News & Events

Christmas Opening Hours

To help you plan your applications and enquiries to CRU, we list below full details of our opening times over Christmas and the New Year.

Closed - Monday 26 December 2011

Re-open - Tuesday 3 January 2012

Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation

In January 2011 the Welsh Government issued guidance titled Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation. It aims to help police, teachers, social workers and health workers amongst others to identify children at risk of sexual exploitation, take steps to protect them and take action against perpetrators.

When the guidance was launched the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, Gwenda Thomas, made a commitment to carry out a review to check whether the guidance is a useful and practical document.

An online questionnaire has been produced that contributes to this review https://response.questback.com/nationalassemblyforwales/hwlr1tprqw/ and is available until 12 December 2011.

Bogus Callers to Care Services Alert

CSSIW have issued an alert concerning the number of recent reports of people trying to gain access to care services including care homes and domiciliary care agencies.

In some instances bogus callers are pretending to be inspectors and carry fake ID, in others they are reporting in as “new staff” ready for duty.

All services are being advised to be vigilant and to contact their local CSSIW office if there is any doubt as to the identity of individuals claiming to be inspectors. Where services receive a bogus call they are being advised to notify the police and to alert local CSSIW office of any such incidents.

Protection of Freedoms Bill Committee Stage Report

The Protection of Freedoms Bill: Committee Stage Report was released on 28 June. This report provides the full details of the significant amendments made to the Bill's provisions on the barring scheme operated by the Independent Safeguarding Authority(ISA). For more information Protection of Freedoms Bill Committee Stage Report

Applicant Guide

The CRB have released new guidance to help applicants complete the application form. It explains the steps that must be taken to ensure that the application form is completed correctly, which should minimise errors and prevent forms being returned by CRU. The new guidance is available on the Directgov website and provides general rules for applicants, how to record information such as current and previous names and address history and ensuring the form is completed correctly. This should help minimise forms being sent through to CRU with errors on thus preventing delays in such forms being dealt with.

For more information Applicant Guide

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Briefings

Whilst the Protection of Freedoms Bill passes through Parliament we are in the process of carrying out Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Briefings at each County Voluntary Council.

Below are the dates but please contact your CVC to book as places will be limited:-

PAVS 18 May

CAVS 19 May

FLVC 19 May

SCVS 19 May

CVSC 25 May

AVOW 26 May

VAC 8 June

Vale CVS 15 June

BAVO 16 June

GAVO 16 June

Mantell Gwynedd 21 June

Interlink 22 June

TVA 23 June

NPT CVS 23 June

VAMT 24 June

DVSC 28 June

PAVO 29 June

 

CRB price increase

The CRB have announced that they are increasing the cost of an enhanced CRB check for paid employees to £44 effective from 06 April 2011. CRB checks for volunteers will continue to be free of charge which according to the CRB, provided a saving to the voluntary sector of approximately £32 million in 2010/2011.

CRB fee increase

Protection of Freedoms Bill

The government has today unveiled its Protection of Freedoms Bill which aims to clarify the process of vetting for those who work with children and vulnerable adults.

The Bill seeks to scale back the vetting and barring scheme and criminal records regime to common-sense levels while ensuring vulnerable groups are appropriately protected and the proposals include:

  • merging the CRB and ISA to form a streamlined new body providing a proportionate barring and criminal records checking service
  • a large reduction in the number of positions requiring checks. Only those working closely and regularly with children and vulnerable adults will need them
  • portability of criminal record checks between jobs to cut down on needless bureaucracy
  • an end to a requirement for those working or volunteering with vulnerable groups to register with the VBS and then be continuously monitored
  • stopping employers who knowingly request criminal records checks on individuals who are not entitled to them.

For more information Parliament UK, Home Office, A Common Sense Approach and Vetting & Barring Scheme Remodelling Review

ISA VBS CRU Brief Feb 2011

Protection of Freedoms Bill announcement

The government will today clarify plans for the process of vetting individuals who work with children and vulnerable adults when it unveils the Protection of Freedoms Bill.

WCVA CRU opposes any watering down of the current system of use of CRB checks as a tool to help with safeguarding both children and vulnerable adults.

WCVA CRU handles over 16,000 Disclosure certificates a year for both paid staff and volunteers and regularly sees information on the certificates which would cause concern over an individual’s suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults and of which the employer should be aware.

The issue is not about proportionality but about requests for ineligible checks and the misunderstanding of when a CRB check is mandatory and when it is done as best practice according to eligibility guidelines. We welcome the initiative to stop employers requesting ineligible checks.

We will provide further guidance as the measures in the Bill are clarified but if you have any queries please contact us. For more information Home Office

Vetting and Barring Scheme

We are aware of the recent reports in the press concerning the Vetting and Barring Scheme and are awating an official announcement from the Home Office before we make any statement.

Munro Review of Child Protection Interim Report published

This report discusses recommendations and considerations for reform, covering areas such as inspection, performance monitoring, referral and assessment. For more information Department for Education

Protecting Vulnerable Groups - Scotland

It has been announced that the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme is due to be introduced in Scotland on February 28. The system is designed to ensure that people who have a known history of harmful or abusive behaviour are not put in positions of trust with vulnerable people. For more information CRB

CRB announcement

Following the recent announcement of the Terms of Reference for both the VBS & CRB reviews the CRB suspends its e-guide and is directing users to the Top Tips page of its website - CRB

VBS Terms of reference

The Home Secretary has announced the terms of reference for the VBS review and alongside this a review of the criminal records regime.

The VBS review will re-examine whether the scheme is the most appropriate mechanism to protect children and vulnerable people, and if so, how many roles should be covered by it.

The review of the criminal records regime will consider whether the disclosure of minor offencses and police intelligence to prospective employers should form part of the CRB process.

Recommendations from both reviews are expected to be available in the New Year.

For more information CRB and Home Office - publications

Portability of CRB checks

As part of the Government Spending Review announced today, the CRB will be adopting an idea suggested by the public through the Spending Challenge process.

The department will make it possible for employers to share CRB checks, reducing the need for multiple checks. The Government aims to introduce legislation in the Freedom Bill once detailed proposals have been modelled, developed and tested.

Today's announcement does not pre-empt the criminal records and vetting and barring regime review.

For more information CRB

Home Secretary urged not to charge volunteers for CRB checks

As the Home Office confirms the government has been reviewing free checks as part of the review of the vetting and barring scheme, Theresa May is asked not to charge volunteers for CRB checks. Read more Third Sector 

North Wales Volunteer and Community Justice Awards 2010

Nominations are now being sought for individuals or groups going the extra mile in their work. It could be one person, or it could be a whole team of people. The North Wales Volunteer and Community Justice Awards 2010 are there to thank ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary results.

Anyone can nominate, from colleagues and associates to friends, family or members of the public. Those who have been a witness or victim of crime may want to nominate as a way of thanking those who helped them through the criminal justice system. Nominations are also welcome from voluntary organisations working with victims, witnesses, defendants or offenders.

Entry forms are downloadable from www.justicenorthwales.co.uk and must be returned by 17 September.

Vetting and Barring Scheme Registration Halted

You may now be aware that the ISA registration stage of the Vetting and Barring Scheme has been halted to allow the Government to conduct a remodelling of the scheme back to 'proportionate, common sense levels'. As a result the ISA registration phase of the scheme has been stopped and will not launch on 26 July 2010.

The Home Secretary Theresa May said that the safety of children and vulnerable adults is of 'paramount importance to the new government', but that a measured approach is vital. She continued, 'We've listened to the criticisms and will respond with a scheme that has been fundamentally remodelled. Vulnerable groups must be properly protected in a way that is proportionate and sensible. This redrawing of the VBS will ensure this happens'.

Existing arrangements under the Scheme which will continue include:
  • since January 2009, the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been making independent barring decisions. It will continue to maintain two constantly updated lists, one for those barred from working with children, the other for those barred from working with vulnerable adults;
  • existing requirements concerning CRB checks will remain in place, and those entitled to such checks can continue to apply for them; and
  • employers are still legally obliged to refer information to the ISA if they have moved or removed an individual because they have harmed or there is a risk of harm to a member of a vulnerable group.
The scope of the remodelling process - to be co-ordinated by the Home Office in partnership with Department of Health and Department of Education - is currently being finalised.  The  two current consultations: Continuing Need for a Controlled Activity Category in the Vetting and Barring Scheme AND Statutory requirements and advice, for CRB disclosures for safeguarding purposes, on workers already registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority remain live with the closing date of 9th July: DSCF consultations

It is not yet clear how the Government's remodelling of the Vetting and Barring Scheme will impact  upon  the future of ISA registration. Once more information about this is available we will communicate it to you.

The press release is available at Home Office

DCSF Consultations

The DCSF has published two consultations with regards to the Vetting and Barring Scheme. The first seeks views on a review of the existing statutory requirements for CRB disclosures in relation to workers who will, in the future, be already registered with the ISA under the new Vetting and Barring Scheme.

The second seeks views on a review of whether there is a continuing need for controlled activity within the Further Education, health-care and Local Authority sectors.

These consultations are available to download from DSCF consultations and views are sought by 15 June 2010.  If you would like to feedback any comments that WCVA CRU may wish to be aware of as part of its response to this consultation then please contact WCVA CRU on 0800 0197 391 or email cru@wcva.org.uk

VBS Guidance

Full guidance to assist employers and voluntary groups in implementing the Vetting and barring Scheme has been published today by the Home Office. This document contains detailed information about what actions employers and employeed will be required to take under the scheme. It also outlines what they should do in preparation for 26 July, when registration to the scheme begins. This guidance will be followed by a host of 'sector specific' guidance documents which will show how the scheme will be applied in different areas of work and volunteering activities. For more information CRB

Vetting and Barring Scheme Myth Buster

The DSCF has released a myth buster to help organisations navigate the Vetting and Barring Scheme. VBS myth buster/Heriwr myth

Urgent Announcement - ISA VBS

WCA CRU is aware of the reported changes in the ISA Vetting and Barring Scheme and will be amending our advice and guidance to reflect this. In the meantime please find the Drawing the Line Report December 2009 taking into account public concerns with regards to frequency of contact triggering the obligation to register with ISA. Please find the Drawing the Line Report - CRU Response

ISA Referral Guidance

The Independent Safeguarding Authority has released it's Referral Guidance providing advice to those making referrals. Under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 regulated activity providers have a legal duty to refer information to ISA from October 2009. Please follow the ISA

Members Area - available now - please contact us for your login details. New disclosure application form advice pack available here.

e-Bulk
New electronic applications mean faster CRB checks. Read more

what are we
We are a CRB Umbrella Body countersigning disclosure applications. Read more.

how we help
Free access service to the voluntary sector and CSSIW under 8 provisions. Provide advice and guidance. Read more.

private organisation looking for an Umbrella Body?
Contact us for information on how we can help.

Criminal Records Unit, WCVA, Morfa Hall, Bath Street, Rhyl, LL18 3EB
T: 0800 0197 391 F: 01745 357 593 E: cru@wcva.org.uk