Safeguarding and CRB

The Criminal Records Bureau processes are set out in a series of Annexes to the Diocesan child protection handbook  Protecting Children in the Diocese of Oxford (PDF) (336.74 kB). As the Criminal Records Bureau frequently changes its detailed guidance, these pages are updated as necessary. Please check these pages regularly, or ask to be informed by email when changes are made, to ensure you are working from the latest version.

Application Form and Confidential Declaration

The Diocesan Application Form and Confidential Declaration Form have been revised (the version on page 65 of Protecting Children in the Diocese of Oxford has been superseded) and you are encouraged to use the January 2007 version, although applications completed on the old versions are not invalid. The changes on the Application Form draw attention to the Criminal Records Bureau Code of Practice and the Diocese’s policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders. Those on the Confidential Declaration update it in the light of recent legislation and provisions to protect vulnerable adults.

News : Renewal of Disclosures

The renewal of CRB Disclosures has been a “watch this space” item for a while.  The House of Bishops has asked Dioceses to renew Disclosures that are more than 5 years old. 

In order to manage the additional workload here, and so that the additional costs are spread for parishes, we have planned a phased approach.  The records kept at DCH allow us to work through the list of Disclosures by the month that the application was sent to the CRB.  On average, this will be 4-6 weeks before the letter we send confirming that the Disclosure outcome, but you are well aware that some Disclosure take longer in the “pipeline” than others.  We will provide each Appointing Body Nominee with a list of names according to the schedule below.  If we have no records for the month concerned for your parish, then there will be no list. 

At present, we have no diocesan statistics on the turnover of volunteers, so it is difficult to estimate how many blank forms to supply.  As an initial estimate, we will provide blank forms for 50% of the number of people on the list, and will depend on feedback from you if this is too many, or too few.

The list will, doubtless, include people who are no longer on the team of volunteers. It is important that you only ask for a renewal for those who are still actively working with children and young people.  As those renewing their Disclosures may have committed an offence in the intervening 5 years, Stephen Barber, the Diocesan Child Protection Adviser, recommends that you ask people to also complete a new Confidential Declaration form.  This is a routine element of the Application Form for anyone newly applying for a voluntary or paid post, and is part of the House of Bishops’ recommended good practice for recruitment.  A link to the combined Application Form and Confidential Declaration can be found immediately above this section.  Please note this has been updated since the version in Protection Children in the Diocese of Oxford was issued.

In the event of the original Disclosure being positive, a risk assessment will have been made, involving the Appointing Body Nominee. These cases are reviewed, currently on a three year cycle, and if this applies to any of your volunteers, you will get a separate letter.

The CRB’s guidance on proving the identity of those requesting a Disclosure still applies, even though the person is known to you.  The Approved Parish Representative does need to see the person, with their documentation, and record the information needed by the CRB, as they would for a new applicant.

By January 2010, we will have caught up so that, going forward, we will work on an exact 5 year review.

When further work on the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is in place, and the House of Bishops is able to give a view on the future need for CRB renewals, we will be able to plan renewals going forward.  At this stage, you should expect to do 2004 in 2009 , 2005 in 2010, etc.  You may find the FAQ section of the ISA website, www.isa-gov.org helpful in answering general questions.

The normal charges apply for renewals.  The current Diocesan administration charge for Parishes is £10 including VAT per application.  If the applications are for paid workers, then the prevailing CRB charge (currently £36 for Enhanced and £31 for Standard Disclosures) also needs to be paid.  Please note the CRB’s definition of a volunteer: The CRB defines a volunteer to be ‘a person who performs any activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for traveling 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’.   

If you have any questions about the Renewal process, please contact Ruth Reavley, the Diocesan CRB Administrator, on 01865 208297, or Jo Holt, the CRB Administrative Assistant, on 01865 208215. 

Rosemary Pearce

Diocesan Lead Countersignatory & Diocesan Secretary

August 2008