To think SS are being ridiculous.

[compulsiveliar2019]

I am a self employed carer. I have been working for myself for around six months and for 10 years employed prior to that. I have recently been in negotiations with a family about doing some respite care for their child.
When I started as self employed I had an enhanced DBS certificate done and signed up to the update system to keep the DBS live. So I don't have to keep doing a new DBS for each client.
Today I was in discussions with SS about the care package I am going to provide for this child. SS spent a lot of time explaining why they were offering me less than the hourly rate I am asking for (and lower than I can possibly afford to go). They then inform me that they want me to do a new DBS certificate (which they will pay for) because that's the policy and despite having a bailiff and up to date one they refuse to acknowledge it. A DBS costs around £70 and they were quibbling me over 50p per hour on my hourly rate.
AIBU to think this is all bonkers?

If you can’t go to the rate they are offering stop wasting your time and walk away. Everything else is moot.

They are being rediculous, they only need to put in your update online and they can see the up to date DBS. I have one too.
I'd walk away and tell them why. Also let the family know why you won't be taking the job.

They are ridiculous in many many ways, I’m afraid this is just the tip of the iceberg. Walk away!

Well if they are paying for it, you should just do it. Maybe they have had issues with fake ones before. Sounds pretty standard to me albeit irritating.

ASD - it's not about the hourly rate it's about the wastage of money when it comes to things like DBS. They don't need to spend £70 on a new DBS but are determined to because it's policy!

Why are you even worrying about a DBS when you can’t take the job?

It is a bit crazy how every organisation you deal with has to have a separate DBS check, when a centrally-accessible, up-to-date one would surely make more sense all around.

But are you saying they believed that, by not having one of THEIR own DBS checks, you could possibly pose a real threat to their charge; but one which they would be completely happy to overlook if you were willing to accept a lower rate?! If so, that is absolutely absurd.

It may be a poor policy, but there's no point getting cross about. They absolutely need to stick to the policy, and if they also think it's ridiculous, they could take that up with the policymakers, but they aren't going to waive it just for you.

Scouting is the same. They can't accept DBS through that system. Not sure why, but I'm certain they would if they could!

I'm not cross about it. I just find it crazy how in these tough financial times organisations are not willing to update their policies and use a bit of common sense. If you multiply up how much money SS must be spending on DBS checks alone.

Ps I am in no way suggesting that DBS checks should not be done at all. They are vital. But to refuse to use valid certificates when available seems bonkers to me!

I see why you're annoyed but if they're willing to pay for a new one then I'd go with that.

Sadly (and I'm sure you already know this), don't expect common sense or logic from local authorities/SS

You are right, they are being ridiculous. They could top up your extra 50p per hour for 140 hours for the cost of the DBS they want to do.
But they cannot deviate from policy as they will be ripped if anything goes wrong.

Missing the point but what is the rate that SS are prepared to pay? Do you need certain qualifications to become a self employed carer?

As a foster carer I once told SS that another foster carer had babysat my foster kids a couple of times hike I was in a course or whatever. I foster through the local authority, she fosters through an agency but the LA placed her child with her. The child has an LA social worker etc. But the LA said that because she was with an agency she’d have to get another DBS to babysit the odd time for me. What?? So the DBS she has through the agency is good enough for one child (who the LA put there) to be there 24/7 but not good enough for another child to be there once or twice for an hour or so after school?! Madness!

Millions are made from DBS system annually. I once had seven simultaneously. All said, rightly, nil.

I have 4 live DBS right now and I only started this job in May. Everytime I apply for a new airport pass they need a new DBS. Luckily my company pay for it!

@compulsiveliar2019 your username is a bit disturbing given your job 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

Ss will continue to move the goalposts over pay etc and will have to keep requesting the funding for you. I really wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole, especially if this is your experience at the very beginning.

The DBS update service is just that, it’s supposed to be a search for the period between the last cert you have and now. Why they can’t use that I’ll never know? They accept it for most agency social workers now!

Ds's direct payment worker is a direct payment worker for 3 other children and is paid through the same system for all of them. She had to have 4 dbs checks -a new one for each child.

It’s insanity. My parents are foster carers, and whenever they need to update their DBS it goes back to the beginning every single time. It’s such a waste of time and resources. They’ve had 20 years of clear ones, why do they need to keep going back to 1999, rather than updating from the last one?

I had a DBS as a student midwife, was told I needed a new one to babysit for my Mum for a few hours while she attended a hospital appointment. I had a valid, clean one! The system is ridiculous.

I have 3 and I don't work professionally with children or vulnerable people at all!

I'd much rather have a portable one. It means people can check that my record is clean whenever they like. Nhs trust used to check it quarterly. Otherwise all it does it day is not been found guilty of anything up to 3 years ago...

They don't have a choice. If they get it wrong, the costs of justifying why they've gone against policy (which may be local, but governed by national guidelines/precedent) will be far more than the cost of the DBS.
Similarily they can't pay you more because they can't set a precedent that everyone else can challenge why you've got a higher rate than they have.