CRB/DBS, a new clarification for GCN member clubs for 2013.

In early February 2013 I had to contact the CRB centre in Liverpool for clarification on potential checks for a club wanting to set up activities for under 18 members only. I was informed by the client advisor that the rules and regulations had changed again in late 2012 regarding CRB checks for any club set up solely for members aged under 18. The changes are as follows, CRB, (Criminal Record Bureau) is now referred to as DBS, (Disclosure and Barring Service). A DBS check may be needed for a volunteer working with children in certain areas, however there is no longer a mandatory requirement for club officials to have DBS checks to set up or run war gaming clubs for under 18s. A GCN member clubs CPP (Child Protection Policy) is now the most important document for under 18s at your club. Any GCN member club may apply for a DBS check if your committee deem it to be appropriate for that club. Any person wishing to have a DBS check may be eligible for a free DBS check, providing that they are in a volunteer role and not being paid. Further information and a downloadable pdf information pack is available from the www.gov.uk web site, https://www.gov.uk/crb-criminal-records-bureau-check Please note that the rules for DBS checks are different in Scotland and Northern Ireland. http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/apply/employers/ http://www.dojni.gov.uk/accessni

The information below should now be treated as a guideline only. In early March 2012 I contacted the CRB centre in Liverpool by telephone to have some clarification in regards to the changes made to the rules for GCN member clubs needing to have CRB checks for their committee members. I was told by the advisor, as I had been informed previously, that the rules for CRBs had been relaxed. As a result most clubs would be no longer be required to have compulsory CRB checks, unless the club wanted to have the checks done. Obviously we have to take the clubs in our network individually on a club by club basis, and some clubs may still need to have the CRB checks carried out.

The advisor to whom I spoke at length was satisfied that the GCN constitution/club rules and child protection policy were up to a good standard, and that we were doing everything correctly by informing clubs that they may no longer require CRB checks. The bottom line is that most, if not all of the clubs in the network will now no longer need to have CRB checks carried out, on provision that the club has a constitution/set of rules and child protection policy (CPP) to the standard of the GCN or better. Most war gaming clubs in the UK will now fall into five categories. These are: 1 Clubs that do not allow members under the age of 18. 2 Clubs that are set up solely for members under the age of 18. 3 Clubs that have only a small number of members under the age of 18. 4 Clubs that have members approximately split 50/50 between under 18 and adult. 5 Clubs that have more under 18 members than adult members. Notes: 1 These clubs do not need to have CRB/BDS checks and do not require a child protection policy, provided that they do not intend to have anyone in the venue under the age of 18 as a full member of the club. 2 These clubs may require all the persons involved in the running the club to have enhanced DBS checks should that clubs committee decide that they want to, however it is no longer a mandatory requirement to do so. 3 These clubs do not need to have CRB/DBS checks, although they may get CRB/DBS checks if they think they have sufficient reason to do so. The club must have a good set of club rules/constitution with a defined disciplinary procedure and a child protection policy to the standard of the GCN or better. GCN member cubs will already have fulfilled this criteria when signing the Member Charter as part of the GCN application process. 4 These clubs do not need to have CRB/DBS checks, although they may get CRB/BDS checks if they think they have sufficient reason to do so. However, at the very least the club must have a good set of club rules/constitution with a defined disciplinary procedure and a child protection policy to the standard of the GCN or better. 5 These clubs do not need to undertake CRB/DBS checks, however the club may choose to have CRB/DBS checks for its committee depending on the age (and number) of some of the younger members. Having CRB/DBS checks may be the recommended course of action for clubs in this situation. However, at the very least the club must have a good set of club rules/constitution with a defined disciplinary procedure and a child protection policy to the standard of the GCN or better.

Please note that as of 1st March 2012 the GCN can no longer carry out free CRB or DBS checks. This is as a direct result of the rules being relaxed, we no longer need to do as many checks for clubs and as such the GCN now fail to meet the minimum criteria to allow us to carry on being an umbrella body. The Gov.uk web site has all the information your club needs for obtaining checks. For your reference CRB/DBS checks now cost 26.00 for a Standard check and 44.00 for an Enhanced check, if you are not eligible for a free check. I would advise reading all the notes for obtaining CRB/DBS checks and costs on the web site carefully or contact the customer services/client advisors who can assist you further.

Anthony Barnes GCN President.