invitation to assessment day/CRB advice

rabb

Hi I've been working as a supply teacher for a while now and hate it, especially the infrequency of work. I've given up on teaching, just want to start my life again as going into this career has left me depressed beyond belief.

I've been fortunate enough to have got an invite to an assessment day for a charity that helps people with multiple disabilities (sight, hearing, mobility etc).

I'm really pleased about this but I have one slight thing that I am not sure how to gauge. If offered the job I will inevitably undergo a CRB, now whilst I do not have any criminal convictions something is now recorded on my CRB.

I went to a Prem Lge football match last Sept, I had 4 cans of unopened lager in my bag. I actually TOLD the steward I had them on me and asked if I could come in. The guy asked a senior steward who was unbelieveable to deal with. He quickly radioed police who put me in HANDCUFFS! To cut a long story short, in haste I accepted a caution. As a result my CRB says "CAUTION - POSSESSING INTOXICATING LIQUOR WHEN ENTERING A SPORTS GROUND." Yes it's minor, especially as people were boozing in the ground whilst I was handcuffed, but how do I brooch this? Part of the assessment day involves an interview, I know that. I'm so demoralised by all this, just seems anything and everything happens to thwart me for last 5 years or so.

EDIT: I should actually state that I was inside the stadium, the stadium operates a card system so nobody is on the turnstile.

murrawo

orright?!

don't concern yourself about the CRB warning - the other parts of the paper are blank because YOU HAVE NO CONVICTIONS!!

Any employer who looks at that would just smile at the nonsense of UK police and the idiot security guards.
Enjoy!
George.

marybelle01

murrawo wrote: »

orright?!

don't concern yourself about the CRB warning - the other parts of the paper are blank because YOU HAVE NO CONVICTIONS!!

Any employer who looks at that would just smile at the nonsense of UK police and the idiot security guards.
Enjoy!
George.

This is from someone who knows so little about CRB's that they just started a thread about whether it includes details of previous employers?

A caution does show up on any CRB, and the only thing to do is to tell the truth and hope the employer sees it the same way as you do. But "any employer" doesn't have to, and so it is pointless saying that they all would. It wouldn't make any difference to me, but that isn't to say all employers think the way I do.

TeaCake

Do you have a copy of your CRB with the warning on? And did it ask anywhere on the application for the charity job about previous warnings or criminal convictions or ask for details to be supplied in a sealed envelope?
If they didn't ask for any previous warnings or criminal convictions then I would tell them at the end of the day, explaining the circumstances and show them your CRB if you have one and let them take it from there.
In future have a discloser letter (detailing what is on the CRB and a shot explanation on how it happen) that you can place in with any job applications in a sealed envelope that requires a CRB done and the employer can take it from there if they want to interview you knowing that you have a police warning that will appear on the crb.

marybelle01

TeaCake wrote: »

In future have a discloser letter (detailing what is on the CRB and a shot explanation on how it happen) that you can place in with any job applications in a sealed envelope that requires a CRB done and the employer can take it from there if they want to interview you knowing that you have a police warning that will appear on the crb.

As someone who interviews people in these situations, I would disagree. The disclosure envelopes aren't opened by us and they aren't opened at all unless we have made a conditional offer. What is in that envelope is retained by HR and they wouldn't tell us what was in it - just process the CRB and I'd find out when the CRB comes back! My advice would be to make a verbal disclosure either if asked at interview, or when the offer is made, explaining the circumstances to the interviewer. In the end, it is generally our decision whether we consider it a problem or not, and I for one prefer not to get nasty surprises several weeks later when HR come back to me saying my shiny new employee isn't so shiny! Knowing in advance means that I can consider what the person has to say about it, and consider whether I would take it as a problem. Saving me the money for the CRB check if it is, and them several weeks of worrying if it isn't. More often than not the worry is only that - worry. So best to get it over with.

TeaCake

Every school or education job ive applied for has asked for a discloser in a sealed envelope, normally along side a yes/no to tick or cross out with anything to declare in the first application form.
I would say that your HR are not doing their job if they aren't disclosing all the information to the interviewers that the applicant has sent with their application.

marybelle01

No - they are actually doing their job exactly to the letter of the law and the guidance available. The fact that someone has a conviction to disclose should not be a determining factor in assessing whether they are the best candidate for the job, all things being equal. Some managers, and I have met them, would automatically find a reason for not selecting someone based purely on the fact that they have a conviction, regardless of relevance or how long ago it was. This is discrimination in exactly the same way as discrimination on any other grounds. Hence such information should not be disclosed to interviewers, no more than a medical form should be. If the schools / education jobs are doing it the way you describe, and this information is available to interviewers, it is they who are doing it wrong!

By the way - our HR also manage schools recruitment for schools under council management! And this is also the way our schools do it because they are told to do it this way!

DVardysShadow

marybelle01 wrote: »

This is from someone who knows so little about CRB's that they just started a thread about whether it includes details of previous employers?

A caution does show up on any CRB, and the only thing to do is to tell the truth and hope the employer sees it the same way as you do. But "any employer" doesn't have to, and so it is pointless saying that they all would. It wouldn't make any difference to me, but that isn't to say all employers think the way I do.

So does a caution really show up on a basic CRB?

[Cautions are now spent instantly under Rehabilitiation of Offenders]

Pots and Kettles ....

marybelle01

DVardysShadow wrote: »

So does a caution really show up on a basic CRB?

[Cautions are now spent instantly under Rehabilitiation of Offenders]

Pots and Kettles ....

Yes, actually, it is recorded on a standard CRB - basic CRBs having never actually having been introduced! They were intended, but never happened! The difference between a standard and an enhanced is that the latter can include "intelligence", such as allegations that were not proceeded with or police suspicions, where they may be relevant.

So before your "pots and kettles", you should perhaps check your facts!

skibadee

Yes 100% Cautions DO show up on any CRB's....I have a friend who had one and it showed up on her CRB 3 years later....she was employed by a new employer who when finding out about the caution immediately dismissed her....she then found another job (in same type of employment) but employer decided to employ her even with the caution.
Another person I know recently had a CRB which showed a caution from approx 9 years ago....when they explained the circumstances regarding it there prospective employer decided to continue to employ them.
I believe it is upto the employer at the end of the day, the CRB serves to show convictions/cautions etc., ....it is the employers decision if when seeing/knowing about these they decide wether or not to continue with the employment...I should imagaine there are alot of factors to consider.

marybelle01

skibadee wrote: »

Yes 100% Cautions DO show up on any CRB's....I have a friend who had one and it showed up on her CRB 3 years later....she was employed by a new employer who when finding out about the caution immediately dismissed her....she then found another job (in same type of employment) but employer decided to employ her even with the caution.
Another person I know recently had a CRB which showed a caution from approx 9 years ago....when they explained the circumstances regarding it there prospective employer decided to continue to employ them.
I believe it is upto the employer at the end of the day, the CRB serves to show convictions/cautions etc., ....it is the employers decision if when seeing/knowing about these they decide wether or not to continue with the employment...I should imagaine there are alot of factors to consider.

To be honest - most employers in these sorts of circumstances are simply being prejudiced when it comes to criminal records. Unless the conviction is relevant and/or recent, they are not really supposed to use the information against people, but a lot do. nd they are definitely supposed to give serious consideration to whether the conviction is relevant, but again, many don't.