CRB glossary

This page has explanations of some of the terms relating to the CRB Disclosure process.


additional information
Enhanced checks may contain ‘additional’ information. Occasionally the Chief Police Officer may (if thought necessary in the interests of the prevention or detection of crime) release ‘additional’ information to Walsingham, in the form of a separate letter.
This confidential information should not be revealed to the applicant.
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address history
The CRB requires a full address history going back five years from the date the applicant signed the form. The applicant must provide all previous addresses, including any time spent living overseas within the last five years.
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caution
A caution is a formal warning about future conduct given by a senior police officer, usually in a police station, after a person has committed an offence. It is used as an alternative to a charge and possible prosecution.
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children, working with
The Criminal Justice Court Service Act (CJCSA) defines a child as someone who is under 18 (under 16 if the child is employed).

The definition of Working with Children is in two parts:

a) A child care position within the meaning of the Protection of Children Act. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (CJCSA) 2000 replaces the original definition in the Protection of Children Act with 'regulated position' for the purposes of Part II of the 2000 Act. Within the 2000 Act, section 36 sets out what the regulated positions are for the purposes of Part II of the Act; or

b) A position in which employment or further employment is prohibited or restricted by regulations made under section 218 of the Education Reform Act 1988.
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conviction
The judgment of a jury or judge that a person is guilty of a crime as charged.
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conviction, spent
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 sets out to make life easier for many people who have been convicted of a criminal offence and who have since lived on the right side of the law.

A person convicted of all but the most serious criminal offences and who receives a sentence less than two and a half years in prison, benefits from the Act if they are not convicted again during a specified period. This is called the rehabilitation period.

In general terms, the more severe a penalty is, the longer the rehabilitation period. Once a rehabilitation period has expired and no further offending has taken place, a conviction is considered to be 'spent'.

Once a conviction has been spent, the convicted person does not have to reveal it or admit its existence in most circumstances, including, for example, when applying for a job.

In most circumstances, an employer cannot refuse to employ someone, or dismiss them, on the basis of a spent conviction.

There are some exceptions to the general principle that spent convictions do not have to be declared.

When assessing the suitability of a person for a position of trust, an employer is entitled to ask a candidate to reveal details of all convictions, whether spent or not. This is, in part, to ensure that children and other vulnerable groups are adequately protected from those in positions of authority over them.

These positions of trust, or excepted professions, are set out in the ROA Exceptions Order.
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conviction, unspent
A conviction is described as unspent if the rehabilitation period associated with it has not yet lapsed.

A rehabilitation period is a set length of time from the date of conviction, according to the sentence imposed.
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Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)
The Criminal Records Bureau, an Executive Agency of the Home Office, provides wider access to criminal record information through its Disclosure service.

This service enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially that involve children or vulnerable adults.

The CRB was established under Part V of the Police Act 1997 and was launched in March 2002.
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CRB check
See disclosure, disclosure (enhanced), disclosure (standard).
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CRB Code of Practice
Organisations that wish to use CRB checks must comply with the CRB’s Code of Practice, developed after a lengthy public consultation exercise with input from a range of organisations.

The Code of Practice is intended to ensure - and to provide assurance to those applying for Standard and Enhanced Disclosures - that the information released will be used fairly. The Code also seeks to ensure that sensitive personal information is handled and stored appropriately and is kept for only as long as necessary.

Anybody who receives Standard or Enhanced Disclosure information must abide by the Code of Practice, including:

  • Registered Bodies
  • Umbrella Bodies
  • Recruiters and others receiving such information.

The Code of Practice states that Disclosure information should only be used in the context of a policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders, designed to protect applicants from unfair discrimination on the basis of non-relevant past convictions. Walsingham has a sample policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders to help guide organisations.

Storage of Disclosure information is also important. The Code of Practice requires that the information revealed is considered only for the purpose for which it was obtained. It should be destroyed after a suitable period has passed - usually not more than six months.

Organisations must therefore use Disclosure information fairly and ensure that it is handled and stored appropriately. They must also satisfy the CRB that they are complying with the Code of Practice, which means co-operating with requests from the CRB to undertake assurance checks, as well as reporting any suspected malpractice in relation to the Code or misuse of Disclosures.

The CRB can refuse to issue the results of a CRB check if it suspects that the Code of Practice is not being adhered to.
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disclosure
The term that is used to describe the service provided by the CRB and the document issued to the applicant and Registered Body when a CRB check has been completed.
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disclosure, enhanced
The enhanced disclosure is used for posts that involve a far greater degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults.

In general the type of work will involve regularly caring for, supervising, training or being in sole charge of such people. Examples include a Teacher, Scout or Guide leader.

Enhanced checks are also issued for certain statutory purposes such as gaming and lottery licences.

This level of check involves an additional level of check to those carried out for the Standard CRB check - a check on local police records. Where local police records contain additional information that may be relevant to the post the applicant is being considered for, the Chief Officer of police may release information for inclusion in an Enhanced check.

Exceptionally, and in a very small number of circumstances (typically to protect the integrity of current police investigations), additional information may be sent under separate cover to the Countersignatory and should not be revealed to the applicant.
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disclosure, standard
The Standard Disclosure is primarily used for posts that involve working with children or vulnerable adults, but may also be issued for people entering certain professions, such as members of the legal and accountancy professions.

The standard check contains details of all convictions held on the Police National Computer (PNC) including current and 'spent' convictions as well as details of any cautions, reprimands or final warnings.

If a position involves working with children, the CRB check will indicate whether information is held on three government lists of those who are banned from working with children or the vulnerable.
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evidence
An applicant will be expected to provide supporting identification evidence when completing their CRB Application Form.

These documents will need to be checked and verified by the main CRB contact in your organisation.

Walsingham will supply a full list of acceptable documents after registration.

POVAFirst is a service available to those customers who are entitled to check the POVA list and who have requested a POVA check on the Disclosure application form.

It allows those customers to see the result of the POVA check as soon as possible and before the full Disclosure is received.

POVAFirst will benefit those customers who are required by law to undertake a POVA check before a care worker can start work.
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Protection of Vulnerable Adult List
This is a list, managed by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) on behalf of the Department of Health (DH), of people banned from working with vulnerable adults.
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Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 enables some criminal convictions to become 'spent', or ignored, after a 'rehabilitation period'.

A rehabilitation period is a set length of time from the date of conviction. After this period, with certain exceptions, an ex-offender is not normally obliged to mention the conviction when applying for a job or obtaining insurance, or when involved in criminal or civil proceedings.
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Rehabilitation of Offenders Act – Exceptions Order
The Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 sets out those occupations and positions exempt from the provisions of the ROA.

These are generally positions of trust, where there is a valid need to see a person's full criminal history in order to assess their suitability for a position.
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Umbrella Body
An Umbrella Body is a body registered with the CRB that provides access to the CRB to other non-registered organisations.
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volunteer
The CRB defines a volunteer to be ‘a person who performs any activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for travelling and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), doing something which aims to benefit someone (individuals or groups) other than or in addition to close relatives’.

The CRB are quite clear that if the person is seeking to obtain a benefit other than a form of payment from the activity, they are not classed as a volunteer for CRB purposes.

This will include activities such as obtaining a credit towards a qualification, applying for a licence/badge for financial gain or professional purposes or undertaking a work placement.
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vulnerable adult
A vulnerable adult for the purposes of an Enhanced CRB Check is a person aged 18 or over who receives services of a type listed in paragraph 1) below and in consequence of a condition of a type listed in paragraph 2) below, has a disability of a type listed at 3) below.


1) The services are:

a) accommodation and nursing or personal care in a care home

b) personal care or support to live independently in his or her own home

c) any services provided by an independent hospital, independent clinic, independent medical agency or National Health Service body

d) social care services

e) any services provided in an establishment catering for a person with learning difficulties.

 

2) The conditions are:

a) a learning or physical disability

b) a physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise, including an addiction to alcohol or drugs

c) a reduction in physical or mental capacity.

 

3) The disabilities are:

a) a dependency upon others in the performance of, or a requirement for assistance in the performance of, basic physical functions

b) severe impairment in the ability to communicate with others

c) impairment in a person's ability to protect him or herself from assault, abuse or neglect.

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Source www.crb.gov.uk

 

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