Help for somebody job hunting with ABH conviction

garden_treehouse

I am looking for advice on how my sibling can approach job hunting now that they have a conviction for ABH.

They will no longer be able to continue working in the industry they were previously employed in and will therefore be looking for alternative options.

They're looking for a fresh start, I'd like to understand what options are available to them.

What should they know about how their job search will be affected?

Are there any organisations or charities which can offer help with this process?

Are there any particular industries or specific organisations who employ those with criminal convictions?

Any advice you can provide will be gratefully received.

Thank you.

LightFlare

What is any qualifications/experience do they have ?

Are they looking to fully retrain ?

What age are they and what level of physical fitness/ability do they have ?

https://www.offploy.org/post/uk-companies-hiring-ex-offenders

garden_treehouse

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886578#Comment_81886578

Thank you for the very fast reply.

Worked in education, multiple years of experience and related qualifications (unsure which qualifications, specifically).

Retraining could be an option, as long as there is a method of retaining income throughout (benefits?).

Able to drive, no fitness issues, good health, early 40s.

IOWJJBTM2025

It is a difficult one - there are a lot of companies that insist on criminal records checks and finding out what convictions are acceptable to different companies is a big ask.

I remember an old friend got charged with no insurance on his driving license and this excluded him from becoming a driving instructor.

There must be a timescale where the ABH conviction will be considered spent and is ignored.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6655545/help-for-somebody-job-hunting-with-abh-conviction

They will fail DBS checks, so anything government, finance or school/child related, as well as cash handling in a supermarket will be a fail. Most office jobs, construction, landscaping, even things like engineering, graphic design etc. would all be fine. so it will really depend on his transferable skills.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6655545/help-for-somebody-job-hunting-with-abh-conviction

They need to understand the requirement to declare the conviction and when it will be "spent" and so no longer has to be declared for most roles - some do have enhanced requirements inc declaring spent convictions.

Unlock is one of the larger charities aimed to support ex-offenders, there are many more though.

There are a few companies well known for employing people with a record Timpsons make a big thing that circa 15% of their staff have a record. Various other retailers have programmes too https://www.offploy.org/post/uk-companies-hiring-ex-offenders

marcia_

this organisation gives advice

https://unlock.org.uk/advice/a-simple-guide-to-the-roa/

EnPointe

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886622#Comment_81886622

you cannot 'fail' a DBS DISCLOSURE

obviously certain roles will be closed off if you appear on a Barring list

other roles may be closed off to you if you are still within the Rehabiliation of offenders Act period since conviction ( and exemption for a role / organisation means the old convictions are not 'spent' and have ot be disclosed - it doesn;t mean that you are still a 'convict' )

Savvy_Sue

Nacro is another charity which offers help and advice, and what he needs is advice on how to disclose the conviction (when and to whom).

Other advice above is useful.

Grumpy_chap

A construction-related role could be suitable. There are several large employers in the construction sector that have schemes to attract ex-offenders into employment.

If he does not think a full-on construction "on the tools" role would suit, he might be able to find something in construction industry that also utilises his transferable skills from teaching - something like delivering in-house training modules on health & safety etc.

Try a company such as M Group - they have a good reputation for seeing the potential in an individual

monkey-fingers

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81886622#Comment_81886622

Sorry, but no such thing as failing DBS checks.

It comes down to the appetite of risk that a company is prepared to take.

I have a friend who is HIGHLY security cleared. He works on a Government project in a building in Gloucestershire (I'm sure you can guess).

He has on his record a suspended sentence for affray and 2 drink driving convictions. He was completely up front and honest when he applied for the job. I also worked in IT with a security cleared guy who spent 3 months in prison for ABH. The company chose to give him an unpaid sabbatical to spend his sentence.

With an ABH, for instance, the sibling would be perfectly fine for cash handling and even finance. They care more about fraud and people who can't manage their finances properly.

The difficult convictions are things like fraud, burglary and other dishonest crimes.
ABH is something that could easily happen after a few beers and a disagreement.

But yes, they're not getting a job in schools or as a police officer.

Interestingly, ABH and GBH are not automatic dismissal from the armed forces, although they'll probably end up with a court martial and disciplinary.