Disclosures

Requesting Disclosures 

The CRBS is a service which any voluntary organisation can choose to use, subject to the process requirements. The Police Act 1997 Part V, enables voluntary organisations to access disclosures on staff and volunteers who have contact with children and / or Adults at Risk, it does not make it compulsory. However the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 (PoCSA) does make it compulsory for those being appointed to Childcare Positions as defined in Schedule 2 of PoCSA (as of 11/04/05) to be checked against the Disqualified from Working with Children List (DWCL). For more information on PoCSA please click here.

If however, you are required to register with the Care Commission for inspection of the services you provide, there may be a legal requirement that you request disclosures on staff and volunteers.

For further information on the Care Commission visit their website on

www.carecommission.com (The CRBS is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

For more information on the Disclosure Process please click here.

Disclosure Scotland

The source of data for disclosures in Scotland is Disclosure Scotland, which is part of the Scottish Criminal Records Office (SCRO). Information about the activities, and operations of Disclosure Scotland can be found on their website.

www.disclosurescotland.co.uk (The CRBS is not responsible for the content of external internet sites)

Types of Disclosures

Organisations will be able to request Enhanced Disclosures from CRBS.

Enhanced Disclosures are available for individuals who have 'contact' with children and adults at risk.

It should be noted that all disclosures are valid only on the day of printing and are post specific to that organisation only.

Retrospective Checks

At this time the Scottish Government does not encourage organisations to run retrospective checks on existing staff or volunteers working with children, young people, and adults at risk as section 11(3)(b) of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 which brings in the requirement to carry out retrospective checking is still to be implemented. There is no indication of when this will be brought into force. 

Cross-border Voluntary Organisations

National voluntary organisations working across the UK will need to register with the Criminal Records Bureau in England for their English and Welsh operations, and with the Central Registered Body in Scotland or Disclosure Scotland for their Scottish operation.

Value of Disclosures

It is important that Disclosures, are seen as only one aspect of recruitment and selection procedures. They should certainly not be regarded as a substitute for such procedures.

CRBS recommends that voluntary organisations follow good practice in the recruitment and selection of volunteers, and can provide assistance in respect of this.