Changes to Vetting and Barring Checks

Millions of people in England and Wales who work or volunteer with children and vulnerable adults will no longer need criminal record checks, as part of the government’s Freedoms Bill which could become law by early next year.  The Bill will merge the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to form one criminal records checking service.

That body will provide what ministers say will be a more “proportionate” checking service for about 4.5m people who work “closely and regularly” with children or vulnerable adults.   The number of jobs requiring checks will be cut and those working or volunteering with vulnerable groups will no longer need to register with the vetting and barring scheme or be continuously monitored by the ISA.

Teachers will continue to be vetted – but those who do occasional, supervised volunteer work will not.

Job applicants will also be able to see the results of their criminal record check before their prospective employer so mistakes can be corrected.

And the bill promises a “portability of criminal records checks between jobs to cut down on needless bureaucracy” and to stop “employers who knowingly request criminal records checks on individuals who are not entitled to them”.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he wanted to lift the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust cast over adults who simply wanted to help.

But some child protection campaigners fear it will be easier for adults in positions of trust to abuse children.

These and other changes, outlined in the Protection of Freedoms Bill, aim to scale back state powers and reverse what has been seen as the widespread erosion of civil liberties in recent years.

Increased CRB check fees

The Home Office has announced that the cost of an Enhanced CRB check will increase by £8 from 6 April 2011.

From 6 April 2011, the following fee levels will apply throughout the remainder of 2011/12:

CRB Checks for volunteers will continue to be free of charge.