I've received my Disclosure and it contains criminal convictions or further information. Does this mean that I will not get the job?
Disclosure Scotland does not have direct influence on employment decisions as they are made by the prospective employer – we only process the Disclosure application and include information available from the criminal history systems and, where appropriate, from police forces on Disclosure certificates.
We consider it important, however, that employers do not disqualify someone solely on the basis of having been convicted. It is important that employers should reach a balanced judgement having regard to factors such as:-
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the nature of the offence *
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Its relevance to the post, position or profession in question *
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How long ago the offence took place
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The person’s age at the time
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Whether it was an isolated offence or part of a pattern of offending
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What is know about the person’s conduct and character before or since
* (the nature of some offences or inclusion on certain lists, such as the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003, can be enough to disqualify someone from specific posts).
Further information in relation to recruitment of offenders and ex-offenders is available from Apex Scotland.
Apex Scotland, in association with Disclosure Scotland and the Scottish Government, provides an advisory service to individuals, employers, voluntary organisations, etc. on how to interpret the information contained on Disclosure certificates. Information on the service is available HERE.
