with the exception of a charity Trustee). For example, you couldn’t request a check against the vulnerable adults list for a worker in your crèche team.

26. If however you are processing a check for a Trustee then you can request a check against the children and / or vulnerable adults lists (depending on the work your charity is involved in). This is because the Trustee has overall responsibility for the work of the charity and it would be an offence for them to be in that role if they have been barred from working with children or vulnerable adults. If you are in any doubt then please contact us first. • Line 66 – enter yes or no • Line 67– cross one of the three boxes • Line 68 – Enter yes or no. Please note that this relates to the CRB charge. We do make an administration charge for processing checks in order to cover our costs. Full details of which can be found in our ‘Disclosure Service document. Section y of the CRB Application Form There should be no entries made in section y as that has to be completed by the CCPAS Disclosure Unit. If a Recruiter completes any of it, the whole form is likely to be rejected by the CRB and in these circumstances a new form would need to be completed.

27. Before you send completed applications to the CCPAS you should fill in some of the data here http://www.iccm-events.info/crb_disclosures. It enables us to track where a CRB check is in the system. This form should be completed by local lead recruiters for every application that is submitted to the CRB. This replaces the need to email an excel file every time a new application is processed. Please write n/a in any of the fields that are not applicable. All fields must be completed. Surname: * Forenames: * Previous Names: * Male / Female: * Place of birth: * Date of birth (dd/mm/yy): * Preferred telephone number: * Unspent convictions (Y/N): * Church / Congregation: * Documents Checked: * Date form sent: * Form Number: * Name of recruiter:

28. Sending the Disclosure ApplicationForm to CCPAS The completed form(s) should be photocopied and stored in a secure place to be checked against the CRB certificate for accuracy. The original form(s) should then be sent to CCPAS with a completed Recruiters Validation Form. (N.B. The Recruiter should make sure they have entered their pin number in full and signed the Recruiters Validation Form. Photocopies of signatures will not be accepted.) We advise that you also keep a copy of the Recruiters Validation Form for your own records (remember to send us the original, not the copy). This is because you can use it to check against our direct debit notification and also the form reference entered here will enable you to track the progress of the disclosure application at https://secure. crbonline.gov.uk/enquiry/enquirySearch. do. Please note that the CRB no longer require you to list the ID you have seen on a continuation sheet; although you may of course wish to retain a record in your office in the event that the CRB query the ID you have seen. Upon receipt of the certificate from the CRB, CCPAS will send it with a covering letter to the Recruiter (except if the applicant is applying for the role of Recruiter as we will retain and destroy the certificate within six months).

29. The certificate is not checked by the CRB for accuracy so it is vital the Recruiter does this on receipt of the certificate. In CCPAS’ experience, even an error of a single letter in a name has meant the wrong person being checked and conviction information not contained in the certificate sent out by the CRB. Once this process has been completed we would ask you to record the certificate number and date of issue on the photocopy of the application and ensure that this information is kept in a secure place. Alternatively you could keep this information on a spreadsheet and database. You may not keep a record of the result of the disclosure but could keep a note of the date they were appointed. In the unlikely event of a future enquiry, it may be necessary for you to provide this information to CCPAS or the CRB direct. The Disclosure Certificate can be destroyed as soon as the recruitment decision has been taken and certainly within six months unless special arrangements have been specified by the CRB (eg fostering agencies / care homes/ OFSTED inspected schools).

30. Can a Disclosure be UsedMore Than Once Although it is likely that in the future a system will be created by the CRB to facilitate portability, it currently does not endorse this practice. Portability refers to the re-use of a CRB check (disclosure) obtained for a position in one organisationand later used for another position in another organisation. There are inherent dangers to this practice. If you are considering using rechecks then please take into account the following limitations and risks as advised by the CRB. Limitations • The CRB check may not be at the level you require – in the past there were two different levels of check: Standard and Enhanced. If an Enhanced check is needed do not accept a ported Standard check. • The CRB check may not have included a check against the correct ISA lists for those barred from working with children or vulnerable adults • A CRB check carries no formal period of validity and the older a check the less reliable the information, as the information the check contains may not be up to date. The date of the issue (on the individual’s copy) should be used as a guide as to when to request a new CRB check. • Information revealed through a CRB check always reflects the information that was available at the time of its issue. • You may be required by law to carry out a fresh check against the ISA barred lists. In certain circumstances, portability cannot be used, egcare workers need a new ISA adult check each time they change employment.

31. • An original CRB check, not a photocopy, contains a number of security features to prevent tampering or forgery. • You need to understand the meaning of the wording that appears in the information boxes on the disclosure. ‘None recorded’ means no information was found, ‘Not requested’ means that that check was not done. • BOX 1 – Police Records of Convictions, Cautions, Reprimands and Warnings • BOX 2 – Information from the list under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002 • BOX 3 – ISA children’s barred list information • BOX 4 – ISA vulnerable adults barred list information • BOX 5 – Other relevant information disclosed at the Chief Police Officer(s) discretion • Once a recruitment decision (or other relevant decision – eg for regulatory or licensing purposes) has been made, a recipient of a Disclosure must not retain it, or any associated correspondence, for longer than is Recruiters Guide necessary for the particular purpose. In general, this should be for a maximum of 6 months. However: • If you need to show it to the Care Quality Commission (the health and social care regulator for England) then you can keep it until the next inspection, then it should be destroyed. • If you are a teaching supply/ recruitment agency you can retain CRB checks for up to 3 years.

32. Risks • Using a previously issued CRB check does not constitute a fresh CRB check – the person’s criminal record or other relevant information may have changed since its issue. • Registered Bodies are responsible for the accuracy of the information provided to the CRB and on which it carries out its checks. By accepting a previously issued CRB check you are accepting the risk that the previous Registered Body provided the CRB with a fully validated applicant’s identity on which to carry out its checks. • Enhanced checks may contain ‘approved’ non-conviction information provided by the police from their local records. In the majority of cases, the CRB will print this information on both the applicant’s and Registered Body’s copy in the box entitled ‘Other relevant information disclosed at the Chief Police Officer(s) discretion’. However, occasionally the Chief Police Officer may, if thought necessary in the interests of the prevention or detection of crime, withhold this information from the applicant’s copy. You would not be aware of this if you rely on the applicant’s copy and therefore could be appointing someone who is known to be a serious risk to children.

33. Is it Possible to CheckOverseas Applicants? If you are recruiting people from overseas and wish to check their overseas criminal record, a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check may not provide a complete picture of their criminal record. This is because the CRB cannot currently access criminal records held overseas. In order to check an overseas applicant’s criminal record and for up-to-date information on the costs involved, you should contact the embassy or High Commission of the country in question. The CRB is not involved in the processing of applications made by individuals to overseas authorities and therefore will not be responsible for the contents or the length of time taken for information to be returned. However, in a small number of cases overseas criminal records are held on the Police National Computer and these would be revealed as part of a CRB check. It is possible to submit an application while the applicant is still overseas but you must still verify the applicant’s identity. Find contact details for embassies and High Commissions in the UK on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)website: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/traveland- living-abroad/foreign-embassy-inthe- uk. You can also contact the FCO Response Centre Helpline on Tel 020 7008 1500. If the foreign check needs translating, the embassy of the country concerned may be able to help.

34. Certificates of good conduct You should try to obtain a certificate of good conduct and any other references from potential overseas employees. The standard of foreign police checks vary. To find out the standard, you should contact either the authorities in a particular country, or their embassy. Either you or the employee should obtain a certified translation. The CRB does not offer a translation service. If churches/organisations are considering an applicant with substantial overseas residence, a Disclosure application may have limited value because the Police National Computer contains only a limited number of overseas convictions. However, if someone with a substantial record of overseas residence applies to work in the regulated childcare sector, employers must still check the Protection of Children Act list, even though there will be little if any criminal record information revealed. The substantial period of overseas residency should not preclude organisationsfrom considering applicants with such backgrounds. The criminal records check should only be part of the overall recruitment process and in this situation, as for all appointments, churches/ organisations should engage in a full range of pre-appointment checks beyond the simple reference to Disclosures.

35. Position Applied For In communication and meetings the CRB have asked us to pass onto you the importance of entering on the Disclosure application Form as descriptive a job title as possible. We realise that this can be very difficult on the form and perhaps different from what you have been doing, but positions applied for such as ‘Children’s Worker’ will only tell them that the applicant is applying to work with children. The police ask for as much information as possible because they have to make a decision on what information to release and that can depend on the level of child/vulnerable adult contact. We realise that there are literally hundreds of jobs you are involved in but below are some acceptable versions of the more common ones:

36. Quick Reference Guide For Applicants Please read this before returning your CRB application form to your Recruiter • Have you completed the form in black ink? • Have you completed all areas hi-lighted in yellow? • If you have been known by anything other than your current name, have you given forename(s), surname and dates? • Have you got proof of your change of name (if applicable) to show the Recruiter in your organisation? • Have you entered details of your passport, driving licence and national insurance no. (if valid documentation held)? (Please note you must then show these documents to the Recruiter in your organisation. If not then the application will be rejected). • Have you given all addresses for the last five years ensuring that the month you leave an address is the month that you start the new one? • Have you completed the country name in full where requested? E.g. ‘United Kingdom’, not ‘UK’ or ‘England’. • Have you signed the application in Section E?

37. Quick Reference Guide For Recruiters Please read before sending any forms to CCPAS • Has the form been completed in black ink? • Has the applicant completed all areas hi-lighted in yellow? • If the applicant has been known by anything other than their current name, have they given forename(s), surname and dates? • Have you seen proof of any changes of name? • Has the applicant entered details of their passport, driving licenceand national insurance no. (if held)? (Please note they must then show these documents to you as Recruiter. If not then the application will be rejected). • Has the applicant completed A30 and if ‘yes’ entered their Scottish Vetting and Barring number? • Have they given all addresses for the last five years ensuring that the month they leave an address is the month that they start the new one? • Has the applicant completed the country name in full where requested? E.g. ‘United Kingdom’, not ‘UK’ or ‘England’. • Has the applicant signed the application in Section E? • Have you completed the ‘registered body use’ box in Section A and ensured that you have verified all the ID listed in this section (and crossed the appropriate boxes)? Remember, if any ID is not confirmed as verified then the form will be returned to you. • Have you completed the ‘registered body use’ box in Section B and ensured that you have verified the current address by checking against the ID provided. • Have you completed all of Section W? • Have you completed all of Section X? • Have you left Section Y for us to complete? • Have you completed a Validation Form?