To think I've got any chance of getting this job with a criminal record?

[Ravenalasia]

Hi, I applied for a Teaching Assistant job recently and the school phoned today to offer me an interview on Wednesday.

They then emailed me the self disclosure form which I've returned with the convictions on that the accompanying flow chart said I had to disclose... am I going to be laughed out of the interview?

Convictions: harassment charge which resulted in me getting a restraining order and having to pay costs to the victim (my ex) plus a caution (basically phoned him too much, was cautioned then kept ringing out of desperation and he went to the court to do an ex parte affidavit thing and I ended up with the harassment charge. Pleaded guilty obviously. This was 9 years ago. Also a caution for battery as we got into a fight the previous day (it was an abusive relationship)

I also had another incident of criminal damage with another abusive ex; he locked me out of his house at 3am whilst pregnant and I basically kicked at the cat flap to get his attention as he still had my purse in the house, damaging the door in the process.

So. I deeply regret all incidents obviously and have since been diagnosed and medicated for generalised anxiety disorder but are these incidents 'too' bad for me to be able to explain away?

How do I even explain them, as I'm worried if I say it the way I have done above, it sounds like I'm victim blaming?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

AFAIK convictions are never considered spent when working (or potentially working with) children or otherwise vulnerable adults?

More things are filtered now since 2020- I have a caution for common assault which so now filtered I didn’t even mention it at my interview and it didn’t come up on the enhanced dbs

Name changed because in my line of work I'm heavily involved with training and recruiting TAs (this with previous posts could have potentially identified me).

This is in my LA area, so may differ. If it were me recruiting, I would advise you to be upfront about convictions (they will come up on background checks anyway) and explain why they happened, and how you've changed since then. However, we do have blanket bans on certain types of conviction, but that may differ area to area.

TA vacancies are few and far between with lots of candidates going for every post - many of them with a specific TA qualification. Due to that, unfortunately one of them with a clean record would more likely get the job where I am. For example, in the past month, we've seen 40 people achieve the qualification in a highly saturated job market, and none of them have convictions.

That said, it varies everywhere, some areas may be crying out for TAs. It is worth going for, and I would never discourage anyone with a criminal record from going for it, I'd just be realistic with them in that it may affect their chances.

In all honesty I think you will receive a phone call from the school after the interview to say that unfortunately at this time, you were not successful. Whilst you could be the best interview, I highly doubt they will even want the hassle of approaching the local schools HR team about this.

As a previous poster said, if it got out to the local media somehow (perhaps someone who knows about your conviction, or an ex?) then even without an incident occurring it would still put huge strain on the school.

A SEN school have even more reason to be wary of any violent convictions, as their students are more vulnerable than most.

There is nothing to stop you having a professional career elsewhere though.

Sorry OP but I don’t think you’re getting any job working for children or vulnerable people with that record.

In a school that’s a massive no.

My husband is a school site manager and they couldn’t hire a caretaker because he had a minor conviction for carrying weed. Caretakers barely interact with the kids and it was a massive no.

I would hope it prevents you getting the job - that is a serious record to be working with children or vulnerable people. As a parent I would be withdrawing my children if I found out their TAs had that record (and these kind of things always end up getting found out). I would surprised if the school took the risk, for if nothing else the risk to their reputation

I would do what a PP suggests and accompany the form with a letter. I think it’s better to be honest and hope they see you’ve changed and you’re not hiding anything from them

There are probably a few with cautions you’d never know about since the filtering rules were amended in 2020 - people deserve a second chance . I was overjoyed when it changed and applied for jobs immediately knowing that I wouldn’t have to disclose

I would consider any violent convictions to be a no. I'm a safeguarding officer.

FWIW you do all realise there are people with spent convictions who can and do work in schools? "Worst" I've come across is GBH, was disclosed to me as a question - "I have a conviction for GBH but it's spent and I've not been in trouble since, will it stop me getting the job?" Answer was no, and it did not.

DBS checks aren't a failsafe method anyway, I work in education myself. I had my initial check, and every year simply have to confirm I've had no convictions since. This isn't checked in any way, I just tick a box on a form which is filed away by HR. I believe this is common practice after the initial check at recruitment stage.

Enhanced DBS's show everything, my dbs record (completely clean I should add) goes back to my 18th birthday over 30 years ago - I had to list every address I had lived at for my first dbs, then subsequently addresses since the last one

My caution for common assault was filtered off mine - because it is a summary offence not a specified offence and was more than 6 years old after 2020 it was filtered off

You have a history of being violent. Absolutely no chance should a school be employing you. That’s a firm no.

@ActDottie

Well Ian Huntley was a caretaker. They would have to be desperate with 0 other candidates to offer the OP the job and even then they would probably readvertise.

That won’t be off an enhanced dbs.

Yes it was an enhanced dbs as I work in a school

Thanks for the responses, everyone.

The rules changed in 2020. Mine did not show up on enhanced

Mine was when I was over 18, for common assault (which is a non specified offence) and it more than 6 years old therefore doesn’t show up

I assume if they're old enough and you've had a good record then it should be fine.

I know someone who spent 7 months in prison for GBH who works as a sports coach with kids. The conviction was over 20 years ago.

You'd have more problems if you didn't admit the offences and then they found out later down the line. That would be instant dismissal.

Any criminal record should stop you working with children. The circumstances are irrelevant, and your offences are violent.

You need to be looking for a job that does not require a DBS
No way would I recommend employment with this level of obsession

I'm really sorry but I wouldn't feel comfortable with you looking after my kids
One conviction possibly but 2? Not a chance. I appreciate you have gone through a lot but I bet I'm in the majority here with my feelings

Any criminal record should stop you working with children

Don't talk daft. Technically I have one for not buying a train ticket over twenty years ago...although I think it's come off my record now! Still it hardly made me a danger to kids!