01Jun 2019 by admin

Criminal Records Checks and Students

It's that time of year again. The University exams are over. Students across the country are looking for ways to fill the long summer months before Uni starts again in the autumn. Many will be looking for some sort of paid work to refill their bank accounts after a year at Uni. Having work experience behind you, especially in a relevant field, is of huge benefit when it comes to applying for graduate positions. But what happens if the jobs you are applying for needs criminal records checks? Do the same rules apply to students as to everyone else?   Criminal Records Checks - Not for All Jobs The first point to remember is that criminal records checks are not a requirement for every position. These sorts of checks used…
Read More
23May 2019 by admin

Unregistered Schools – Ofsted calls for crackdown

Ofsted, the organisation in England and Wales which regulates schools, has raised serious concerns about the number of unregistered schools. In the past three years, Ofsted has uncovered more than 500 illegal schools. But what exactly makes a school illegal, and why as parents should we be worried? What is an Unregistered School? There's a fairly tight legal definition in British law of a "school". An illegal school is one which sits outside local authority control. In this way it is similar to an independent or fee-paying school, but with one key difference. Reputable private or independent schools register with Ofsted and other bodies and go through testing and monitoring. Illegal schools choose not to do this. A school is usually defined as somewhere giving education to 5 children or…
Read More
14Apr 2019 by admin

Recruiting Volunteers – Can you do the same checks?

Millions of organisations across the world depend on volunteer labour. Good causes would grind to a halt if it wasn't for their volunteers. The main issue which most charities have is recruiting volunteers. Anyone who has been involved in a charity or club which uses volunteers knows that getting people can be tough. Especially people who are prepared to commit regularly. So how do you go about getting people to sign up as volunteers? And equally importantly, what sorts of checks do they need? Recruiting Volunteers - Finding the Right People The first battle any organisation faces is finding people who are interested in volunteering. For charities with a limited advertising budget, this can be difficult. Social media is useful in these cases. Send out Facebook posts, email supporters, tweet…
Read More
04Apr 2019 by admin

DBS Checks and Being Charged to Work?

The system of DBS checks has been around for over a decade now, but the system is still largely misunderstood. This sort of check used to be called CRB checks, or criminal records bureau checks. It's a system of checking up on people who want to work in positions of responsibility. A DBS check is needed for a wide range of jobs, and often, employers will ask for the certificate before you start. One of the biggest employment sectors needing disclosure checks is healthcare. And recent reports seem to suggest that new starts in the NHS are being asked to pay for their own checks. What NHS Jobs Need DBS Checks? Don't automatically assume that every job working in the NHS will need criminal records checks. However, many will. Even…
Read More
21Mar 2019 by admin

Most Lucrative Summer Jobs for Students

We know - winter is barely over and we're already talking about summer jobs for students. But employers start their recruitment early, with the aim of getting people started immediately after their exams. You don't want to be left behind. For most students, a summer job is about paying off debts and building up savings to see you through the next academic year. So here are some of the best-paying summer jobs around. Office Temping Offices around the country recruit temporary staff to cover holidays of permanent staff. Temp agencies recruit into the full range of office positions, from reception to accounts. The best thing about most office jobs is that they are office hours only. If you work overtime, you'll be paid extra. You keep your evenings and weekends…
Read More
15Mar 2019 by admin

First Aid Volunteer

It's one of those life skills which we all hope we'll never have to use. First aiders are a common sight at major public events, and in the workplace. Having the ability to step in and act when there's a crisis can give you a feeling of control. First aid volunteer organisations are popular with people of all ages, from young teenagers to older, retired people. If it's something you want to get involved in, what do you need to know? What sort of organisations recruit first aid volunteer staff? There is a wide range of organisations in the UK which provide training in first aid. Perhaps the two best known organisations are the Red Cross and the St John's Ambulance. St Andrew's First Aid does the same job as…
Read More
08Mar 2019 by admin

Is Credit Referencing the same as a CRB Check?

From an employer's perspective, taking on a new employee is a risky business. That's why they spend a lot of time sifting application forms, interviewing and then checking up on successful applicants. Getting the wrong person can mean having to repeat the process several times until you get the right candidate. It's perhaps no great surprise that employers do all of the checks they can on prospective workers. If you're looking at jobs in the financial services sector, then it's common practice to be asked for credit referencing. But what exactly does this mean, and should it be something to worry about? What is credit referencing anyway? Credit referencing isn't about what sort of credit cards you have. It is more about putting together a picture of your overall financial…
Read More
01Mar 2019 by admin

Police Clearance Certificate

Most of us are aware of things like CRB checks and DBS checks. We've maybe even applied for a check to take up a new job, or voluntary position. But have you heard of the police clearance certificate? This is another type of background check which some people need. The circumstances are fairly specific, but it's important to understand the system to avoid confusion at a later date. ACRO and Police Clearance Certificates ACRO is the Criminal Records Office in England and Wales. It does a similar job to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) but has important differences too. DBS checks are usually done when you are applying for a new job. The type of job determines the type of DBS check which is needed. However, this type of…
Read More
20Feb 2019 by admin

DBS Checks for Au Pairs

There is no official count of the number of au pairs in the UK. Estimates put the figure at around 100,000, with 75% of them working in London and the South-East. Employing an au pair is a sensible move for many working families. Au pairs look after children before school, and between school finishing and parents returning home. They might also do some light housework, or make meals. The children benefit from having a foreign language speaker in the house, and exposure to a different culture. In return, the au pair gets accommodation and food, and time free during the day to study, or pursue their own interests. It's an idea which works perfectly for many. However, one of the main difficulties is getting a good au pair, and knowing…
Read More
14Feb 2019 by admin

Are charities carrying out unnecessary CRB checks?

It's been just over a year since a scandal hit the press concerning people working for some of the UK's best-known charities. Charities both large and small have been reassessing their processes and procedures. Many have started running CRB checks on more people than they did before. However, does a recent report suggest that they've gone a bit far in their checking? CRB Checks and Charities Charities are subject to exactly the same rules about CRB checking as every other business. Charities can't make up their own minds about who should have disclosure checks and who shouldn't. Many of the allegations made about charity workers concerned incidents which didn't take place in the UK. The people involved weren't UK nationals. Therefore, charities couldn't have run CRB checks or disclosure checks…
Read More