CRB Checks For Standard Safety
Employment screening, in particular CRB checks or criminal record searches, is essential in protecting vulnerable members of society.
Those with reservations against the criminal record checking system say that it isn’t foolproof, and that innocent people are being prevented from working with children and vulnerable adults for no reason. They also complain of long waits to get checks completed, impossible application forms and inefficiencies and inadequacies with the government body that manages the CRB system.
While some of these things may be true to an extent, the system of CRB checks is currently the only checking system that exists in the UK to clarify an individual’s suitability for working with certain groups in society. In fact, the Daily Telegraph quotes a CRB spokesperson giving some very positive figures: "Since 2004 the CRB has stopped 80,000 unsuitable people working with vulnerable groups with a disclosure accuracy of 99.98 per cent.”
CRB checks have three levels of disclosure: basic, standard and enhanced.
The basic disclosure is available to all members of the public and any employer or volunteering organisation may request that their employees or volunteers get one.
The standard disclosure is targeted for those positions which involve working with children or vulnerable adults. They contain information about all convictions and cautions on record and any final warnings.
The enhanced disclosure is for positions which involve the individual having close contact with children or vulnerable adults - for example doctors or social workers. They are also required for positions of great responsibility such as those within the legal system or accounting. This undoubtedly makes these background checks a necessity for any corporation looking to ensure prime safety standards.
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