Are CRB checks required for Governors and/or Volunteers?

Ofsted have clarified the position for volunteers which include Governors

Volunteers Checks are required for those who have regular and unsupervised access to children and young people. The definition of supervision is currently being considered under the terms of the Protection of Freedoms Bill and will be the subject of guidance from the Department for Education when the bill becomes law next year.

However, schools and colleges have been advised by CRB and in Safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education that a risk assessment should take place when volunteers are recruited. Schools and colleges should be able to provide such risk assessments and be able to explain the rationale for those who have been checked and those who have not. The key criterion for checking volunteers is regular and unsupervised contact with children.

School Governors do not require a CRB check unless they will have regular and unsupervised access to children and young people.

However, it should be noted that refusal by a School Governor to have a CRB check carried out is a disqualification factor as detailed in the School Governors Guide to the law (GTTL)

Schedule 6 of the Constitution Regulations covers the disqualifications of governors. This includes  'If a governor refuses to allow an application to the Criminal Records Bureau for a criminal records certificate'

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/schools/for-schools/safeguarding-children

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/b0065507/gttl

No Need to renew CRB Checks every 3 years

Ofsted have clarified that CRB’s do not need to be reviewed on a 3 year rolling programme.

Ofsted say 'The ‘three year rolling programme’ for all staff is a myth. There has never been a requirement for a rolling programme of three-yearly checks for staff who have unbroken service (that is, no break of three months or more). 

The only reference to three-year checks in Safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education is in appendix 11, where it is recommended for agency staff. Ofsted and the Department for Education have repeatedly pointed out that such routine checks for staff directly employed by a school or college are not required. Ofsted will consider such routine re-checks to be excessive, as they go beyond what the law requires or the Government recommends. They will not be considered evidence of good practice, and may be considered to represent a poor use of resources'.

It considered best practice for for governing bodies to note this at their next full governing body meeting and record it in their minutes.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/schools/for-schools/safeguarding-children

Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) Checks Clarification from Ofsted

Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks for trainee teachers – clarification


Ofsted have received the following query regarding their safeguarding guidance:

In the briefing for section 5 inspectors on safeguarding children, it says in Annex 2, 'Inspectors should not ask for the CRB forms of trainees on initial teacher education courses. It is the initial teacher education provider's responsibility, not the school's, to ensure that these checks are made.'

Question:

Please would you clarify whether this is true for trainee teachers on an employment based route to QTS, such as GPT?

Ofsted Answer:

Trainees on an employment based route are employed by the school and must be treated as school employees for the purposes of CRB checks and they should be recorded on the SCR.

Ofsted will be updating the safeguarding guidance in April to clarify this requirement.

Retention of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) certificates

Schools should not retain original CRB disclosure certificates once the checks are completed. The CRB code of practice states that original certificates should be destroyed within six months. Osfted will update their safeguarding guidance in April to reflect this. For more information visit: www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk/media/news/new_crb_code_of_practice.asp