Cleaners Marched Off School Premises Due to Lack of Background Checks

Last month, teachers at two schools in Scotland became aware that the agency cleaners that had been brought in to help shorthanded maintenance staff had not been subject to the required criminal record checks. In Scotland, school staff must have a PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Group) Check before they enter the premises to work.

These certificates, similar to the Enhanced DBS Check in England and Wales, are the highest level of criminal record checks available to employers. The checks reveal whether the person in question has anything on their record that would bar them from working with children. These checks are essential to ensure that students are protected from individuals who may cause them harm.

Teachers at the Inchinnan and Bargarran and St John Bosco schools had to ask the agency cleaners to leave the premises after discovering these checks had not been carried out. The cleaners had been drafted into several Renfrewshire schools due to a massive shortage of facilities management staff. Representatives from the council insist that this was an isolated incident that is now being investigated.

However, Councillor Eddie Devine, speaking to the Daily Record, was quick to point out that, “An isolated incident is an incident too many when it comes to children... If something were to happen, the person is damaged, you can’t undo the harm that’s been caused”. Even more worrying, according to one headteacher, the cleaners that were removed were just moved to another school to continue working.

When asked to comment, representatives from Renfrewshire council gave the following statement:

“All council-employed day cleaners working in Renfrewshire schools are fully PVG checked. Occasionally there is the requirement for additional agency cleaners to help supplement enhanced covid cleaning. When this happens PVG checks are undertaken as standard. We are looking into the circumstances of these cases to ensure all required checks are complete.”

In our experience as a DBS Umbrella Body, when staff are needed urgently it does tend to be the background checks that fall by the wayside. The situation reported here is symptomatic of what seems to be a wider problem across the UK. Safeguarding measures that are in place cannot and should not be ignored due to problems with staffing. These measures are in place as an absolute minimum to ensure that children are protected at school.

For more information about how Personnel Checks background screening solutions can aid your school, college or agency, get in touch! You can give us a call on 01254 355688 or drop us an email at letstalk@personnelchecks.co.uk