talkmagic.co.uk

This is an issue I have been looking at for a while now. I do some childrens work and as Mandrake says, have some adults with you, to poke them with a cattle prod when needed as well as for propriety. It is not illegal to work with children so far as I can ascertain without a CRB, it is the responsibility of the person employing you to make sure the chuildren do not come to any harm. If there was an incident and the employer had not checked the persons background the employer would be at fault.

Why I wanted to get CRB checked was that at a party last Christmas I came across a couple of teachers from a local school. They enjoyed my work and said how much the kids they taught would ejoy it. So I offered to gio and do a free show for them. Then I came up against the needing a CRB check, the school wouldn't pay for it and I didn't feel that I should be coughing up for something I would not be able to use again. So there was no free Chrfistmas magic show for the kids.

The law does need to be tidied up. I believe that it is right to ensure that children are not exposed to some of the perverts and nutters we seem to have around. But it is stupid that I cannot apply for clearance, pay for it and have a certificate that I can show to potential customers or local organisations that I am happy to volunteer for. The situations is bizarrely catch 22!

That's a really useful post, Mr Whizz.

Well, personally, I'm no longer worried about the situation. If someone wants to know if I've been checked, I'll tell them that they are welcome to check me if they see fit.

I'll also point out that they may not consider it necessary as I have the policy of never being in a room with children without two adults present.

After performing thousands of kid shows over thirty years I don't think I have done a single one without adults being present. It wasn't a "policy" of mine and to be quite frank I never thought about it. It just never came up. Not even once. I don't remember a single occasion when I was left alone with kids.

On the other hand Jolly Roger who has now moved to Arizona told me that it used to happen all the time to him when he did parties in Kensington. Perhaps Kensington is a trifle different than anywhere else.

ok from the horses mouth so to speek actual from mr plod, you can now if you want too get a crb check done on yourself citing personal reasons.
it is still the employers responsibility to get a crb check done if they feel they need one currently £10, £20 in scotland yeah.

your employer or the local parentiss at the function is responsible for your welfare and behaviour and it is solely there resposibility for order and they are the ones that need to be crb checked, you do not need to be crb checked as a guest of the employer.

oh and don't bother to ask a police man to varify who you are they don't do that anymore unless you have known a policeman personaly for 5+ years and then its optional, but aparently a postoffice can varify your documents.

adendum the crb website has moved but still has the old imfo except to say that from aprill 6th it will be £44
so what the new rules will be is anyones guess.

It's rising from £10 to £44? That sounds a bit extreme. Or have I misunderstood?

from what I understand from the 6th aprill you can only have the extended version for employers, so I'm asuming we won't need one anymore and if they want one they can pay through the nose for it.

If you have the time and inclination to volunteer with an organisation that works with kids (anything from scouts to childline) they would do it for you and send you a copy of the certificate. It's also free for them to do as a charity/voluntary group.

I wouldn't suggest just applying to volunteer to get the checks, but if it's the kind of thing you'd be interested in it could be a bonus...