"upgrade" from CRB to DBS

I have been registered for 3 years and my CRB is therefore 3 years old. When I looked into renewing it, I discovered that it doesn't seem to be possible. A DBS can only be obtained by new childminders, not existing ones. My Early Years Quality Assurance Officer has confirmed that "there is no requirement for registered childminders to update their CRB/DBS/Police checks". This seems to be an oversight from Ofsted. Although I don't *need* to update my CRB, when I have new parents making enquiries, I have to justify having such an old CRB certificate.

Is anybody in the same situation? How are you dealing with it?

Dominique

I don't mention the date. I show new parents my 'old' certificates and the 'new' DBS ones of both my sons. My LA told me that any DBS applications from Sept 2014 need to join the yearly 'update service'. We are meant to keep Osfted notified of any changes.

Having been registered for over 16 years, I do not have a certificate at all. Ofsted told me it is not necessary and that my registration certificate is proof in itself. I am not particularly happy with this, I feel it looks bad for parents and puts me 'behind' newer childminders and I am tempted to get one done via a nanny agency (they process them for a small fee) just so I can have a certificate to show like everyone else does.

I've been registered for so long that I don't even have a CRB, never mind a DBS certificate!

If you're in England it has never been a requirement to have them updated and as you've found, it isn't possible to even if you did want to.

In all the years I have been minding I have never had a parent ask about CRB or DBS checks. If I had, I would explain that Ofsted would not register me or allow me to remain registered unless they were satisfied of my suitability. If parents still weren't happy I would advise them to phone or email Ofsted themselves to check. In the EYFS it says "The requirement for a criminal records check will be deemed to have been met in respect of all people
living or working in childcare settings, whose suitability was checked by Ofsted or their local authority before October 2005".

I know that is slightly different to your situation, but I wouldn't worry about it unless parents specifically query it, in which case I would suggest they contact Ofsted.

Thanks all. I have had to "justify" my old CRB to several parents recently when they wanted to see my docs and this was as important to them as the Ofsted registration itself. It doesn't appear to be general knowledge among people but I will simply have to get better at explaining the situation.
Thanks for you comments.
D.

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Originally Posted by Bridey

Having been registered for over 16 years, I do not have a certificate at all. Ofsted told me it is not necessary and that my registration certificate is proof in itself. I am not particularly happy with this, I feel it looks bad for parents and puts me 'behind' newer childminders .

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I can see what you are saying. The childminders who started before CRB checks have had to explain their lack of certificates for years , to parents and even OFSTED!!
Newer minders with a DBS are at an advantage if the parent has a tick list of things they need to ask at interview.

A member of our Network, who mainly has children via Social Services, had terrible problems when DBS's came out, because the parents needed childcare providers who had a DBS. She then applied for a DBS and then no problems.

After this event, our LA offered to fund towards any network minders in out small local authority to apply for a DBS. Because we occasionally get asked to do community childminding. It was really interesting how long people's have taken. Mine took 7 months, a friends took 9 months.

I have a CRB, yet when i look after children through social services, they require me to have a dbs. But they didn't want to pay for it! I said that as ofsted and LA were happy with crb, it didn't change my ability to do the job!
They finally decided that they were happy with the check that had been done for school, as that was more recent!

Hi everyone,

What you are all saying is that it is impossible to update the CRB, why?
Thank you all

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Originally Posted by Hello you

Hi everyone, What you are all saying is that it is impossible to update the CRB, why? Thank you all

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Cost! You would need to pay for it yourself, plus the updates every year.
You don't need a DBS as a childminder if you already have a CRB

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hello you

Hi everyone,

What you are all saying is that it is impossible to update the CRB, why?
Thank you all

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CRB's were not updated unless there was an issue/conviction etc

It was a flaw in the system, so they introduced the DBS, but anyone with an existing CRB for their current job doesn't need to do a DBS.
Should there be an issue/conviction etc, or a job change in the future, then you will be required to do a DBS and that involves an expense to get it done and then an annual fee to keep it updated annually.

As far as I'm concerned, to anyone that should ask, I have been checked by OFSTED and cleared as being suitable to be around children, and remain that way through regular inspections.
Should my status change, I would be struck off :thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hello you

Hi everyone,

What you are all saying is that it is impossible to update the CRB, why?
Thank you all

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With the old CRB you couldn't request your own check.

I did think it was the same with the new DBS. I thought you could only apply for one if your employer (or in our case, Ofsted) requested it.