CRB check - can I be 'economical with the truth'?

[OpeningACanOfWorms]

I am a parent helper at school and in the process of filling forms in for my CRB check. The form asks for 'name at birth'. I was adopted and am not 100% sure what my birth name was. Obviously I don't want to put 'unknown' or 'adopted' on the form.

Presumably there are people who don't know they were adopted and would put their adoptive surname on the form as their 'name at birth'?

Am I still making sense?

Do you think if I put my adoptive name it will cause a problem? I have done that for a passport application and I'm pretty sure I did when I was married.

I certainly don't want to be the talk of the staffroom!

[scorpio1]

adoptive surname sounds fine if you didnt know your other name. whatever is on your birth certificte i think?

[PrettyCandles]

Why don't you want to put 'adopted' on the form?

[MynamesDaveIswimlikeafish]

Adoptive is fine. An adopted birth certificate 'supercedes' (not the right word but YKWIM) your original birth certificate.

[bran]

Unless you think that you committed some crime in the time before you were adopted I think you're probably ok. Certainly morally ok if not strictly by the letter of the law correct.

I doubt the police check will throw up any inconsistency, and you can always claim that you misunderstood the form if it does.

[CovenOVeneer]

I would imagine if you put your adoptive name down and mention you where adopted they would be able to trace your birth name anyway if it is registered.

[OpeningACanOfWorms]

Nobody except my really close family know I am adopted. Not my friends, not my children... Basically I have 'lived a lie'.

The thought of the head (who is a smug , patronising gossiping prat - but that's a whole other thread!) knowing about this before my kids or close friends makes me

[Blandmum]

I would write adopted name on it, and write that one down. I don't think it will be an issue at all. they might phone you for clarification, they did this to me. I have kept my maiden name, but I am married. they just phoned for clarrification. it was no big deal

[OpeningACanOfWorms]

Thank you mynameisdave... I think I hoped that was the case but it is good to have it confirmed.

[PrettyCandles]

Fair enough, your choice is to be respected. If you were adopted as a baby or young child, then I would think it's reasonable to put the name you were known by at that time. After all, you have never known your previous name.

[BetsyBoop]

just checked the GRO site & it says

"An adoption certificate is a replacement birth certificate but in an adopted person's new name. It is expected to be used by an adopted person for all legal and administrative purposes in place of the original birth certificate." - so this is saying legally it is your birth cert, therefore quite reasonable to use this as your "birth" name for CRB IMO

and as Bran said as you're unlikely to have committed a crime in your original birth name (!!), can't see why it should cause any issues if it did come to light. (which would be unlikely)

[Pixiefish]

No one at the school will see your CRB form so you won't be the talk of the staff room