Child Protection
ISTD Voluntary CRB scheme

• Scheme Policies >>
• Participation >>
• ISTD Conditions for Participation >>

Nowadays it is vitally important that teachers are able to demonstrate that they are cleared to work with children. Not only that, but legally teachers must ensure that any staff employed are fit to work with children and many members working within the state education system, or renting local authority or church premises, have requested the facility of being checked through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

The clear message from teachers and principals is that child protection is a serious issue and they would like to go through the CRB checking process, ideally with some form of displayable document to recognise the fact.

The ISTD has partnered with Due Diligence Checking (DDC), a CRB Registered Umbrella Body, and has recently launched the ISTD Criminal Records Bureau Vetting Scheme.

Under the scheme the ISTD will act as a regulator and ask the exempted questions, so direct participants need to be ISTD members. However, non-members e.g. volunteer helpers, musicians, indeed anybody who, in the course of their paid or unpaid work with member schools will come into contact with children can still be checked via the schools.

All participants will be required to obtain a CRB check or Disclosure through DDC and, subject to this being satisfactory, the ISTD will issue a certificate to members (only) to verify that the process has been undertaken. Non ISTD members will be checked on behalf of the associated school, who will decide if they are suitable.

Whilst the Disclosure document itself cannot be publicly displayed, the ISTD certificate can, in the same way that a teaching qualification can. However, unlike a qualification, because the CRB can only check the records as they stand at the time they issue the Disclosure, the scheme requires that the checks are re-run every 2 years at which time the ISTD certificate will be replaced.

Participation in the scheme is voluntary, schools who teach under 18's are strongly encouraged to participate.

Scheme Policies
The ISTD have formal policies to support the scheme which undertake:

• not to treat unfairly any applicant who does have any criminal convictions (these do not include motoring offences other than "Driving with Excess Alcohol" and "Causing Death by Dangerous Driving")

• to assess the relevance and seriousness of any convictions in the context of the applicant's role. Applicants with convictions will need to provide an independent risk assessment from a recognised, independent and professionally qualified body.

• to ensure that any Disclosure information is only seen by those who need to for the running of the scheme.

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Participation
ISTD members wishing to participate in the scheme should provide their name, address and telephone number to DDC on:

tel 0845 644 3298
fax 0845 644 3299
email ISTD@ddc.uk.net

DDC will supply application forms for both the ISTD scheme and a CRB Disclosure. These should be completed and be returned, with the required documentation, to DDC (envelope provided) enclosing a cheque for £53.63. Applicants who have an existing Disclosure should call DDC to see if it is acceptable for the purposes of the scheme. A VAT receipt will be included when the documentation is returned within 48 hours.

When the process is complete the ISTD will issue up to 5 copies of the certificate (for those that work in multiple locations) based on the number requested on the ISTD application form. These will be invoiced separately at £5.00 each.

Schools wishing to check non-ISTD members will need to open a separate account with DDC (free) and where these are volunteer helpers the fee is reduced to £15 + VAT.

The same £15 + VAT fee applies to ISTD members who have acceptable existing Disclosures.

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ISTD Conditions for Participation
Applicants must agree to:

• Notify the ISTD in the event that they are charged with any criminal offence subsequent to the issue of the CRB Disclosure.

• Notify the ISTD in the event that they are the subject of any report made under the Protection of Children Act 2000 and submitted after the issue date of the CRB Disclosure.

• Co-operate fully in the ISTD's process for evaluating the seriousness and relevance of any information shown on the Disclosure.

• Permit the ISTD to retain on file any relevant information about them needed to operate the scheme and any information that may be required to assess their suitability to participate in it, subject to such information being known to the participant and accessible by them.

• Re-new their membership of the scheme every 24 months or sooner at the specific request of the ISTD.

• Return upon request all certificates issued by the ISTD.

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Many teachers have been in contact with the ISTD concerning the current situation with regard to Child Protection, and some have been asked for Child Protection Policies and to undergo checking.

Different pieces of legislation will affect dance teachers, depending on how, when, where and whom they teach. The most current legislation covering the issues of teachers being fit to work with children are the Protection of Children Act 1999, and the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2000. Under this latter piece of legislation it is a criminal offence for someone to apply for or accept any work if he or she is disqualified from working with children, and teachers may therefore be asked to provide child protection policies and undergo checks particularly if they are working in state schools, or on local authority premises. The Criminal Record Bureau has developed a scheme giving a disclosure of someone's record, but this is only available through a registered organisation, at a fee of £12 per person. Checks are not mandatory if you are running your own school. It is good practice however, to write your own child protection policy so that it is available to any interested party.

Useful guidance and information is included in 'Dance Teaching Essentials', available from Dance UK and the CDET (£6 each plus £1 p&p for their members).

Further information and a wide range of advice is available from:

Department of Health - document 'A Practical Guide to the Act for all Organisations working with Children' available from:
Department of Health
PO Box 777
London, SE1 6XH
To see this document click here >>>

Criminal Records Bureau
Tel: 0870 9090811
Website: www.disclosure.gov.uk

NSPCC - has put together a self-help pack designed to help small organisations and individuals in developing child protection. The document 'Firstcheck: a step by step guide for organisations to safeguard children' is available for £29.95.
Tel: 0808 800 500
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk

Council for Dance Education and Training
Tel: 020 7247 4030
Website: www.cdet.org.uk

English Amateur Dancesport Association have information on a child protection policy on their website: www.eada.org.uk
Tel: 0114 255 5236

They also have Child Protection Officers who will give guidance:
Jean Hodgkiss
Lead Child Protection Officer
Tel: 01372 842807
email: eada.cpo@ntlworld.com

Christine Millward
Regional Child Protection Officer (North)
Tel: 01384 895181

Janice Stevens
Regional Child Protection Officer (South)
Tel: 01435 882901

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