crb check policy

mt111_2

hi all
just wanted to ask what the policy of under 18's working in after school clubs, or any environment with children is, do they need a crb check??

Reluctant_spender

Have a look here - straight from the horses mouth

www.crb.gov.uk/

Or call their helpline - 0870 90 90 811

Savvy_Sue

If they are being treated as a 'full' member of staff then yes, they must have one.

But it would be unusual to employ someone under 18 in an after school club as a 'full' member of staff, IMO.

There is a possible grey area if the person is there to get experience or as a volunteer: normally a check would be carried out, but I am not sure if you can get someone checked if they are under 16 and I don't have the will to trawl the CRB site to be sure of that.

Clearly someone who has not been checked would never be left alone with children, and never asked to help or supervise with any toilet trips. To be on the safe side, you'd get the check done.

mt111_2

her daughter works with her who is 17 i know she hasn't been checked because she tells everyone that she doesn't need to be as long as there are 2 adults around at all times her daughter works there at 3.30 nearly every day

Savvy_Sue

She may not 'need' to be checked, but 'best practice' says she should be. And I'd say that you need to have at least 3 CRB checked adults there at all times. Then, if eg a child needs first aid, Playworker 1 can go and give it. That leaves 2 adults with the other children. If one of those needs help or supervision with the toilet, or runs off somewhere they shouldn't, PW2 can go and deal with that, leaving PW3 with the children. If you've got an extra pair of hands there, you leave them with the children and PW3.

Unless numbers are low (ie below 16), I'd call that unsafe staffing levels. Because AFAIK, you need 1 fully checked and trained / in training PW for every 8 children.

And from memory, I think it's required to have a CRB check from the age of 16. You wouldn't be employing them in childcare under that age anyway, so probably not possible to have one done earlier.