News story: Announcing the new UK Criminal Records Trade Body (CRTB)

The group, called the Criminal Records Trade Body (CRTB) will form a committee within the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS).

The CRTB is open to all organisations registered with the DBS, Disclosure Scotland and Access NI. They will work together to promote a culture of safeguarding and referral.

The group will provide an authoritative and independent voice, representing a wide range of sectors using criminal record check information, during an unprecedented period of change and digitilisation of services. Aims and objectives of the group include:

• supporting the UK’s safeguarding agenda
• encouraging the adoption of enhanced identity verification processes
• supporting candidates and users in understanding eligibility of checks, and highlighting the work of SAFERjobs in preventing employment screening scams
• contributing and commenting on the development of policy and legislation
• promoting best practice and awareness of overseas criminal record checks

Founding members explained:

The group will play a vital role in supporting the UK’s criminal record agencies to engage with a network of organisations who access criminal record check information.

The group hopes to attract organisations, and individuals, passionate about criminal record checking across a wide range of sectors and engage in dialogue to improve existing processes that will support the safeguarding agenda.

Sue Smith, DBS Director of Safeguarding said, “we welcome the formulation of the CRTB and look forward to engaging with its members as we continue to improve the services offered by the DBS to help protect vulnerable groups in our society.”

The CRTB is founded by: Atlantic Data, Credence, Experian, GB Group, Reed and Security Watchdog.

If you are interested in joining the CRTB, then please register your interest with the NAPBS by emailing CRTB@napbs.org.uk.