CRB frustrations

I was offered my first social work post almost 2 months ago now and still haven’t started work, to my great frustration. There is only so much daytime TV a person can take and I suspect my brain may be slowly turning to mush. I long for the stimulation of work again.

I have completed the various pieces of paperwork required, my referees have provided their comments, I have been declared fit for work by an occupation health doctor , although he informed me that I should consider myself disabled (even though on a general day to day basis, I’m not disabled by either my medical conditions or the society in which I live) and I am covered by the Equality Act.

The only thing outstanding  is the CRB check. As anybody who has required one will know, the processing time can be unlimited. The online tracking service informs me that they are awaiting results from the police records search- this last check has now taken in excess of 5 weeks. Although targets exit for the provision of this information to the CRB authority, there appear to be no penalties if they are not met frequently leading to delays.

Naturally, if a force requires all available officers to work on a particular case, there should be no question about this use of manpower. However, in normal circumstances this is not the case, yet still these checks are delayed. Despite a target that 80% of checks are completed within 14 days and 95% in 28, my local police force consistently completes only around 70% in 28 days and only 80% in 60 days.  Meanwhile, many organisations attempt to function with key staff missing while they wait for checks to be completed. Service provision and therefore service users are affected, due to reduced staff levels, unnecessary funds are spent to employ agency workers to cover the workload and people like me who desperately want to begin work cannot.

Ironically, many checks may well be delayed because some people may require multiple checks within short periods, for different positions. Each check requires the same full process regardless of the low probability of information changing. Meanwhile, each further check  in the processing queue waits a little longer.

I must make clear that I wholeheartedly believe in the need to ensure those who work with vulnerable people are suitable. However, I do think the system is not currently working effectively. I don’t have all the answers; however it does appear that some small changes could make a huge difference.

Firstly, attaching (financial) penalties to failure of police forces to complete their checks within certain time limits.

Secondly, reducing the numbers of disclosure applications- in recent months, employers have been enabled to accept previous checks. However, this is done at the employer’s risk and may not be palatable to many.

Thirdly, the ISA, currently being reviewed by the coalition government, would register relevant information as it arose and circulate it to those employers or organisations to whom it was relevant.  This would seem to me far more appropriate- one registration would be required by individuals, one query made by an employer, relevant changes to information held would be notified as necessary. This would use labour more effectively, save public funds and prevent unnecessary delays in the recruitment process, enabling newly appointed staff to take up employment as soon as possible, benefiting everyone.

I’m sure there must be compelling reasons why these, or similar, changes have not been made, other than moral panic, the media uproar, and apathy. If they occur to me as a lowly social worker-to-be, I’m sure they must have been seriously considered by those with the power to actually make them and rejected for very good reasons.

Meanwhile, I think there’s an episode of Jeremy Kyle about to start… (as good a place as anywhere to develop my assessment and critical thinking skills, being that I’m not yet able to practice my chosen profession).

 

Advertisement