Why does a CRB take so long?

[RATTER15]

Surely in this day and age a governmental agency computer can search all relevant databases for information on a person in a matter of seconds, so why does it take weeks and sometimes months to do a CRB search?

One would imagine that an employer could do this search online or even contact an agency authorised to do these searches and it could be done at least the same day!

[tenrec]

When I was being checked I was told that if you had lived at more than a few addresses, it took longer to check. Mine was relatively quick, but my friend's was about 2 months. Good luck.

[RATTER15]

My first two CRBs took 4 months each. I havent moved since my last CRB so hopefully it wont take so long this time.

[EDDIE51]

Sorry you are still waiting Ratter. I thought they had got the situation sorted.Even more daft because I know you must already have an enhanced CRB check. I know a guy who is govener of 2 schools and runs a scout group he has to have 3 CRBs one for each job !

[tonyav]

RATTER, hows your back now ?

[ummmm]

It's probably just a backlog. How many other people need 3 CRB's doing?

[rockyracoon]

Eddie, my friend has about 5 of the things because of work and various activities, it's ridiculous. There must be a quicker and easier way than the current procedure, people can't work.

[RATTER15]

its a lot better today thanks tony, just a pulled muscle for sure.

Im fairly sure I have the job but I really want to leave the place im currently working in.

[tonyav]

Is there a Dept you can phone, you know to jog them up a bit ?

[RATTER15]

They only received it a couple of days ago, im tracking it online so I will know how its progressing. I dont think you can hurry these guys.

[4getmenot]

doesnt even have any logic to it, did one recently for a guy who had lived at address all his life,nothing on it and took 6 months!

[cathfromsaron]

in the NHS they come back v quickly!

it's all about the employers own slow processing speeds too!

[Mosaic]

Sometimes it goes like this: in the organisation employing you, one person does CRB checks among other things. They often do certain tasks on certain days, or save up a batch of similar tasks to do at one time. So, Thursdays are CRB day - or when I've got five CRB requests I'll process them.
Said person then takes leave - for Jubilee weekend extension, half term, or just because. Nobody else is told to cover the CRB task. So it waits till they come back. And nobody tells them it's urgent, so they leave it till Thursday etc.
Add on top of that the fact that many of the most successful office workers in large organisations are highly skilled at hiding how very little they do on a daily basis, and I think you have your explanation.

[erin-x]

I'm sure that my current employer phoned up to ask if mine was clear because she couldn't wait for the paperwork any longer. That's Disclosure Scotland though.

We have the PVG scheme now as well. If you're already a member, all you get is an update. It takes no time at all. Is something similar not going to be implemented in England? I think it's a much better system.

[RATTER15]

Mosaic, the company (my prospective employers) use a separate company to apply for the CRB. electronically. DDC. Due Diligence Checking LTD send me all the paperwork to fill in, I fill it in an return it them with all my proof of ID etc, they check all my ID is in order and then apply electronically for the searches. That actually took 24 hours, they then issued me with a number so that I can track the progress of my CRB, this is the result of my search to date:

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The Disclosure Application Form *********** was received by the CRB on 14 Jun 2012.
Its current progress is:
Stage 1 (Application Form received and validated): Completed on 14 June 2012

Stage 2 (Police National Computer searched): In Progress

Stage 3 (ISA Children, ISA Adults and List 99 searched, where applicable): Not Started

Stage 4 (Records held by the Police search): Not Started

Stage 5 (Disclosure Printed): Not Started

This information is correct as at 18:04 16 Jun 2012.

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Its all clever stuff but I wish they would pull their finger out!!

[Mosaic]

Sorry not to have dropped in since saturday Ratter....
It's obvious where the blockage is: the police national computer office. This is where someone has gone on annual leave etc as per my earlier post. The others won't start theirs till Wendy gets back from Ibiza and stops showing all her mates the photos.

[RATTER15]

Typical Wendy!! the Hussy, I know all about her! she had better pull her finger out!

[RATTER15]

Stage 3 and 4 are now in progress!! :-))

I know!! I just find these things interesting.

[DollParts]

It is not a case of simply putting someone's details into a search engine. I'll explain the process...

Your details are uploaded and searched against the Police National Computer and ISA lists (if requested), this then comes back with potential matches. An agent then has to look at the potential matches and decide if any are a positive match. It requires a human, as offenders may try to hide thier identity to evade detection, so the matching process requires a degree of judgement. This part of the process is done by CRB and is usually complete within a few days (this is stage 1-3 on the online tracking).

Once PNC and ISA have been checked the application is run through a database called PLX. PLX contains details of people who have local intelligence about them - i.e. non conviction information, which is held locally by police forces. If there is a potential match on PLX, it goes to the relevant force - this is stage 4.

All forces record and store this information differently. In home based positions they will also check any information they hold about people you live with. When local intelligence is found, the police are required to do a risk assessment to see if it is "might be relevant" and "ought to be disclosed". Many forces are very, very slow at carrying out their local intelligence searches. Additionally, they may be deliberating about whether to release the information about someone. Some local intelligence may be things you don't know about eg you associate with known paedophiles etc.

Be aware that CRB has no power over the police andhave to wait until the police complete their searches.

I hope this helps you to understand the process :o)

[RATTER15]

DollParts, so stage four is where the long wait is? Grrrr

Thanks for the info.

[Mommabear]

Hi...i am new to the forum...i am sorry to gate crash the thread but i was wondering if you lovely people could shed some light about crb's for me?...my crb was recieved by home office on the 21/08/2012...stage 1,2&3 were completed on 4/09/2012...since then my application has been a stage 4...i know i am amoungst thousands of people who are awaiting their crb completion but, i would like to know roughly how long you think i will b waiting for he completion to be done. I was offered a full time place on 1/08/2012 working with disabled children...other things needed to be collected and given to the company's HR...so there was a delay in the crb being sent...i had one done via the internet in june and that came back pretty quick (i think about 3 weeks)... But waiting for tjis crb to be completed seems to be taking forever...is it because it has been sent as a paper copy?...i am currently tracking the application online and have logged in rhat many times, i now know my ref off by heart...lol...how much longer do you think i could be waiting?

Thankyou for reading this.....
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