Exactly what does a disclosure check involve when applying for a job in the UK?

Question

Obviously a background check of some kind, but what does it involve: criminal, financial or mental health check? Detailed answers please, not just: "Your criminal past, gimme ten points."

Answer 1

I think people are getting carried away here. There are Four different types of disclosure. Firstly. After leaving school no records are kept other than your qualifications. The same are for colleges and Universities. For most jobs involving vunerable people there are two criminal checks. The first is general, relating to the sex offenders register and criminal records office, for offences that are not spent at the CRO. The other is an in depth search which includes the above and other police forces in the areas you have lived in PRO and depends of the type of care, public, private, or social. In view of you coming from another country these checks will be carried out via Interpol. There is a third check which relates to Government and senior jobs. These procedures are quite normal and a safe guard for you as well as the employer. Any criminal record that is over six years old and has only been committed the once is wiped off your CRO file, but will remain on the PRO, Depending on when the offense was committed, as records have largely not been transposed from later years. Lastly the other checks are with previous employers. Here again previous employers have to be careful in what they write and if in any doubt will refuse to reference the person other than the dates and type of employment. The last check which has to be sanctioned by a senior police officer relates to Members of Parliament, New Ministers and special services. Unless going for one of the latter jobs this will not include your finacial status. The other re your mental health will come under a medical certification and again other than the latter you will have to agree to a disclosure your self from your doctor. I dont know what country you are in but here in the UK you have to be made aware of these disclosure and agree to them. You do this in your application form by giving references and agreeing a search and you have to pay the fee.

Answer 2

I can't specifically say about UK, but mostly it involves doing a complete, and by that I mean really complete, background check of the applicant -- educational, work, criminal, financial, medical, family & friends, so it involoves basically everything you've every interacted with in ur life till that point.

Answer 3

I am a recruitment consultant and have to carry out these checks on a daily basis.
You have to declare your full address details for at least the last 5 years as a minimum.
They will then check with your local police station in each area if you have had a caution/been charged with anything, if you are ont he sex offenders register, etc.
If you are getting a job with the government they will also do an anti-terrorism check.

Answer 4

they look into your criminal record if you have one, they aren't bothered about parking fines etc

that is all basically

Answer 5

It is to find out from any source if you are on any offender lists, etc.