CRB Checks No Longer Free

[SueJ]

This dropped into my inbox today from TMG CRB:

 

 

 

This email is to inform you of changes to the current Government subsidy for an Enhanced Criminal Records check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS – which took over in 2012 from the former Criminal Records Bureau).

 

The Government subsidy for DBS checks will cease from 1 July, from which time individuals and providers will be required to pay full cost in order to be registered with Ofsted and to be employed in a registered childcare setting.

 

Applications for DBS checks will be honoured under the existing subsidy if received by 28 June.

 

Please be assured:

· TMG CRB will continue to manage your criminal records checks to the same high standards;

· You will continue to have access to the same online system to process your criminal record checks;

· You will continue to have access to the Disclosures you’ve processed to date;

· The contract will remain in place and there will be no additional paper work to complete.

 

We will write to you towards the end of May to inform you of the payment options available to you. For the time being please think about whether your organisation will pay for the criminal record checks; or your staff members will pay for the checks within the online system.

 

Well yet another thing to budget for or take the decision that staff will have to pay for their own CRB checks - that's bound to attract more people towards a job in early years.

 

 

[sunnyday]

Thanks (well sort of)...........

[HoneyPancakes]

I knew that Childminders were going to be rail-roaded into agencies. I thought it was Ofsted fees that would be full priced, but hadn't thought of CRBs. I can see the point in placing the actual cost of business with the business, but Childminding has been a business that capable women with very little capital could use to bring their families out of difficult circumstances. The social benefit of subsidising entry into the industry is higher than the cost of a CRB or Ofsted registration.

 

I can hear the groans about quality, qualification and professionalism being the criteria for entry but there are 'good enough' and improving providers out there who's lives, and those of their families, have been dramatically improved by these subsidies and direct start-up grants.

 

If the government want more provision, this is a sure-fire way of stopping existing childminders and nurseries taking on assistants.

 

If I'm rambling it could be that I'm poorly (or it could be normal 'me'). I'm sure there was a more concise conspiracy theory I was aiming to demonstrate.

 

Honey

[thumperrabbit]

I've never renewed mine or actually any of our staff as whenever I've asked Ofsted/ early years people they've told me don't need to, however mine is now 10 years old and so are some of the other staff's.

 

So wondering whether we should all re-new whilst its free??

[Greenfinch]

I don't think it's free if you've already had one is it? I thought you got first one free within a setting and after that you had to pay.May be wrong about this, please let me know as I'll be renewing mine too!

[Cait]

I was under the impression that they were only free for volunteers and you paid if you were salaried?

[SueJ]

The "freeness" of CRB checks is a cloudy issue - my staff were all CRB checked by Ofsted originally - when we had to move to an agency (TMG CRB in our case) and just before what was going to be the introduction of the original vetting and barring system with everyone being allocated a number we were advised to get them done via the agency which we all did cost free.

 

I suspect that I will have to ask new staff to pay for their CRB checks as we just won't have the funds to pay for new staff - especially if they up sticks and move jobs porting their CRB check with them.

[louby loo]

We got some of our redone free when the job role/titles changed not that I'm suggesting this is a way around paying.

 

x

[louby loo]

Does any one know how much they'll be?

 

In the back of my mind I have £85 for some reason.

[eyfs1966]

I think normally about £60 quid...quickly adds up. Ny the ay, Ofsted have just issued a new factsheet on the DBS, called "disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks for thise providers who register with Ofsted, which might be worth a google.