Why are some applicants asked to have a criminal records check?
As you will appreciate, there is a need to be particularly careful about the character and background of any one whose work or training will bring them into contact with the vulnerable. Cardiff Metropolitan University offers a number of courses during which students will spend a considerable amount of time working with children or vulnerable people and as a result applicants who receive an offer for one of these courses (and intend to take up the place) are required to undergo a criminal records check prior to the start of their course.

Who are the Criminal Records Bureau?
The Criminal Records Bureau  or ‘CRB’ was conceived under Part V of the Police Act of 1997 largely in response to public concern about the safety of children and vulnerable adults. It is an Executive Agency of the Home Office set-up to help organisations make safer recruitment decisions.

For more information on the CRB please click here. http://www.crb.gov.uk/ 

Do I need to do a criminal records check?
If your course involves you coming into contact with children and young or vulnerable people then you will be asked to carry out a criminal records check.
Students who are studying in the areas of Education, Housing, Complementary Therapies, Dietetics, Podiatry and Speech & Language Therapy will be asked to do a check as standard.

It is possible that students studying in other areas will also be asked to carry out a criminal records check as part of their course but you do not need to carry one out unless asked.

How does Cardiff Metropolitan University carry out its criminal records checks?
Cardiff Metropolitan University uses two application forms to carry out its criminal records checks:

• A ‘self declaration form’ which asks you to declare any warnings, criminal cautions and convictions and to agree to keep us informed of any subsequent cautions or convictions.
• A Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) application form which is sent to the CRB for checks to be made and a disclosure to be issued.

You must tell Cardiff Metropolitan University about any relevant convictions, i.e. those convictions for offences against the person, whether of a violent or sexual nature and convictions for offences involving unlawfully supplying controlled drugs or substances where the conviction concerns commercial drug dealing or trafficking.

Having a conviction will not automatically exclude you from the application process but we may need to consider your application further.

I have already got a CRB disclosure that is not from Cardiff Metropolitan University;
do I need a new one?
Cardiff Metropolitan University may be able to accepts an Enhanced disclosure from another organisation. Please see section on CRB Disclosure Portability.

If Cardiff Metropolitan University can accept the disclosure we will also require you to complete our Self Declaration form.

Criminal records checks for applicants who originate from outside of the UK
The university places the onus on applicants who have been resident in the UK for a limited period of time, to provide details of their criminal records history from their home country as well as undertaking a criminal records check for their time spent in the UK.

The applicant should endeavour to obtain the following (at the applicant’s cost):

• A 'certificate of good conduct' (police records check) from the relevant authorities confirming that the applicant has no criminal record from their home country. 
• Obtain verification of the ‘certificate of good conduct' by the relevant Consulate for that country within the UK (at the applicant’s cost).

All documents obtained from abroad must be translated (at the applicant’s cost) from the relevant language into English.

Applicants should contact the relevant foreign embassy for further information regarding the verification of documents.