To be fed up with Disclosure Scotland

[Stefka]

I am a teacher and when I was a student I was disclosed for my placements which were in the council where I live. I then I had my probation year in one of the same schools and was disclosed again for that even though it was the same information. Then I went on their supply list and was disclosed again with exactly the same info.

Then I was put on suppy in another area and was disclosed again - this one took eight weeks to come through and I lost a lot of days of work because of it. The reason was I had lived 'abroad' - that would be London. I was then lucky enough to get a permanant job in the council where I live which started two weeks ago. Except I am sitting at home as I have been waiting for six weeks for my disclosure to come through and it is exactly the same info as the last four.

I am so fed up. I can't afford to be at home. I don't mind being disclosed but don't think they need to check the same addresses five times. I can not travel back in time to commit crimes. I may however have to start commiting some now so I can pay my bloody bills.

YANBU to be frustrated with it - discloser procedure rubbish and out of date the instant its printed.

However, you could have committed some awful crime since your last disclosure so they do need to check.

If they just believed you when you said you hadnt committed any crimes they wouldnt be doing their jobs right!

I don't mind them checking new info - new addresses etc. But the thing that is holding them up is checking the address that I lived at in London four years ago. They are re checking that same address each time even though they have cleared it four times already.

YANBU at the length of time taken to get it processed.
However each new employer must carry out their own Disclosure, even if you swap jobs weekly! It is also your employer's responsibilty to pay for it each time.

Just get a list of all previous addresses your PC for easy reference.

In a previous job, i had to fill out the employers section and that took AGES for hundreds of students! And then there was the awful bit when Disclosures came back with things on them the student hadn't admitted to! That was not an easy talk!

Oh, and hi Stefka! Just noticed it was you! Justneedsomesleep has changed names! Not seen you at storytime - back working now? How did the night weaning go? Or hasn't it?

It hasn't! I am meant to be back at work but just sitting at home waiting - it's very stressful money wise. Going to wait until the summer to night wean as I think it's too disruptive to do it at the same time as going back to work.

I have my addresses listed - that doesn't bother me. It's the waiting to start work and not earning that is stressing me out. Over an address that has already been checked four times. You would think they would be able to check from your last disclosure until the current date but they start from scratch every time.

Would not want your job of doing the student ones!

I completely sympathise Stefka - I had to miss DD2's school trip because my disclosure as a parent helper took 12 weeks to come through - despite the fact that at the time I ran an out-of-school club, for the same children, within the school, and had disclosure for that.

It's not a sensible system - I'd rather see annual disclosure with universal usage - get everyone checked once, more regularly.

I don't understand why they don't keep a database so that they can just check you from the last disclosure you had rather than pay someone to check the same info over and over. It's really not a good use of money or time.

It is changing in 2010 if that helps! You will apply to become a scheme member and you can just give new employers your scheme number and they can check you out online.

The whole system at the moment is a shambles and they are probably taking so long cos they have recently changed the rules about working with vulnerable adults which is causing a real stooshie in the voluntary sector (which I work in). I've always found the ones with more than 2 addresses seem to take an age to come back - I applied for one of our volunteers to be Disclosed and it came through today - which was his last day

i agree its slow but i've just had a new one done for a new job and it only took 4 days (enhanced disclosure)

Glad it is changing - that's good news! fledtoscotland - four days is certainly better then six weeks (and counting!).

Did you give them the number of your previous certificates? I do that, and it just takes a week or so now.

It sounds like maybe the council hasn't sent it in promptly. They're maybe waiting till they've got a batch.

Yes I did and they do have my form as I have called to check and so have the school who are keen to get me in asap. They just keep telling me it's because I lived 'abroad'. I don't think of London as abroad mind you! I called again yesterday and they said they would try and send it soon, I really hope they do.

is this similar to crb?
It is annoying...it should be transferable but should have a time limit....also...once you are in crb sysstem, why can't computers than just flag up any changes...automatically....they don't mind the BB thing normally....or is it that they would loose money if they did it that way...

Yes its the same as CRB - good news is that it is changing in England & Wales in October this year and will do what you are suggesting FLoMC. Scotland's new system will coming in hopefully summer 2010