Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks

 

The Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure is a means of checking an individual’s background to ensure they do not have a history that would make them unsuitable for working with children.  A Disclosure, or Check, will provide current details of a person’s criminal record, including convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer.  It will also contain details from lists held by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills of those considered unsuitable for close contact with young people.  Depending on the level of Disclosure, it might also contain information held by local police forces.  If a coach has already completed a CRB check, they should be able to provide a copy of their CRB certificate.

 

Disclosures for volunteers are free, but have to be applied for through an Umbrella Organisation, rather than directly to the CRB.  Most Umbrella Organisations charge a small fee to cover the necessary administration linked to carrying out checks.

 

There are two Umbrella Organisations in Suffolk which will carry out CRB checks for sports volunteers.

 

SAFE (The Safeguarding Children Partnership) currently charges £7.50 per check to member clubs and £10 to non-members.  Membership costs £20 per year, and also includes two free places on SAFE Child Protection Training.  As part of the Checking process, the CRB requires Umbrella Organisations to verify proof of identity via Passport, Driving Licence, Birth Certificate etc.  SAFE require applicants to post them these documents to them for checking (and, of course, return them afterwards!) For details of membership or to arrange checks, telephone (01379) 678961. 

 

SAVO (Suffolk Association of Voluntary Organisations) currently charges £7.50 per check, and require the club to nominate one or two representatives to co-ordinate the processing of the checks within the club and to verify ID documents, which means applicants don’t have to post their Passport, Driving Licence etc.  However, SAVO are in the process of reviewing their role as an Umbrella Organisation and at the moment can only guarantee that they will be able to carry out checks until 31st January 2005.  They can be contacted on (01473) 273273.

 

Any clubs in the Waveney area can get CRB checks done free of charge through Waveney District Council’s Sports Development Officer, Claire Gallagher (01502 523010).

 

Any coaches who coach on Active Sports activity and who attend an Induction Session will be checked free of charge.