Enhanced Disclosure Arrived Without A Fanfare

I have whinged at length about the muda involved in applying for an enhanced disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau. Well, today, I finally received my enhanced disclosure, having started the process in November and finally put the paperwork in in January. After such a palaver, I can't believe that it arrived so quietly in the post, without the merest screed or iota of a fanfare.

I can not believe that these checks have any substantive value when more than 9.5 million adults are currently required to get them in the UK. I can only be confirmed in this opinion by this week's report about those appalling instances of elder abuse that are perpetrated by paid carers from local authorities or those working in care homes.

I am pleased that I have jumped this administrative hurdle. I am pleased if it makes anybody feel safer in my presence although to date, nobody has asked for more than the standard disclosure that I already have. I'm appalled at the cumulative waste of time (mine, the designated people who checked the application, those who ran the check), money and resources.

Copyright 2006, Tony Plant Happystance Project

What Happens When The CVS Disappears?

I have been writing for some time about the resource-wasting process of applying for an enhanced disclosure. Now I learn that my local Council for Voluntary Services is to dissolve after 49 years of operation. The reasons given must be familiar ones throughout the country. There are both insufficient trustees and a lack of funds. Many charitable groups are finding it difficult to recruit trustees following the legal changes that make them financially liable for mistakes/malefeasance by themselves or others.

The official disclosure website used to recommend that volunteers should apply for a disclosure through their local CVS. I don’t know what smaller bodies and charities are supposed to do about obtaining disclosures for their volunteers if local CVS disappear. It will be interesting to see if updated and useful advice appears on the website. Or if this will be another universal inconvenience with no clear path.

Copyright 2006, Tony Plant Happystance Project

With A Sense of Inevitability...

It is with a sickening sense of inevitability that I can reveal that, contrary to my previous optimism, the enhanced disclosure process is not out of my life.

Oddly enough, we have not failed on filling in the forms which is the most common error (my wife is also going through this procedure). We have simply been caught up in a change of policy (I think) and an administrative error.

When we were filling in the forms and supplementary forms about the supporting documentation, it stated that we had to show the original documents to the designated person who had to sign a form declaring that she had seen and checked the originals. The originals were to be returned to us, and the forms sent on to the Disclosure Unit. Today, we received a phone call to tell us that the forms must now be accompanied by photocopies of the documents. With various diary conflicts, we don’t have an opportunity to hand in the photocopies to the designated person until Thursday. We started this process in November. It took us until two weeks ago to obtain the correct forms and appropriate guidance on the process.

On the day that we handed in our forms and showed our ID documentation, our designated person phoned up Essex County Council to check how much our administration fee should be, so that we could make out the cheque. She was told that the amount was sixteen pounds each, so we made out the cheque accordingly. It seems that we were misinformed, and that Essex County Council wants another twenty-five pence each. Well, if they say so...But it doesn’t seem that there is much one can do when one takes the time to check with the Disclosure Unit and is misinformed by them.

It's Out of My Life (I Hope)

I filled in my enhanced disclosure forms and trucked them up to my local Voluntary Services Council along with the specified forms of ID. I am heart sick of this process that has been dragging on for far too long. This form is so notoriously difficult to fill out correctly that it has Guidance Notes that are x6 longer than the relevant part of the original form. Even despite the notes, we had to contact the helpline to enquire about my wife’s name (it contains an apostrophe) and how it should be filled in on the form.

Tedious though the form is, filling it in is relatively easy for a man. Following the prevailing norms of when the Police Database was put together, completing the form is a minefield for women. There are copious notes on who is allowed to use Ms, and what must be done if a single woman (other than divorced or separated) chooses to use this title. And then, for women who did not take the husband’s name on marriage, the husband’s surname has to be included under “Other Names” and then the disclaimer, “Not Used” inserted along with the date of the marriage. Presumably because that is the starting point of when the woman had the name available to her and started to not use it. Sigh.

I’m glossing over the intricacies of how you describe your volunteer job title. And the complete irrelevance that this seems to have when considering one’s eligibility to deliver laughter workshops to groups of people who mostly do not come under the classification of vulnerable groups.

What a Difference F2F makes

Today I managed to have a face-to-face meeting with a Carers’ Co-ordinator at my local Voluntary Services Council. This was a text-book example of how dealing with people remotely can lead to bad advice and a lot of wasted time and effort. I met with this co-ordinator face-to-face this afternoon and within minutes I had: the forms that I need to fill in; agreement as to the multiple forms of ID that I need to provide; the news that after some investigation, my VSC can provide a registered body number to support the application; and the welcome information that my personal financial contribution will be an estimated 17.50 pounds.

I don’t know why I could not have been given all of this assistance at any of the times when I’ve been in touch since November. And it makes more of a nonsense of some of the advice that I was previously given and that I’ve whinged about in earlier entries. However, at least I now have some paper that makes me feel that I am on my way to obtaining this wretched enhanced disclosure. Some people do respond better to face-to-face meetings: I’m of the business mind-set that thinks asynchronous communication like emails and voicemails are still valid forms of communication and worthy of consideration and response. However, this is progress and I welcome it.

A good outcome from today is that I’ve been invited to attend a Carers’ Networking meeting on 7th February. I’m being allowed to run a taster session of some of the workshop content. I’m hopeful that this will be not only a good networking opportunity but a chance to sign-up some groups for the Happystance workshops.

Too much disclosure?

I have a standard disclosure from the Police National Computer/Criminal Records Bureau. Despite this, although I do not fall into the categorisation for which the more in-depth check is recommended (e.g., a teacher, Scout or Guide Leader), I’ve been informed that I need a more in-depth, enhanced level of disclosure in order to receive the funding for the Happystance  project. Enquiries at my local Police Station were met with a blank stare. The receptionist did not know how to deal with a request for a standard disclosure and had no advice to offer about how I could apply for an enhanced one.

Since then, I’ve been advised that I should apply for an enhanced disclosure via my local Council for Voluntary Services. For the last week, I’ve emailed and left phone messages but have received no response. The local branch is only open for short hours during the day, mid-week. I don’t work in the local area so visiting the office during opening hours is not readily practical. I appreciate that services that rely on volunteers will always be subject to limitations, so I’m not optimistic about whether there are the necessary resources to deal with my request in a timely manner. However, this is just my apprehension because I don’t understand the process as yet. It might be a straightforward experience. And my disclosure may be ready in time for my proposed launch date.

I accept the necessity for CRB checks. But when the process is not readily accessible, then it can deter some volunteers from following through on their interest. Some charities and voluntary organisations are reporting a drop in the number of volunteers because potential volunteers object to the idea of being investigated. Other volunteers see it as a waste of time, money and other scarce resources because the role for which they are applying does not involve contact with children or members of vulnerable groups.