Advice about Enhanced DBS, Univeristy and Social Work

Rambles2814 wrote: »

Hello,

I'm seeking advise. I got some conditional offers for a BA Social Work course but I've been very very stupid with my disicisons lately and I've managed to get a caution for fraud. I mistakenly used a friend's card believing it was my own (we have the same bank and I didn't check name just used contactless). Police have given me a caution. Would I still get in to do my BA Social Work course or would they refuse me?

Thanks

The caution will come up on an Enhanced DBS check.

Whether or not the university will still want to offer you a place is up to them.

It might be a good idea to come up with a better explanation than you have posted here as there is clearly more to this caution that a one-off accidental use of a friend's debit card.

An honest and sincere explanation will be so much better than trying to be flippant and claiming it was just a simple mistake.

I suspect that you think I am being harsh but there is definitely more to this than what you have posted here.

When I was applying all applicants were advised that they would be required to complete a dbs by x date to get them back for the start of term / way before any placements.

They advised anyone with a criminal record to apply earlier as they would convene a panel of interviewers for job roles from organisations where they may consider you doing placements. These people would them look at the criminal convictions and honestly state if they would potentially employ you as a social worker. My uni had the opinion there was little point of you getting the degree if you wouldn’t then be employed as a social worker. Many people apply as mature students who may have once in their teens done something a bit silly and then never again so it wouldn’t stop them getting a job. However if a person has regularly been involved in criminal activity it would be viewed differently.

I don’t know what would be thought of a caution for fraud. My biggest worry would be how very recent it was. When I get police checks back for people old cautions are usually disregarded if they are a one off (and not for violent offences or for issues of a sexual nature or anything against a child etc). But anything recent always rings an alarm bell for me. I need to be clear and say I am not on interview panels - but hopefully the places you have interviewed for will have a similar approach to put your mid at ease.

It does sound as if there is more to that story - and that would be a concern as one of the expectations of a sw is not to behave in a manner to bring the name into disrepute. How did you have their card? Why did you have it? How did this then get you a caution?

I’m not expecting you answer those questions on a public forum. But if I’d spent £5 on my sisters card I’d have given it back and apologised. ( but I’ve never been in the position where I could have done that) if they’d given you permission I don’t imagine you could have been done for fraud. Although I am now re thinking ever buying my partner his lunch with his own card now... it sounds more sisnister then you have described it as being. For a dbs an employer/ uni will only see the caution - so the title and the Act it comes under. These sometimes sound very scary and will often need googling to actually be understood.