A NEW service for updating CRB checks will save church
organisations and charities thousands of pounds, the Government
estimates. The "portable" criminal records check-service was
introduced on Monday, in an attempt to speed up recruitment as well
as save money.
The change means that people who volunteer for various different
organisations or have more than one job will no longer have to make
multiple CRB applications. Instead, they will apply once only to
the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a certificate, and
subsequently they will be able to find out whether their
certificate is still up to date online.
An employer will have to request a new check only if an online
check reveals that new information has come to light since the
certificate was first issued.
Also from Monday, the system has been changed to allow
certificates to be issued only to individuals rather than to
employers.
The DBS estimates that some organisations could save hundreds of
thousands of pounds a year. It cites the Churches Agency for
Safeguarding, which carries out more than 20,000 checks each year,
half of which can now be done through the update service: this
would save about £440,000. A small agency, such as the Association
of Christian Counsellors, which carries out about 177 checks a
year, could save about £3800.
The chief executive of the DBS, Adrienne Kelbie, said that the
system was "particularly ideal for individuals who have multiple
DBS checks or are required to be rechecked periodically".