Benefits for employers
Disclosures are not a compulsory part of every recruitment process - they are only a requirement on some circumstances. However, Basic Disclosures are not specific to just one job - they can form a useful part of any thorough recruitment process.
Benefits
The benefits of using basic disclosure as part of your recruitment process include:
- Helping you ensure that inappropriate people are not selected
- Helping to keep your customers' safety at the centre of your recruitment policy
- Helping to promote a culture of transparency within your organisation, and positioning you as a responsible corporate citizen
Informing applicants
If you plan to use the Basic Disclosure as part of your recruitment process, you must:
- Always advise applicants of this at the outset
- Tell them it will contain details of any unspent convictions
- Gain prior written consent from the applicant
Irrespective of who pays for the Disclosure, the Disclosure and any information contained on it is the property of the applicant and remains so until he or she disposes of it. Only one copy of a Basic Disclosure is issued.
The role of Disclosure Scotland
Disclosure Scotland does not have direct influence on employment decisions as they are made by the employer or relevant organisation. We only process the Disclosure application and include information available from criminal history systems and, where appropriate, from police forces.
Validity period
Disclosures carry no pre-determined period of validity or absolute guarantee of accuracy. Standard and Enhanced Disclosures will be position specific and considered valid only at the time of their issue. The Code of Practice prescribes that Disclosure information must not be used for purposes other than those for which it has been provided. It is recommended that a new Disclosure be sought for each new recruit or when someone is moving to another post - where the posts are appropriate for Disclosure.
Where disclosure can help
Though there are prescribed positions where Standard or Enhanced Disclosure is essential, Basic Disclosure can be a positive benefit in a variety of other work situations, such as:
- Where staff deal with the public
- Where staff enter customers' homes as a regular part of their work
- Where staff have access to personal or financial customer information
- Where you place agency employees with your clients
Re-checking your staff
There is no legislation which prevents you seeking further disclosures on staff you have already checked, or carrying out retrospective checking. As an organisation, you must decide whether this is required. The individual needs to give their consent, prior to any such application.
