AIBU to think this isn't the end?

[FairCopGuv]

Name changing for obvious reasons..

I received a police caution for drugs a few years ago and haven't been able to get a job since then. My degree is very social-science related and I've been trying to break into the field with very little success as no-one will hire me, and nor can I gain volunteer experience because it comes up on my CRB check.

I always give full disclosure at the interviews, and the employers are always very understanding and positive, whilst viewing the CRB as a formality but then usually refuse me the job based on "company policy". The law states that I shouldn't have such a problem in obtaining a position in my field, given the length of time since the caution and my extremely good character prior and after the arrest. And yet I do. I cannot develop my career path in any way apart from (it seems) in retail. I cannot teach or even train further due to the police checks and being turned away.

I really am at the end of my tether on this one. Am I being unreasonable in tihnking that this shouldn't be so hard, that "offenders" should be given the chance to rehabilitate into working life? How would you feel working with a colleague who had a caution? Would you feel safe? Or am I being very unreasonable?

I need some straight talking before I start hitting the bottle very hard.

Not read all thread so unsure if this has been suggested before - I work for a large department for the local council and we could not get by without the help of volunteers, many of whom have a "chequered history". As long as they are up front about their past, and CRB doesn't uncover anything else...it just means they can't work unsupervised.

If you can't get anywhere with private companies, I suggest the council would welcome you with open arms - we would! :o

My cousin had an addiction to heroin and is now in a very good job with a charity (T.H.O.M.A.S) who helped him when he was at his lowest.

I really don't think it's the end of the road for you. Contact your local volunteers group, I'm sure they would steer you to projects where your experience and passion would be utilised.

YANBU. We all make mistakes in life. To quote Jesus Christ - "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Sorry for the delayed response ladies!

Brief history of the arrest: arrested for posession of small quantity of Class A about 5 years ago.

I have actually been offered jobs in certain positions, only for them to be withdrawn once the CRB has come through, again, citing "company policy" to not employ someone with a drugs caution. This went as far as booking me on the training course for mentoring (something I am extremely interested in), before e-mailing me to tell me this was something they could not offer. I cannot tell you how upsetting it was to get so far in the selection process only to be turned away at the very last minute.

To all the people who doubt this is the case, I am shocked at the predjudice that I have encountered during my attempts to obtain work.

I am loathe to focus on the drugs counselling side as it is something I would rather forget rather than magnify.

But my eternal thanks to all your advice and support, this thread has really taken me aback with its kindness, especially on AIBU. It seems like I'm not going mad, there is a problem with the "rehabilitation" act and I need to keep plodding away..

I am a SW. You have to be clear of an offence of this nature for 5 years. It isn't just the LA's or companies that stipulate this, it is the GSCC and other social care regulatory bodies, depending on your occupation.

If there is another incident of any sort on your record then you will never be offered a job. If you now start to drink and need help from your GP (so it is on record) then you will have to wait a further 5 years.

Pressed to post to soon.

I come into many professions in my work and mix with a large range personally. I know of people in all fields, who are employed with drug and violent convictions, if over 5 years ago and they have shown that they have changed.

I know someone who wasn't allowed to train to be a SW yet (hard addiction background and all the criminal acts it causes), she was given the advice to continue with voluntary work, with a view to reapplying in two years. I heared last week that she has been offered a job by the voluntary organisation that she is in, mentoring teenagers, she is an excellent example that you can turn your life around, regardless of your background.

Bit off topic but may be usefull, my dh exp got arrested for mortgage fraud when they split up, we had lots of written evidence such as her forging his sig and she ADMITTED IT ON TAPE TO THE POLICE.

However she refused a caution and it went to trial, only for the cps to drop the case that morning for insufficiant evidence which is code for we cant afford to pursue this and it really isnt in the public interest like an assualt case would be.

So, crime committed and no caution so only the arrest would go on the enhanced crb.

I think if anyone gets arrested it is worth not accepting the caution straight away and getting advice which is what she did.

BirdsGottaFly it was a figure of speech re: the bottle hitting ;)

But thank you for the info about social care, it was more counselling and psychotherapy that I wanted to focus on but it is good to know.

attheendoftheday not all jobs are closed in that field to the op, actually her experience can help others especially in the addiction field and she said she wants to be a counsellor. There are a lot of ex addicts who do go into counselling so that they can help others like them.

my son has the exact same problem OP

i dont know what the answer is, or if there is even an answer :(

Just a quick thought - is it possible that your CRB record is wrong in some way, recording your caution as a conviction for instance? That would explain why employers change their mind when it actually comes back. You can almost certainly ask to see what records are held on you under the Data Protection Act if you wanted to check.

You shouldn't have disclosed your caution.

Look, from www.askthe.police.uk/content/q562.htm:

'Cautions (including reprimands and warnings) are covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 so will become spent immediately (apart from conditional cautions which will become spent after 3 months). This means that if you are asked on an application form if you have a caution you can reply 'no'. For conditional cautions it would be after 3 months since the caution was issued, up until that time you would have to reply 'yes'.'

Sorry, it says it still will show on your CRB.

As you were...

Good point MrsWifty! It's down as a police caution, not a conviction. I think it's just the shock of seeing it in real life, they must think I'm making it up during the interview (lke I said, very well spoken and very well presented!)

DrinkFeckArseGirls - any job I go for that requires I disclose a caution/conviction and has a CRB check, I am fully open with them.

If there is no CRB, they can get fooked :D the terms "rope" and "own", "making" and "hang self" come to mind! :D

fair I'm sorry your experiencing this. Yes getting a caution isn't good but if people who turn their lives around, learn from their mistakes and want to help others don't get a chance then there's a problem as there is no incentive to move away from crime.

Interesting about the 5 years, maybe look into this as this could be positive for you.

I work in this sort of area (sorry to be vague) and for us, the issue was often less what the person had done and when, and more whether they admitted to it and were open. If they tried to hide anything, it was instant application in the bin/alarm bells. We would look at what they had done, length of time since offence, whether it was a one-off, etc, when reviewing the actual issue in hand.

Also, I was told on application for my role that the organisation were not too bothered by the actual offence (within reason, but it was made clear a few youthful indiscretions would not stand in our way).

Therefore OP, you're doing absolutely the right thing in being open. Any enhanced CRB will come up with this type of info on you, spent or not, plus other checks that can be undertaken.

I'm not up on the issues around volunteering or training, although I'm surprised that these lines appear closed off to you: is it worth doing something more general to add to your CV, like a management qualification or similar, where your background won't matter?

Otherwise, I'm afraid it will be down to individual employers, and the passing of time. You sound like you're doing really well getting the interviews, and I am sure that you will get a post in the end.

Drink- it it is a job under the BACP code of practice, you have to disclose all offences. If you are working with vulnerable people, there is no such thing as a spent conviction. The same applies across social care, now.

OP it aplies to counselling and therapies as well as obviously they want you to be able to work with whoever walks through the door (i am accredited to the BACP as i did my counselling degree, as well as SW), i know of ex addicts etc that are working as counsellors. It is for the protection of the vulnerable (adults and children).

It is less strict in the field of psychology because there are job roles that don't involve contact with service users.

Allthough in theory you can get jobs without certain qualifications, in reality you are usually up against tough competion because of the job market. I would look to do relevent add on courses and voluntary work.