CRBs for parent volunteers - what does your school do?

[northernmumoffour]

I have name changed for this as am identifiable from other threads and don't want to go down as a troublemaker!

Just curious as our school now needs all parent helpers to be crb checked. This was always the case for regular help in the classroom, but has now been extended to one-off accompanying school trips and even just walking with a group of children with the teacher and other parents, eg if they go off site for any reason. In this latter situation there is no chance of being one-on-one with any child, and it is happening weekly at the moment.

I personally feel this it a step too far especially as the school asks for parents to pay the cost of the crb (apparently the LA charges them to process the application). It means that not many people can/will volunteer for things and the same people have to step up all the time.

What does your school require, and do they ask parents to pay?

AFAIK one-off help with a trip/walk etc does not need a CRB check in my DC's school.

It used to be that list 99's were done on irregular helpers (less than 12 times per year) and full CRB's done on regular helpers. Now all volunteers are fully CRB checked. Our LEA don't charge schools or their volunteers for the CRB check so maybe why our school goes for the full CRB now.

our school pays for the CRB checks too.

Obviously should be LA not LEA

I was at a meeting the other day (as a governor of a local school) where it was stated that CRB checking volunteers was free (and I just had a look on teh CRB website, which seems to say that too), so I would query the business about asking parents to pay for it. At my dd's school you do need to be CRB checked to help in the classroom, and also go on a day trip, but I think they wouldn't for something like just walking with a big group along to the church.

Thanks for replies so far.

Dandlmum - I did query the cost having also recently discovered that volunteer CRBs are free, and was told that the LA administers the application on behalf of the school and makes a charge.

As far as I am aware in my DS school, parents who help regularly in the class have to be CRB checked but for school day trips they do not. In respect of the day trips especially when I helped with Year R, a list was made of parents who had been CRB checked and they were the only ones who were able to help with toilet duty.

I certainly was not asked to pay anything in respect of my CRB check

Free. And don't need CRB to accompany kids on school trips (but not allowed to take them to the toilet).

I'm surprised they're asking you to pay for it yourself- my school doesn't.

Like others said, we normally get List 99 checks done unless the adult is going to be a regular.

My school tries to avoid using parents anyway- far easier to use members of staff. Lots of parents mean well, but can make a lot harder for the teacher.

I had a parent handing around his smart phone for the kids to play with on our last school trip. Seems innocent enough, but from a esafety point of view, there's no way I could be sure his phone was 'clean'.

Perhaps the school are charging the parents to try and deter them, but without making the declaration that they don't want parental help?

I think juniper has it, perhaps they dont need the volunteers or are trying to put off certain volunteers (those that do it to be with their children rather than a desire to actually help the school).

The LA charge a small admin fee for volunteers and governors at our school and the school pays. Helpers on trips are usually same people and all CRB checked as they do other volunteering in school.

Volunteers need one for any task that will bring them into contact with the pupils. The school pays. Nobody would volunteer if they had to pay for the privilege.

It's not that they don't want volunteers - they are always asking for them. This week alone we have been asked for 4 volunteers to walk with the children on two separate occasions. They also encourage parents to help with reading, times tables etc (and I can understand the need to be checked for that).

I think it is more to do with the school not wanting to be out of pocket. This is an affluent area and most people I'm sure pay without a thought. It just seems wrong on principle to me.

Same as ShatnersBassoon at DC's school

Years ago I know our school was being charged £50 per volunteer it checked. I was told this is because whereas checks for people which are requested by voluntary organisations (so Scouts, Guides, Junior Church etc) are free, checks that are done by statutory bodies - ie maintained schools - are chargable. However, I've never heard of parents being charged for this.
It does also seem ridiculous for 'ad hoc' help to accompany a walk or some such needs covering in the same way.

I was a parent helper from when my daughter started reception and never had a crb check until almost the end of year 6 when i was listening to readers!! School paid for it and they said it was all a load of pc rubbish but i had to have it and also put a visitors badge on. I have kept crb but not sure how long it lasts for.

We do for regular helpers and you are not allowed to be alone with children without one. School organises it and we are not asked to pay for it.

school pays and only required for regular helpers who may have unsupervised access to children

Every helper is required to have a CRB whether you go in regularly or not. I didn't pay so presume if there is a charge, the school pay. If you haven't been in in 3 months, then you need another one before you can help again!

My understanding is that you only need CRB checking if you are going to be left alone with a child. You do not need a CRB check to help on a school trip or in the classroom if staff are present. There is a cost to CRBs and the school pays for it. If your involvement in an activity is continuous, the CRBs do not need re-doing.

The primary school ds2 goes to now requires all parent helpers to have a CRB check done if they have any contact with pupils (including helping on school trips etc). There is an admin fee charged by the umberella body that processes the CFB applications for the school, so the school will only undertake CRB checks for regular helpers.

This means ad-hoc helpers like myself who work full-time can no longer help on school trips - and the school keep repeating their requests for helpers!