CRB stands for Criminal Records Bureau.  CRB is the term which has come to refer to a check made by the Home Office/Police on the suitability of a person to be able to work with children and vulnerable people.  This can be on an employed basis or even a volunteer basis.

There are three levels of Disclosure: Basic, Standard and Enhanced. Depending on the type/level of check requested, it may contain details of spent and unspent convictions, reprimands, warnings and where appropriate, local police records. If a Disclosure contains no record of criminal convictions, it is generally considered to be a testament to good character and conduct.

Once a CRB check is completed, an Official Disclosure Certificate (also referred to as a disclosure document) is issued by the CRB showing the results of the check.

Most organisations where a CRB is required will ask you to undergo a CRB check even if you have had a recent CRB check. This is not always the case but is considered good safeguarding practice.