a question for heads about crb and prev convictions

cherryblossom · a question for heads about crb and prev convictions

Hi all , I was wondering if anyone could either hep clear this up or give their opinion.
My friends partner is 22 and he wants to train as a teacher. He has been doing some volunatry work in a school ,but he asked them if he could be crb checekd and they said no , so he had to leave.
The problem is that he has a drink drive convistion from when he was 18 and two cautions for posession of cannabis again from aged 18 and these will obviously show on any crb check.
What he wants to know is , is he wasting his time continuing on a course to become a teacher or even to apply as a volunteer in a school?
will this be held against him all his life? is it something heads would not touch with a bargepole... he needs to know so he can make some alternative plans
Thanks in anticipation

thehawk

I think it seriously weakens his position, as legislation is getting much tougher.

I know of a teacher with a drug conviction from her student days, who is teaching but had to sign an agreement that she can be asked to give a blood sample at anytime - if she refuses she is sacked on the spot, if she is found with any drug in her blood stream she is sacked on the spot. It is unlikely she will get a job anywhere else as, since she was appointed, rules have tightened. So it will be the only school she will ever be allowed to work at.

cherryblossom

thanks for this hawk, its sad that a mistake at such a young age can seriously impinge his future!

cherryblossom

any more advice would be great

Opera Diva

I received 2 CRB checks with similar disclosures.

One was for a bullying racist attack and the other was littered with driving offences including imprisonment for death caused by dangerous driving.

These were not people applying for teaching posts but still jobs in a school.

It is a difficult one and I would suggest contacting human resources for advice and also TDA etc...

cherryblossom

thanks.Opera Diva, its difficult as he has obviously changed since then although he is still quite young... i guess he just wants to know if anyone would be willing to give him a chance
he's a great lad and is now settled and actually has joint parental responsibilty for a 10 year old girl with his partner.a reformed character from his youth...
i know you could say that about a lot of things but if i was a head i would find it a tricky one too , because what is there on paper and if parents found out etc..

cherryblossom

thehawk

madax1

I'm surprised that a school where someone is volunteering wouldn't get them CRB checked anyway.... We insist on it. Feel sorry for your friend cb as it will go against him - but possibly not forever. As suggested earlier, see HR for advice.

Opera Diva

I received forms from the LA where I had to disclose the information on the CRB and get answers to specific questions.

Both people refused to give the information.

Not possible to progress to next stage without that information. They withdrew.

cherryblossom

my friend would provide the information I am sure . I will tell him to try the GTC maybe one of the unions as well, he doesnt want to spend 3 years slogging away at a course to find he is unemployable at the end of it. Am going to ask the head at my school whether she would have him as a volunteer?
as madax said i was also shocked that he hadnt been screened befoire being allowed tyo volunteer particularly with safeguarding etc!

wotsitagain

We always screen our volunteers too and list99 parents going on trips and so forth.

I am always a bit concerned when asked to fill out one of this type of forms and put it into a sealed envelope if you have any previous convictions. The thing I have against me is a speeding fine from 10 years ago, but I always feel I should declare it, even though it is well and truly "spent". I just feel that putting something into a sealed envelope raises suspicions.

I hope your friend manages to get something sorted. It is a good lesson to all that there is no "good" time to commit an offence.

trinity0097

Was it just a points on the licence and pay a fine type thing wotsitagain, if you that's not something that you need to declare at all - unless it was something given in court.

thehawk

we have been told that if anyone enters the school during ofsted that hasn't been police checked, you automatically fail the inspection as you are breaking the law. Everyone who works in school has to have some sort of check, even if they are volunteers - it is a sackable offence if you do not (according to my SLT)

happyhighlandcoo

No experience of school recruitment but I used to recruit volunteers for the Youth Offending Team and we would allow people with convictions to work on a 1-1 basis with young people (taking them out in their own cars, going to places to eat etc) as long as it had been at least 3 years since the last conviction and we always discussed the nature of the offence, how/why it was committed and how the applicant had reflected on it.

We were obviously quite forward thinking being the YOT and all - our business is reforming offenders however we also had to be safe, it was just a matter of using judgement and making defensible decisions. I'm sure there will be head teachers out there willing to believe people can change, it'd just be finding them and persuading them that in spite of his past he is the best candidate (in an already competitive job market).

Tough one. I agree that he should probably speak to some providers of ITE and the LEA to see if they have policies.

Opera Diva

It has cost us a fortune this past 2 years in making CRB checks.

Volunteers don't cost for CRB checking, however, it takes a while for the check to come through and my Govs have taken the stance that no-one is able to come in to school without being fully checked - enhanced disclosure.

The area in which is work is highly challenging with a high % of the population 'offending' etc...

jenny_pest

We have the same policy OD - Nobody, literally NOBODY - including technicians who come in for enginering etc are allowed in without an enhanced CRB.

madax1

We've said to come in while check is in progress but we have risk assessments and guidelines for those people as well as for 'one off' helpers on trips / work experience / coming in for world book day etc and these state specifically 'no unsupervised access' and staying in eyesight of member of CRB checked staff - the guidance is all about REGULAR helpers who have UNSUPERVISED ACCESS so we think we're covered - hope so anyway!

wotsitagain

trinity0097

I know what you mean, there ought to be some big server that organisations can log onto to check if the person has a current CRB check already rather than have a new one.

JD1970

It is awful that mistakes made when he was so young could affect him for ever. I do hope he manages to get some specific clarification of his situation and I hope you will let us know the outcome.
The promise of volunteering for a blood test without notice (Hawk's friend) sounds like a really sensible solution.

happyhighlandcoo

wotsit and trinity, that is going to be happening soon under the new Vetting and Barring Scheme. Not quite sure when or how but very soon. Will cost more for the check but then it will be carried with the person and updated when necessary (I think??)

http://www.isa.homeoffice.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=2

cherryblossom

thanks guys , i saw him last nnight and asked him to speak to the lea and the gtc to see if he can get an official line...so will let you know what happens

bluerose

At moment would be HT decision as to whether to employ him with the cannabis showing up on CRB. In future think a panel might give this advice linked to ISA stuff

I am shocked that hes a volunteer in a school and no CRB. Ofsted ask to see your single central record and anyone in building has to have an enhanced CRB unless staff employed before 2002 they then have a list 99 check (which is onepart of a CRB)

A school with any issues on single register or general safeguarding procedrures will now find that on first day of inspection Ofsted will say inspection is finished school has a label

trinity0097

I thought that all those prior to CRB had to have one recently, at least they did in our school.