POVA in England & Wales for care homes and domiciliary care agencies: A Practical Guide: Click here to download.

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POVAFirst checks are being made available only in very exceptional circumstances described in the Department of Health (DH) guidance [1] in which a "care worker" may be allowed to start work in a care home, for a domiciliary care agency or as a adult placement carer before a CRB Disclosure has been issued. Such cases are permissible only where it is necessary to take such action because of a real danger that staffing levels will otherwise fall below numbers required to meet statutory obligations. The Commission for Social Care Inspection will monitor applications for POVAFirst checks to ensure compliance with this criteria.

[1] [Protection of Vulnerable Adults Scheme in England and Wales for care homes and domiciliary care agencies: A Practical Guide, including changes to the requirement for Criminal Records Bureau Disclosures in certain circumstances, DH, 26 July 2004]

Who can use the POVAFirst service?
In the circumstances described above, POVAFirst is only available to Registered and Umbrella Bodies:
who are entitled to access the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list; and
who have requested a Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) check by placing a cross [X] in Y4 on the Disclosure application form; and
who have Payment on Account status; and
have an email facility.

Customers who use the services of an Umbrella Body can ask their Umbrella Body to access POVAFirst on their behalf, and should speak with their Umbrella Body to discuss how this can be arranged.

How long with it take?
The CRB will aim to issue 98% of POVAFirst results within 48 hours and 100% within 72 hours (weekends and bank holidays are excluded).

Please note that it can take a few days for the CRB to receive your Disclosure applications after you have posted it. The service standard only starts after the CRB has received a fully completed/valid Disclosure application form and a valid POVAFirst request.

Could my request be rejected?
The CRB will reject a POVAFirst request, if:
1. The Registered Body does not have payment on account.
2. If the details provided online do not match those on the corresponding Disclosure application form.
3. The CRB does not receive the corresponding Disclosure application form within 7 days of you completing the online POVAFirst application form.
4. The Disclosure has already been printed by the time the POVAFirst check was requested.
5. The Disclosure application form was incorrectly completed and had to be returned to the Registered Body.

In these circumstances the CRB will reply to the Countersignatory stating the reason(s) why the POVAFirst request has been rejected. If you still need a POVAFirst check, after receiving this rejection, please complete a new online request.

What is the policy on the retention, handling and storage of POVAFirst results?
The results of POVAFirst checks are classed as Disclosure information. They are, therefore, subject to the same provisions of the CRB Code of Practice and must be retained, handled and stored in the same manner.

Source: Criminal Records Bureau, copyright acknowledged.