Criminal Record
What is the Disclosure Service?
The Disclosure service provides organisations with access to the following:
- information held on the Police National Computer (PNC) such as convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings in England, Wales and those recorded from Scotland. There is also some Northern Ireland conviction data held on PNC;
- information held by local police forces relating to relevant non-conviction details;
- information from the Government's Protection of Children Act List (POCA);
- information from the Government's Protection of Vulnerable Adults List (POVA);
- information held by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002.
Why might I be asked to apply for a Disclosure?
You may be asked to apply for a Disclosure if you work or intend to work:
- with children or vulnerable adults;
- in healthcare;
- have applied to be a foster carer, adoptive parent or childminder.
- A Disclosure is also required for a range of other jobs and licences such as a taxi driver.
Can I refuse to apply for a Disclosure?
Yes. Organisations can only apply for a Disclosure with your consent. However, there are some jobs for which a Disclosure is required by law. If you refuse to apply for a Disclosure in this instance, the organisation would be within their rights not to take your job or licence application any further.
Will I be refused a job if I have a criminal record?
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) requires all organisations that use its Disclosure service to treat all Disclosure applicants fairly and not discriminate against those who may have a criminal record. However some crimes such as those of a sexual or violent nature may make a person unsuitable to work with the vulnerable.
Who will see the information revealed through the Disclosure service?
A copy of the Disclosure is issued to the employer and the person to whom the Disclosure relates.
How do I know that the information will remain confidential?
Organisations using the Disclosure service must comply with the CRB Code of Practice, which is there to make sure the whole process works fairly and that any information revealed is treated fairly and securely.
Will a Disclosure reveal my entire criminal record?
Yes. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) does not apply to certain jobs such as involving access to children or vulnerable adults. The full list of exceptions is contained within the Exceptions Order to this Act.
For how long is a Disclosure valid?
Each Disclosure will show the date on which it was printed. Disclosures do not carry a pre-determined period of validity because a conviction or other matter could be recorded against the subject of the Disclosure at any time after it is issued.
Where can I obtain further information?
If you would like more information about the CRB or the Disclosure service why not visit our website at www.crb.gov.uk or call us on 0870-9090811. Telephone calls are charged at national rate. Calls will be recorded for security and may be monitored for training purposes.