Thought you might all be interested in my thread

[forthesakeofauldSaltire]

Here's the OP I posted in childminding

A neighbour of mine is registering with OFSTED. They have sent her a form to fill in so that SSAFFA (forces welfare) can do checks on her and her DH
because she lives on an RAF base in the UK

and because she has lived in a married quarter in scotland

Now, correct me if I am wrong here, but surely that's why CRB/Disclosures are done?

When she queried it, OFSTED just kept saying "well you have to fill on in it's a requirement if you don't we won't register you"
When her DH pushed further (because it asks for his service number, length of service etc) he was told
"Well firstly you lived in Scotland and the military in Scotland is very very different to the Military in England, and it's very difficult to regulate and check on people who live in married quarters. If you lived in wales you'd have to do them too because the military in wales is different again Also you currently live on a camp and again you can't have proper checks done because of the military"

I didn't have to fill one in. Wondered if it was a new thing?
I am going to post this over on forces sweethearts too, it's give them a laugh

I have started a thread about it in childminders section

Sounds suspect to me....I mean as far as I am aware our military is the same whether Scotland, Wales or England LOL. I can understand them asking for details of any adults living in the house that the childminding is taking place in but not in that amount of detail. Did they speak to the same person each time? I would be very careful about giving that information to someone who doesn't seem to understand our armed forces. Is there not a head quarters thing for Ofsted?

blucollie - it is the same military, and for the life of me I cannot see what information SSAFFA can give OFSTED that a CRB check won't.

I know I was finding it funny that they thought it wasn't. I'm in it and so is my husband. I would really push and anyway SSAFFA isn't there for that kind of thing.

push for why they want that info...sorry bad typing!

My friend is going to ring SSAFFA person here tomorrow and also ring RAF families lot and see what they say.

I can't see what SSAFA has to do with it all all. SSAFA has SW bit that deals with potential adopters and fisted carers, but I can't see any possible role on CM registration.

Or do all CM's have to have SS clearance now?

I could also see the point if UK OFSTED registration is needed for CM in eg Germany and they want someone to eyeball the premises and talk to referees. But only overseas.

Cannot think of a single thing SSAFA can do once a family has moved on to a new posting.

"fisted" - this iPhone must have spent too long in the NAAFI! I meant "foster".

Good grief "fisted" that would certainly make OFSTED's eyes water!

It's not the military that is different but the inspecting bodies - OFSTED doesn't cover Scotland although a similar body does. It has probably been deemed easier to do it through SSAFA as this is the same throughout the UK. SSAFA are the people to ask for the answers though!

Got my usual name on again.
penguin - I don't think it's anything to do with inspectors and different countries within the UK. I was a CM for 5 years in Scotland and still had to everything from scratch in England, and if it's the case of not being able to do "proper" checks, then why give a form for CRB. And the form that verifies someones identity, well a sutiable person to verfiy identity is " a Member of HM Armed forces" Wonder what would happen if my neighbour puts down my DH, who worked with neighbours DH in - guess where - Scotland, that third world country which is unruled and unregualted with it's own different military

We have just been asked to do one ( I am having a CRB done as I only have the old fashioned Police Check which were pre CRB's) they have sent me and DH our CRB's but have insisted we have a SSAFFA check done as well!

I dont even live on a camp now !

Shoshe - why though, this is what I want to know. Why are they IMO, discriminating against service families. If some random person moves from Scotland down to England who lived in private renting (which is basically what MQs are) then I bet they wouldn't have to have the civilian similar version of checks done

Ok friend spoke to OFSTED today and was told that " well, you lived in Scotland on a military base and we(OFSTED) have no jurisdiction in Scotland and therefore everyone who leaves Scotland to come and work as a childminder has to fill in one fo these forms"

Friend - everyone? Even some random woman who lives in Glasgow and decided to move to Devon to be a childminder, she has to fill in a SSAFFA form?"
OFSTED _ no, because she's civilian she just fills in the usual applications forms, and you lived in a married quarter and it's a governemnt requirement that everyone who has lived in a foreign country such as scotland fills one in because SSAFFA wouldn't have any records would they of a civilian but they keep lots of records on everyone in the military and their family"

Guess my friend needs to get on to SSAFFA and ask for what reason they keep records of us all in fact perhaps we all should.. The word discrimination springs to mind

SSAFA has info on military personnel that might otherwise be held by Social Services for civilian counterparts as SSAFA are often asked to deal with military personnel and their families where otherwise SS would bve involved. SSAFA would have no involvement with civiilians so no requirement for the form but might hold relevant info on mil personnel.

it's nothing to do with the military - that's a red herring. if you need police checks done for any reason, there is a box to tick if you have ever lived in scotland. it just goes through a slightly different admin route as the system is slightly different. if you are emigrating, and need a UK police check, you have to specify if you have ever lived in Scotland.

they will just be using SSAFA to save time - if there had been a problem (either in scotland or o'seas lol) it's likely that SSAFA would know about it.

am definitely laughing at the 'different military' though lol. i'm sure we didn't have to live the english army and raf and re-enlist in the scottish one when we got posted to glasgae.

Wouldn't make any difference in our case, apart from active service tours, we have always been in England! (in fact for the last ten years, on the same camp, then the last 9 months in the town next to the camp!

see the world, eh?

Did with my Dad tho,left Scotland at 6 weeks for Jordon, came home at 13 via, Jordon, Aden, Singapore (3 times) and Hongkong.

not like it used to be

dh is leaving this year. so he says.

lor, i messed that up. waits with baited breath.

DH left 14 months ago, after 22 years (24 with boys service)

9 months ago joined MPGS.

They never leave.

he's on 22 and counting... been threatening to leave for ever some time, but claims this is 'it'. que sera sera and all that.

madwoman - DH has done nearly 25 years nad keeps saying this year he's leaving. I am not holding my breath though

whispers