CRB / DBS checks?

matt1973

Looking at going into teaching and was wondering how many teachers have had experience with these? I know More-or-less what they are but how does the system work? Do you organise you own check and produce it to whomever asks or is it something that is made available to prospective students/employers via some sort of organisation?

Any help is appreciated.

Phil_aka_Pip

If you work freelance for yourself, its up to customers or their parents whether they do business with you, they can decide not to if you haven't got a good-boy ticket but IME parents will sit in on the first few lessons (you make it clear you're inviting them and possibily insisting on it for junior school age kids or teenage females), then they suss you're OK, and leave the kid at the front door.

LEAs and private companies working for LEAs insist on a good-boy ticket, but IME if they want you to have it, they will organise it and pay for it. Some private companies may try to make you pay for it even before they've guaranteed you any work but don't fall for it. If you do get forced into paying for it, write it down against tax, but IMO it should be a part of their cost of hiring you, not your cost of working for them.

EDIT Join the MU. They can help with this and a lot of other stuff; they also do teacher development courses now and again. They are also tax deductible

matt1973

Many thanks for you reply Pip. What are MU subs these days?

Phil_aka_Pip

IIRC about £175 until you profit by more then £15k.

To clarify my first paragraph: there is no formal requirement for you to hold a good-boy ticket if you work for yourself. It's not like Corgi or Gas-Safe.

BigLicks67

I think the CRB/DBS is about £48.00 now and I believe they offer some sort of subscription package to enable you renew it annually for a lesser fee. If you work for yourself you would arrange this yourself and keep the certificate for prospective students to see.

Paulo

The RGT can organise a DBS. If the MU do, then it's worth it as you get public liability insurance too. One music service I work for insist on the insurance as well as the DBS.

fretmeister

Paulo said:

The RGT can organise a DBS. If the MU do, then it's worth it as you get public liability insurance too. One music service I work for insist on the insurance as well as the DBS.

Companies that "insist" on it are often breaking the law.

The DBS process has strict limits as to what roles require it and if the role does not then the Employer / client etc risks a £5000 fine even for just asking for it.

I'm a member of Equity as a magician and I get requests all the time and I have to explain that the DBS service won't even process an application for me even if I'm doing a show in a school. Equity are collecting reports of similar things to educate companies about what a DBS check can be used for and what it can't.

Basically if you do a Regulated Activity then you can get one. If not, then you can't no matter how upset a client might be.

https://www.equity.org.uk/branches/thames-variety-branch/documents/disclosure-and-barring-service-what-is-it/

and a very nice overview from a well respected Equity chap:

http://www.tiptoppuppets.co.uk/id25.html

koneguitarist

I am cleared for use at the Radio station,as we have under 18's and over 73's

Got mine done free via Dorset as it would benefit the community radio station. 

BigMonka

As far as I know it's about disclosing your criminal record so that an employer can decide if your record precludes you from working in that role, rather than being a pass/fail situation. 

Therefore as a process it doesn't make any sense for a self employed person to get one as it's safe to presume that an individual will know their own record! 

Unfortunately this doesn't stop a lot of parents from thinking that should have one and that if you haven't got one then you must be a crim :facepalm:

fretmeister

BigMonka said:

As far as I know it's about disclosing your criminal record so that an employer can decide if your record precludes you from working in that role, rather than being a pass/fail situation. 

Therefore as a process it doesn't make any sense for a self employed person to get one as it's safe to presume that an individual will know their own record! 

Unfortunately this doesn't stop a lot of parents from thinking that should have one and that if you haven't got one then you must be a crim :facepalm:

Ian Huntley passed the enhanced CRB check.

GuyBoden

fretmeister said:

BigMonka said:

As far as I know it's about disclosing your criminal record so that an employer can decide if your record precludes you from working in that role, rather than being a pass/fail situation. 

Therefore as a process it doesn't make any sense for a self employed person to get one as it's safe to presume that an individual will know their own record! 

Unfortunately this doesn't stop a lot of parents from thinking that should have one and that if you haven't got one then you must be a crim :facepalm:

Ian Huntley passed the enhanced CRB check.

It's a lot stricter now, I worked on the software for the older CRB check system.

Phil_aka_Pip

GuyBoden said:

fretmeister said:

BigMonka said:

As far as I know it's about disclosing your criminal record so that an employer can decide if your record precludes you from working in that role, rather than being a pass/fail situation. 

Therefore as a process it doesn't make any sense for a self employed person to get one as it's safe to presume that an individual will know their own record! 

Unfortunately this doesn't stop a lot of parents from thinking that should have one and that if you haven't got one then you must be a crim :facepalm:

Ian Huntley passed the enhanced CRB check.

It's a lot stricter now, I worked on the software for the older CRB check system.

so are you accepting the blame for him?

DJW

I work for my LEA as a guitar teacher and they deal with all of my CRB/DBS stuff. They keep it on file, if I'm given a new school the school contacts the LEA and they confirm I have one.

Enhanced CRBs and the like are only valid on the day of issue, like an MOT. There's no saying you're not going to turn a bit weird in the year after you get it.

MU subs have altered a bit now in the way they are worked out, I pay £16.25 a month, I belive Eric Clapton pays the same, although I think I would be right in saying that I earn substantially less.