How do I get the Criminal Background Check checkmark? There’s a woman not far from me who has that checkmark – how do I get it?
Do you mean, how do you get yourself a Disclosure and Debarring Certificate? In the UK this is now known as DBS. It was a Criminal Records Check (CRB).
All UK teachers must have a current DBS. Schools will normally pay for their teachers to have a check. However, anyone can apply for a DBS. You should go to Gov.uk and search DBS. The site will tell you how to apply. However, there is a cost involved. I think it was about £45-£50 about 6 years ago.
Once you have a DBS, you can join the DBS ‘Update Service’ whereby you pay £13 per year to keep your DBS status. You must apply to the update service within about 30 days of achieving your initial DBS status.
The advantage of a DBS is that you can prove instantly that you have a clear criminal record and can work with children and vulnerable adults.
You are given a code number which you can give to organisations who can access your DBS status and view your clean slate for themselves.
I’m part of the Update Service and it is a very valuable tool. I applied for m6 own DBS so I don’t need a second DBS from THS.
No, I mean a checkmark for a US sitter that says she’s completed a criminal background check.
Like this person:
https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/house-and-pet-sitters/united-states/ohio/hamilton/l/388773/
Oh I see. The ‘check’ is similar to a UK check. If you’d mentioned that you were talking in US terms only, I’d have understood more readily.
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Hi Val. I got what you meant even though I am from Canada.
I have this mark on my profile also, because THS offered some years ago an option to pay for that service to be provided by a third party. This organization doesn’t offer the service anymore. I think we had to pay something around 100$ CD to have that criminal background checked .
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Hi Val as @Brigitte has said in the past we did offer members the option of applying for a paid Criminal Background check via a third party company, once approved this was denoted by the icon on the sitters profile (I have one on mine)
The Criminal Background Check is something we are discussing, if there is any progress the product team will update.
There are sitters who complete the process through their local law enforcement agency, I have one via the RCMP in BC, Canada. The information is then included in their profile text stating that the sitter will provide a copy on request.
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@Angela_L I do have a criminal background check from a local agency, completed in 2018, and I’d love to be able to have that checked off on my profile. I mention it in my profile, but that’s not as good as having that checkmark. How can I get THS to put that checkmark on my profile?
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Hi Val the icons were added after the official process was confirmed by the third party company, obtaining clearance outside of the official process is not managed in the same way.
@Val We are looking into CBC checks and other suppliers. Will keep this thread updated on any news/changes over the coming months.
Thanks, Ben
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I’m a teacher in the UK. Like all teachers here , I have a DBS of my own so I don’t need to pay for a second through THS. However, if THS could enable notice of this to be placed on my profile, that would be great. Of course, I would provide THS with proof of my UK Update Service membership, and you can then check it online yourselves for validation.
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I’m glad we got ours done before they cancelled this.
I kind of wondered about it though. We could only do one of us, me since I set up the account, but not my spouse. I always thought that was only partially helpful to a HO.
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Did you have to pay for the BC background check? If so, do you remember how much it was?
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Hi yes I did @Kelownagurl but I can’t remember how much, I don’t believe it was a significant amount as I would have remembered
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/crime-prevention/criminal-record-check
I’m not really sure of the use of this, we didn’t bother pay when THS offered it, as it was a noticeable sum. It was only for me, not my husband, and really all it means is that at the moment of application you haven’t been caught for anything…
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I agree. The main reason I did it was because I wanted to be able to “compete” with other sitters. It seemed like a lot of sitters had one at that time, and I didn’t want to be passed over, simply because there were two sitters and only one had a criminal record check done.
If I was a home owner and I had two equal applicants, I’d probably choose the one with the CRC.
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Agree, the main reason I want that checkmark is because other sitters have it and I feel like if I don’t, it looks like I’m hiding something. Homeowners don’t know that the reason one sitter has the checkmark and another doesn’t is because THS is no longer offering that checkmark.
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I think this is a great option. As a HO in the U.S. I would love to be able to choose a sitter who has gone through the criminal background check. Some people in the U.S. (such a school teachers and other professionals) have already gone through this background check because of their job. Could they use this status on the TH site (not sure if it works that way.). Any how, I do think this option would be a plus.
Hi @mmdt At one time we did offer this option to our global membership but had issues with the provider and subsequently sourcing a replacement provider. Currently this option is only open to US members.
There are many members who have this clearance due to professional requirements, I did as a volunteer with the Canadian SPCA and included this in my profile copy with the messaging that I would forward a copy on request., I know there are other members who follow the same process although there is no “official” recognition, a point for the team to consider.
Yes I actually called the company offering it out on this, as, as being an ex-justice dept worker I would have found it VERY strange that a commercial working company could actually even profess to gaining access to criminal or and personal background records here in the Netherlands unless they were part of Europol/Interpol. Must say their reply did not infuse and further trust in the legality of the company as they never even replied after the first we received your mail.
. I do have the highest possible criminal background check as as I say, I worked within the JD and I know first hand there is no way a commercial company should be able to get their hands on any information ( even I had to go via, via , via if I needed information on “clients” or colleagues and everything was cross checked and questioned at multiple levels