Sector leaders oppose charging volunteers for portable criminal records checks
Friday, 23 December 2011
23rd December 2011
We are calling on the Government to affirm its commitment to volunteering by making portable Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks free to volunteers.
Whilst the Government has confirmed that CRB checks themselves will remain free for volunteers, a decision has yet to be made about the cost of the online system that will ensure volunteers will not have to be checked every time they begin a new role.
In the current system CRB checks are free but not portable, but Government risks solving one problem only to create another if in the proposed new system they are portable but not free.
If the cost of the online system is passed on to volunteers, it would provide a perverse incentive to apply for a new check for each role. This would represent additional costs and unnecessary bureaucracy for the organisations involved.
Some of us have already conveyed our concerns to Government that any costs could have a negative effect on volunteering. Therefore while volunteers across the country tirelessly continue to give their time for the benefit of our communities, we ask Government to ensure they are not burdened with unnecessary paperwork and costs.
Justin Davis Smith CBE
Chief Executive, Volunteering England
And
Sir Stephen Bubb
Chief Executive, ACEVO
John Ramsey
Head of Volunteering, Age UK
Karen Sparkes
Head of Volunteering, Barnado’s
Sir Nicholas Youn
Chief Executive, British Red Cross
Tom Flood CBE
Chief Executive, BTCV
Lynne Berry OBE
Vice Chair, Canal and River Trust
Maggie Jones
Chief Executive, Children England
Clive Martin
Director, CLINKS
Denise King
Chief Executive, Girl Guiding UK
Lucy de Groot
Chief Executive, CSV
Jeff Skip
Chief Executive, Deafblind UK
Sonia Douek
Head of Volunteering, Jewish Care
Ruth Bravery
Director of Volunteering, Marie Curie Cancer Care
Helen Timbrell
Director of Volunteering, The National Trust
Kevin Curley
Chief Executive, NAVCA
Sir Stuart Etherington
Chief Executive, NCVO
Susanne Rauprich
Chief Executive, NCYVS
Lesley-Anne Alexander
Chief Executive, RNIB
Alan Murray
Head of Volunteering Development, RSPB
Tim Lamb
Chief Executive, Sport and Recreation Alliance
Paul Woodward
Chief Executive, Sue Ryder Care
Derek Twine
Chief Executive, The Scout Association
Helen Varley
Volunteer Services Manager, Sported
Jon Barrick
Chief Executive, The Stroke Association
Terry Ryall
Chief Executive, ‘v’ The National Young Volunteer Service
Vandna Gohil
Director, Voice 4 Change
David McCullough
Chief Executive, WRVS
