CRB checks

[Fallon1982]

Morning chaps,

If i am setting up my own business and working alone as a sole trader do i need to get a CRB check done?
Reason I ask is the last few firms I worked for I had to, so wondered if its the same on my own?

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Not as far as I know mate, you may of had the checks done because of the type of work you carried out with your previous employer.
Works carried out in schools, hospitals, nurseries and old people's homes often require CRB checks

 

[kris]

If your just doing private work No. Even if your sub contracting to certain companies unless they specify that they want to have a look. Take British gas for example :- they ask.

 

[stani]

Is there a generic CRB that covers all places you could work in, my sons cricket coach had a crb for cricket and also needed one for his football, and as a teacher, is there one for us as plumbers etc that would cover schools, homes, community centres etc.

 

[Toggles]

Is there a generic CRB that covers all places you could work in, my sons cricket coach had a crb for cricket and also needed one for his football, and as a teacher, is there one for us as plumbers etc that would cover schools, homes, community centres etc.

No, as far as I'm aware there is the standard one that shows up the non-ish serious issues (e.g drunk/ disorderly) type thing. Then the advanced which shows up issues of serious threat to people in general, the vulnerable, children, elderly etc...

Your mate probably had the one done for that job and then the other company requested their own too. They don't look at one you had recently as it could be voided by new/ recent illegal activity, if you change jobs often in certain sectors you just keep getting checked its part of the contract requirement.

Working on your own, you don't need it, but its good to have as its offers peace of mind to customers, 'think' you can be 'approved ' by local council and police though which can amount to same thing

 

[rpm]

Pretty sure this came up last year and the conclusion was if you regularly work in say a school then the school does the check and keeps it but you pay, it`s not called CRB anymore and the place to get the basic one was somewhere in Scotland.

I`ve had a quick look back but can`t find it.

Found it in the plumbing forum, enter "CRB or DBS" in the search box

 

[Rckape]

As has been said above, You don't need one unless you regularly work at locations with at-risk people.

Simply contracting at sites or premises where these groups are present shouldn't normally require one.

This obviously does not preclude a customer making it a requirement for you to have one prior to quoting/starting work.

The law changed a few years ago to make it ok for an organisation to accept a check done for a previous organisation at their discretion. Most choose to request a fresh one though.

When you have one done you'll get a copy in addition to the one sent to the requesting organisation.

In my opinion they aren't worth the paper they are printed on as they obviously only show up offences committed up to that date with no expiry date for renewal.

I think the new name is DBS check now.

 

[lame plumber]

if you want to be a council approved trader then yes you do, helps if trying to work for schools if you can show them a recent cert.

 

[wetshoes]

Yes the old CRB is now called a DBS check now. They are transferable between companies and you can see an up to date one online though you have to pay £19 odd quid a year to have this functionality.

I believe you have to apply through an agency to get one, there's no legal responsibility to have one when in people houses though certainly customers can feel it's an added endorsement. If you are likely to be working in a setting where you are responsible for children that are not yours you should have one but if the parents are with them then the liability falls to them, similarly in a school setting it falls to the teacher, TA etc.

IMHO I think they are nonsense in many respects as it just shows that you've not been caught for anything (not that I'm iffy personally!) I often wonder how many people that have 'CRB checked' on their vans actually have it.