Community Action CRB How To Apply

What is it? It is a legal requirement that all volunteers who work with vulnerable people (children, frail elders, the disabled and others) apply for Criminal Records Bureau disclosure (a search of police records). This is a routine requirement for all volunteers in the UK which we hope will not deter you from volunteering.

The Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) Regulations 2002 defines a volunteer as:

"volunteer" means a person engaged in an activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for travel and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), doing something which aims to benefit some third party other than or in addition to a close relative.

The CRB disclosure gives you clearance and protection in your volunteering work. A criminal record does not automatically exclude you from volunteering. Community Action takes this legal requirement very seriously and requires all its volunteers to apply for a CRB disclosure. You will not be able to volunteer with vulnerable people without one.

What do I need to do? This will take about 15 minutes of your time.

• Once you have chosen your volunteering project you will be sent an email with a link to www.disclosures.co.uk the online CRB application form to be completed as soon as possible - if you do not use this link immediately when opened you will need to request your username and password from Community Action.
• Then within a couple of days you will receive an email requesting you bring your three ID documents with you to sign off the application at the Community Action office. The CRB only begins to be processed once this has been done, and it can then take between 3-4 weeks to complete this.

What information will I need to complete the online form?

• details of all your addresses for the past 5 years, including from-to dates (month/year) – you must be able to provide a complete address history without gaps
• three (original) documents: one from Group 1 and two from Group 2, or two from Group 1 and one from Group 2 - one of the documents you use must show your current address (ie the address at which you live at the moment).
• view resource 'An Applicant's Guide...' to see acceptable documents lists for Group 1 and Group 2.
• if you do not have any documents showing your current home address, then you will need to know where you are registered to vote.

N.B. If you have applied for a CRB check in the past you will still need to apply for a new one as they are specific to the organisation and position.

What if I am an International Student?

• you will still need to complete a CRB application AND
• obtain a police-check or certificate of good conduct (i.e. a certificate disclosing spent and unspent convictions) from your home nation (either in English, or translated and certified) - you may need to contact your embassy.
• otherwise you can sign up for opportunities that do not require a police-check (on the registration form, under "Volunteering", tick "other" and type "non-CRB" in the box), and we will send you all the volunteering opportunities which do not require a CRB disclosure.

For further information on obtaining equivalent to CRB from home nations go online to CRB website or to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website to contact your embassy for further guidance.

Specific CRB guidance for the following countries is available on the CRB website; Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Leichtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey

Contact us if you have any questions - we're happy to help!