CRB - the gold standard in football
The FA’s commitment to safeguarding children in football continues with Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on FA Licensed Agents and applicants.
The CRB check has been branded the gold standard in football. It’s not a panacea, but it is another way for The FA to ensure it is doing the best for children and young people.
What are CRB checks?
CRB checks are a way of checking people’s history to make sure they do not have any convictions that might mean they are not eligible to work as a Licensed Agent.
The FA only uses checks called Enhanced Disclosures which are currently renewable after three years.
CRB checks allow The FA to find out: about the criminal record of an individual, whether there are ongoing police investigations and whether there are any other concerning situations in which the individual is involved.
This means The FA will know, for example, if someone has had court orders made against them, if children have been taken into care or if an individual is under surveillance, for example for downloading child pornography.
The individual applying for the check receives a document which will be identical to that received by The FA CRB Unit. The Unit may also receive 'additional information' detailing ongoing, covert operations or sensitive information regarding an individual’s background. This arrives in a separate letter which the applicant will not see.
Do I need to do a CRB check?
Yes – The FA has a rolling programme that aims to ensure that all Licensed Agents and applicants have completed satisfactory disclosures.
I already have an Enhanced Disclosure. Do I need another one?
Some individuals may already have completed CRB disclosures either through their existing line of work or through The FA or a County FA. Unfortunately, The FA is not able to accept previous disclosures and the individual will need to complete a new disclosure through The FA CRB Unit.
This is for two reasons: some bodies may not have made the required identity checks in line with CRB recommendations, and different roles - even those within football - require different levels of tests depending on the nature of their work and the access they have to children and vulnerable adults. Furthermore, a disclosure is a snapshot in time and strictly speaking, it loses its timeliness as soon as it is printed, it is therefore important to have information that is as up to date as possible.
How is information stored? Are my family likely to see it?
The Disclosure Certificate comes addressed to you as Private and Confidential. Apart from with those people responsible for making the licensing (or 'recruitment') decision, The FA will not disclose information regarding your offending or anything else on the certificate.
The FA keeps all this information in strictest confidence and makes a decision on whether the individual is an acceptable person to be able to work in football.
This means the disclosure information from the CRB is: Not passed on to any club, league or County FA, not put in the public domain and not even stored once the application decision is made.
This is important because we have heard reports where individuals have been concerned that old offences may become public and cause embarrassment or prejudice. This is not the case.
I offended in the past. Will I be allowed to act as a Licensed Agent?
We cannot easily answer that. The FA has to look at each certificate individually and make a risk assessment based on the requirements of the role of a Licensed Agent. The FA’s decision is based solely on relevant and significant information. Where there are concerns, you will be asked to provide further information regarding the nature of your offence(s) and your rehabilitation since offending.
Generally, youth offending, single offences and offences with a long period of elapsed time since conviction are considered less serious. The FA will always be fair but has to uphold a standard of integrity to protect the game and its participants.
By contrast, patterns of offending or recent cases of, for example, abuse, violence, drugs or dishonesty will be considered very seriously when the decision is made.
You are advised to read the attached Protocols, Procedures and Policy document for the Test of Good Character and Reputation for FA Licensed Agents before completing the Application Form. Click here to download this
What decision is made on the basis of CRB checks?
There are three options:
Accepted: This allows the individual to continue the Licensed Agent application process and enables other clubs, leagues and organisations to know The FA sees no reason why this individual cannot work in football.
Rejected: This means that the individual is not considered suitable to become a Licensed Agent and his application should therefore be rejected. This decision can be appealed against through The FA Agents Panel.
Referred: This means there is some concern about the contents of the CRB Disclosure and further investigation is needed. The FA will typically write to the individual and ask for explanations for the offending and/or references.
The FA may also contact local police forces for clarification on offences, for example to establish the age of victims.
All decisions are made with care and every case is treated on its own merits.
How long does the CRB process take?
To begin the process, you need to complete and return the relevant form and fee to The FA CRB Unit. This form will be sent to you upon submission of your FA Licensed Agent application form and fee.
CRB checks take at least two weeks to complete and typically take around a month. Sometimes the process can take considerably longer. This may be due simply to the local police force or the complexity of the applicant’s record. Delays can also be caused where forms have not been filled in properly and The FA CRB Unit’s guidance is not followed.
There is a freephone help and enquiry line: 0800 085 0506, or an e-mail service for anyone with queries: crb@TheFA.com. All calls and e-mails are treated in confidence. Help and guidance can usually be provided swiftly.
There is a fee of £59 for the CRB check which should be sent to The FA CRB Unit together with your completed CRB Disclosure form.
The FA CRB Unit can take no liability for lost documentation so we strongly recommend that you send all documents to us by Recorded Delivery.
Further contacts
For more information on the CRB process, you can go to www.disclosure.gov.uk.
If you would like more details about the rehabilitation of offenders and best practice, please contact Nacro. Their website address is: www.nacro.org.uk.
