Screening Maternity Nurses

Criminal Records Bureau

We ask all our maternity nurses to apply for an enhanced disclosure through the Criminal Records Bureau when they apply to register with us.

Criminal Records Bureau ("CRB") is an Executive Agency of the Home Office. It was set up by the Government to allow wider access to information as regards an individual's criminal convictions and other officially held records. It was set up to help employers and organisations make more informed decisions regarding the people they recruit. One of its prime purposes is to protect what are termed vulnerable children.

The process of undertaking checks through CRB is called Disclosure and there are three levels of access to officially held records: Enhanced, Standard and Basic. It is however Enhanced Disclosure that is the most appropriate to the employment of a maternity nurse.

Enhanced Disclosure

This is the highest level of access to information and, in addition to providing details of a person’s criminal record, it also includes a check on local police records as well as information that is held by the Department of Health and Department of Education and Skills.

By virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, a person whose normal duties include caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children (or a child) is entitled to be asked to apply for Enhanced Disclosure. Maternity Nurse Agencies and parents employing a maternity nurse can therefore ask a prospective candidate to apply to be checked.

In the event that a prospective maternity nurse declines to apply for Disclosure an employer is entitled to withdraw any offer of employment that may have been made. Current employees can also be asked to apply for Disclosure but if they refuse, consideration would need to be given to any contract of employment that may exist. It may also be necessary to take legal advice.

At this time CRB only provide access to records relating to the United Kingdom.

Process of applying for Disclosure

In order to apply for Enhanced Disclosure an application has to be made through a Registered Body. Effectively such a Body has a responsibility to check the identity of the person making the application and also to ensure that the category of employment is one that is entitled to apply for Disclosure.

There are two types of Registered Body: a Closed Registered Body and an ‘Umbrella’ Registered Body.

A Closed Registered Body is one that has been set up to undertake checks of its own staff e.g. a Health Authority. An Umbrella Registered Body is one that can undertake Disclosure checks on behalf of others. Normally a small charge is made to undertake the processing of a Disclosure application.

Disclosure Certificate

When a check has been carried out by the CRB a copy of the Disclosure certificate will be sent to the applicant (an employee or prospective employee). A copy will also be provided to the Registered Body. In the case of an Umbrella Registered Body, they will provide their copy to the employer.

In order to make use of the CRB Disclosure service all employers must adhere to the Codes of Practice that CRB have laid down. These include policies on the secure storage, handling, use and retention of Disclosure information as well as the possible recruitment of ex-offenders.

Full details of CRB and the Disclosure service can be found on the Internet at www.crb.gov.uk and www.disclosure.gov.uk or you can telephone the CRB Information Line on 0870 90 90 811.

Maternally Yours is part of Imperial Recruitment the largest domestic recruitment agency supplying staff for all domestic situations throughout the UK and abroad.

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