Information on criminal record checks for volunteers

There is no statutory requirement for all volunteers to produce a criminal record certificate and voluntary organisations do not generally have the right to screen volunteers. Only volunteers whose work involves substantial level of access to vulnerable people are required to be screened for criminal records – vulnerable people may include children, young people, the elderly, disabled people, alcohol or drug misusers and the chronically sick. Otherwise the value of screening is questionable.

There are important debates in the voluntary sector about the rights and wrongs of screening volunteers for criminal records (please see www.navb.org.uk, and www.volunteering.org.uk). Criminal record checks may deter those who are deliberately seeking a voluntary position in order to abuse the vulnerable. However, checks may also deter those with unrelated convictions from volunteering. Checks may also lead to discriminatory behaviour and misuse of information from those organisations that carry out the checks.

The Criminal Records Bureau has been established to provide details about criminal records to organisations that need to screen their staff or volunteers. However, the service is unlikely to be available until 2002. For up-to-date information please see Criminal Records Bureau site www.crb.org.uk

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