Schools in England could soon face a new staffing squeeze because of problems with the new system for running criminal record checks on temporary teachers.
The Criminal Records Bureau, which opened in March, is supposed to carry out checks for the education and health services within 15 working days but supply teacher agencies have complained that the process can take six weeks.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation, which represents employment agencies, said the Government had ignored warnings that the bureau underestimated demand before its delayed opening on March 11.
The bureau is managed by the Capita Group, which was criticised last week for its role in an adult training grant fiasco. A spokesman said: “The CRB is at present unable to meet the public standards targets, but is working with Capita to rectify the situation.
“We estimate that only 20 per cent of the necessary checks are issued within three weeks. We have got to hold our hands up to that.”
Supply agency Hays Education Personnel said that of nearly 1,000 applications it has made since March, only five have come back. Select Education said it has received fewer than 200 replies from 1,800 requests for checks.
Infant teacher Anne Lutrario, from Lewes, East Sussex, sent off her form on April 10 and is still waiting for clearance. A teacher for 30 years, she left her permanent job at the end of last term hoping to do supply work. “I am able to do the odd day at my old school,” she said. “But I feel uneasy that I am not able to work when and where I want. Some younger teachers I know are experiencing financial hardship because they are unable to work.”
A Government spokesman ruled out relaxing the rules on police checks to clear the backlog.
