Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme for school job

Hi Friends,

I just got a job as an admin assistant at a primary school here, and I am going through all of the local council employment forms now.  Have any of you teachers/ school workers been required to produce your USA criminal background history (I don't have one!) in addition to filling out the UK CRB and PVGS forms?  I just want to give my new employers the heads up in case my start date will be delayed due to me starting the (I imagine) long process of obtaining a USA criminal background check.  I've been in the UK 8 years and have UK citizenship.

Thanks to anyone who can share their experience!

It's not a school, but I had a full DBS check for a volunteer organisation I help out on research/policy (even though I'm unlikely to come into contact with vulnerable populations), and I essentially warned them up front that I was American. They had me provide old U.S. addresses, and said the check might take longer than usual. But I ended up with a clean 'Enhanced Certificate' about 6 weeks later. Not sure if the same will apply to you, but it didn't seem to be a problem for anyone at the organisation, nor did I have to make any extra efforts. Others specifically in the education sector will probably have more targeted advice to offer.

Thanks for your reply, hms_seahorse-  I'll be sure to post what ends up happening regarding the background checks

I had to get PVG/Disclosure checked for my job, and was worried about it being delayed.  Turns out, according to my boss, it took less time for the to clear my US record than it took to clear hers from England & Wales!  So I really wouldn't stress about that.

As for a Criminal Records check, are they asking for something specific?  I.e., do they want something from the FBI, or from each local police dept where you've lived for the past x years?  Find out what they want, specifically, and just let them know that the more different agencies you need to contact, the longer it might take.

As for making actual requests for records... I'd just google it.  The process is likely to be different in each department, but probably not actually difficult.  Just time-consuming.

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Thanks so much for your reply Woadgrrl- the only reason I was concerned about the USA check was that on the paperwork the council sent me, it said if you are "from overseas" you will need to provide relevant police background checks and will have to pay for them yourself; I am hoping that it refers more to people who have travelled to the UK for the job, rather than a settled naturalised British Citizen, but that could be wishful thinking!  I am heading to the council tomorrow to hand in my paperwork and show them my identification documents, so we'll see what they say- I'll report back!  Yout story about your quick USA check gives me hope! Ahh I am a true citizen now, working for the Council

It could depend. My experience this year was I was told to get the FBI check that you have to get rolled prints for. So I sent all that off in June and have had nothing back since. I did include a Feb 2015 BCI check instead with my DBS paperwork.

It was more difficult to get the UK one because I had no mail to verify my address for a while since I had just arrived. In the end the DBS was back before the end of September, but I was still in my school teaching, I just had to have a cover supervisor in with me to assure the safety of the children.