CRB clearance - am confused!

[hippipotami]

Right, this may be glaringly obvious, but I have not yet had any coffee, so please bare with me...

I was CRB cleared in 2005 when I joined the PTA. I have now become class rep and we had our first meeting with the deputy head of the school yesterday. She said that CRB clearance runs out after a period of 3 or 4 years and needs to bere-newed. However, I have searched the CRB website and it does not mention anything about expiry and re-newing.
Also, the school secretary said there is now a charge for re-newing or applying for CRB clearance. Again, the CRB website states (and I quote) " The CRB will issue a Disclosure free of charge if the person for whom a Disclosure is required satisfies the following criteria: - a volunteer is person who is engaged in any activity which involves spending time unpaid doing something which aims to benefit someone other than or in addition to close relatives.

So, is the school trying it on wrt payment? And has anyone had to have their CRB Disclosure re-newed?

[head spinning emoticon]

i had to have mine done again when i started my current job even though i had been checked about 5 - 6 years previously
I have never had to pay and if you are a volunteer nor should you

i have to have mine done every time i change counties for teaching and also when i went on the playgroup committee- think i have 4 crb's now. the teaching ones don't need renewing while there is no break in my employment but the Playgroup one needs renewing every year. As for payment then I think that depends on the organisation

I understand it needs to be re-done if you move organisations. For instance, even though I was cleared through the school, I had to have a new CRB done to help at Scouts.

But the PTA and the school have not changed!

I really hope the office is confused and does not end up charging people, we need volunteers and they may be put off by the thought of a payment!

So Pixie - is it the organisation who decides how current they wish the CRB to be?

I work occasionally as a HV - mine is renewed every 3 years but I've never had to pay - can't think why you should have to either.

So who decides you have to have it renewed?

well really it is out of date as soon as it is done. so it is reasonable to ask for a renewal but not to ask you to pay for it, you are doing them the favour!

it lasts for 3 years

but I think the school can access funds to fund it if they deem it necessary

why would a PTA member need CRB clearance though .. it is not as though you will ever deal with the children unsupervised by staff members even if a classroom helper

yes hippi- for example I've been allowed to start working at a school without the clearance because they knew me- it's ont he headmaster's head if anything goes wrong.

I also think it depends ont he level of check that you get.

Can't see any other reason why the playgroup assoc need it renewed every year and yet school don't

My understanding is that there isn't really an expiry date as such, but in every day since the check was made there's a possibility your sins will have found you out , so schools will want to repeat the check every few years.

If you're a volunteer, you shouldn't be paying. If there is a charge, that's for the school to pay - withdraw your labour if they expect you to do it .

There isn't an expiry date - the CRB check just discloses what if any criminal convictions are recorded against you as of the date of the check. Each organisation will have its own view as to how frequently the checks need to be made.

Everyone on a PTA now needs to be brb checked. Our PTA found this out on the PTA website.

Will do Hallergerda [squares up to create a scene in the school office]

Have just been into the school office to ask about re-newing and they want it renewed every 3 years. So I have till next spring. I was not brave enough to ask about the fee, but will do that tomorrow when I am back in there.

At our school all volunteers, helpers, PTA people get done annually. But it's free - yor school's wrong about that bit

There shouldn't be a fee - the school has got that wrong. My understanding is that you need a CRB check for each "new" activity you are doing - e.g I've had one recently for helping in DS3's school, 1 for helping at DS2's school, and another one as School Governor. It does seem ridiculous but the CRB form is only really a snapshot at that particular time.

They don't actually "run out" but are only ever accurate on the day they are undertaken, so if you commit a crime the next day you CRB would be clear but it shouldn't be IYSWIM, therefore many places ask for a new one when a new post is taken up. I had to have one when moving from hospital based to community based within the same NHS trust

i'm a governor and there's no need for CRB checks at my school .. gov or PTA or parent volunteers .. I've questioned this previously but been told it's fine .. and who am I to argue ..

IME each organisation decides on how regularly their staff member's CRBs are renewed. 3 years tends to be quite a common time -mine, for my most recent job for a housing organistaion, was due to be renewed after 3 years.

standard practice in social services is to request a new check every 3 years, even if remaining in same post.
I've had one done as a bf peer supporter and not had to pay

I htink List 99 is a specialised "offences involving children" check, whereas teh CRB takes in every offence.

I've just had to re-new mine as the supply agency I work for requires new ones every 3 years. They have also recently been taken over by merged with another agency and now I have to pay (£36) but I am doing paid work so it isn't the same as doing voluntary work.