Q: What is the CRB?
A: CRB is the Criminal Records Bureau - an Executive Agency of the Home Office.

Q: What is a CRB check?
It is a process of checking information which helps organisations to make informed recruitment decisions by offering access to police and government records. CRB checks are one way of reducing the risk of recruiting volunteers who may be unsuitable to work with children or other vulnerable people.

Q: What is the definition of a "vulnerable adult"?
A: A vulnerable adult is anyone over the age of 18 who is incapable or protecting himself or herself from assault or other physical abuse. It is not necessarily obvious that someone is a vulnerable adult. Link here to a more detailed description.

Q: Who needs a CRB check?
A: Anyone whose job or voluntary position involves working with young people or vulnerable adults could be asked for a CRB check. Volunteers on WHI schemes linked to local authorities or PCTs may well be required to be CRB checked as a matter of policy.

Information for small, volunteer-run health walk schemes

If you are a walk leader and do not work with young people or vulnerable adults, you do not need a CRB check.

Health walk volunteers only need to be CRB checked if it is part of their normal duties to lead walks that include young people or vulnerable adults and there is no guardian or support worker present.

The decision to obtain CRB checks for any volunteers would need to be made at the same time as the risk assessment of each walk.

Q: Is it necessary for the walk leader to be CRB checked if the child(ren) or vulnerable adult(s) on the walk have guardians, teachers or support workers with them?
A: No, a CRB check is not necessary in these circumstances.

Q: How does the process work?
A: It is the responsibility of the health walk scheme co-ordinator to obtain CRB checks where necessary and to take overall responsibility for doing this.

It is important to be clear about the responsibilities involved:

• A risk assessment should have been done that indicates the need for a CRB check
  
• The information is completely confidential
  
• The decision making needs to be appropriate and only offences relevant to the current role should be taken into consideration. (One-third of men have a criminal record of some sort by the age of 30 and this, in itself, is not a barrier to leading health walks.)
  
• Consideration needs to be given to any offence revealed by a CRB check, eg is it relevant to the current volunteering role? how long ago was it? what is the volunteer's attitude towards and explanation of the offence?

The co-ordinator needs to find an umbrella body that is prepared to carry out CRB checks. (This is necessary because organisations carrying out checks have to put through a minimum number per year and so umbrella bodies have agreed to do checks on behalf of small organisations that would not, on their own, achieve the minimum number). There is a search facility for umbrella bodies on the CRB website: http://www.crb.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=349

It makes sense to go through an umbrella body that is in your local area “ some, but not all, local authorities, local CVS or volunteer centres are umbrella bodies.

Q: What are the two levels of CRB check available?
A: Standard Disclosure this is available to anyone working with children or vulnerable adults and will show current and spent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer. The following may also be searched: Protection of Children Act List; Protection of Vulnerable Adults List; Information held under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002. A Standard Disclosure takes about two weeks to process.

Enhanced Disclosure the highest level of check, this is available to anyone involved in regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children or vulnerable adults. Contains the same information as the Standard Disclosure but with the addition of any relevant information held by the local police forces “ eg allegations for which no charge has been made. An Enhanced Disclosure takes about four weeks to process.

Q: Is a previously issued CRB check sufficient?
A: Before a previously issued CRB check can be accepted, the health walk scheme would need to contact the organisation that arranged the original check and confirm the validity of the certificate. Permission from the applicant is required for this. Visit www.crb.gov.uk for further advice and information.

Q: What does it cost?
A: CRB checks for volunteers are free of charge but most umbrella organisations charge an admin. fee which can range from around £35 down to £5.

WHI is grateful to Volunteering England for information supplied whilst compiling this article.

For more information:

1. Contact CRB:
- via their website: http://www.crb.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1871

- by phone: 0870 90 90 844

2. See the Volunteering England website:

http://www.volunteering.org.uk/ then go to

Resources/goodpracticebank/Information/screeningandcrbchecks.htm