Some local councils are wasting public money by making schools carry out unnecessary Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on staff, a teaching union has claimed.
The NASUWT said increasing numbers of local authorities are asking schools to check existing teachers’ records.
This “gross over-reaction” could cause distress to dedicated members of staff, it said.
Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said the checks would cause a financial burden to schools, as each costs £34, and councils insist that schools foot the bill.
After a tightening of the rules last month, schools are now required to complete CRB checks on all newly-appointed school employees.
Last week Personnel Today exclusively revealed that employers in the NHS are breaking the law by carrying out illegal CRB checks on all new staff.
New regulations, due to come into force in April, will mean that employers that abuse the CRB disclosure system could be banned from carrying out any checks.
