More checks on overseas staff

People from overseas who want to work with children and vulnerable adults in the UK will face stricter vetting under plans published by the Criminal Records Bureau.

Australia has already agreed that the CRB can obtain and disclose its criminal records information, and work will start shortly with Canada and later with the US, states the CRB’s five-year strategy and business plan for 2006-7.

The measure is in line with a recommendation in the Bichard report into the Soham murders. It will initially be applied to countries where there is significant workforce migration to the UK and criminal records are compliant with those here.

The CRB said that extending checks outside the UK was “fraught due to legislative, political and technical barriers”. Its strategy also has plans to make its services electronically accessible as some forms had less than a 20 per cent return rate.

From www.crb.org.uk