Monthly update – March 2021
Thursday, 08 April 2021
We’ve just published our update for March 2021. This months update includes: New information on sexual offence convictions: what you need to know. An advice post setting out what you do (and do not) need to disclose when applying for a job with probation. A personal story which looks at the true cost of an IPP
- Published in Information Hub, News @ Unlock, News & Media
Some examples of people we’ve helped
Wednesday, 07 April 2021
Looking back over the last couple of months, we’ve written up a few examples of the people we’ve helped. We hope they give a good idea of how we help people. More importantly, we think that these examples show how people with convictions are able to overcome some of the barriers that have been put
Case study – Asher – Unlock helped me to get links to online information about my conviction removed
Wednesday, 07 April 2021
Asher contacted our helpline for advice on getting online information about his conviction removed. He explained that his conviction was almost 20 years old and was now spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. However, anybody who searched for his name online would very quickly find out about his conviction for theft which had resulted
- Published in Case studies - Helpline
Case study – Omar – Being told that I might be placed on a DBS barred list made me relive my conviction 24 years later
Wednesday, 07 April 2021
Omar contacted our helpline for some information and advice following receipt of a letter from the DBS stating that they were considering adding him to the adult and/or children’s barred list. Omar explained that in the late 1990’s when he was aged 14 he had been convicted of sexual activity in a public place. He
- Published in Case studies - Helpline
Case study – Donald – Getting support from Unlock to challenge an ineligible DBS check allowed me to keep my job with the NHS
Wednesday, 07 April 2021
Donald contacted our helpline looking for some information and advice relating to a risk assessment panel his employers had asked him to attend. Donald explained that he had been working in a management role for the NHS for two months. However following receipt of his enhanced DBS certificate which had disclosed his two convictions (one
- Published in Case studies - Helpline
An insight into Northern Ireland’s consultation on spending periods
Tuesday, 30 March 2021
The Northern Irish government has just completed their initial consultation on changing spending periods for criminal offences, spurred by a judicial review brought by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). While that is outside of Unlock’s normal catchment area, we have been following the case closely and working with our colleagues at NIACRO to
- Published in Latest, News @ Unlock, News & Media, News on policy issues
Monthly update – January 2021
Monday, 01 February 2021
We’ve just published our update for January 2021. This months update includes: An advice post on changes to immigration rules and travel to Europe from 1 January 2021. A personal story from an individual who has benefitted from changes to the filtering rules which came into effect in November 2020 and now has a clean DBS certificate.
- Published in Information Hub, News @ Unlock, News & Media
Take action on bad recruitment practice
Wednesday, 13 January 2021
Most employers ask about criminal records on application forms, and many carry out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks before making a final offer. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 allows some criminal records to become ‘spent’ after a crime-free period. This means they are no longer disclosable – for example to employers – enabling
- Published in Employment, Employment discrimination, Ineligible checks, Stop ineligible checks
Some examples of people we’ve helped
Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Looking back over the last couple of months, we’ve written up a few examples of the people we’ve helped. We hope they give a good idea of how we help people. However, more importantly than our role, we think that these examples show how people with convictions are able to overcome some of the barriers
Case study – Grace – Having a better understanding of criminal record check eligibility gave me the confidence to challenge an ineligible check
Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Grace contacted our helpline seeking advice around a DBS check which, was being carried out by a potential employer. She explained that approximately 3 years ago she had received a caution for child neglect and had been placed on the children’s barred list by the DBS. She went on to say that, having been offered
- Published in Case studies - Helpline
Case study – Noah – Getting the right information and advice from Unlock meant that I could continue on my university course
Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Noah contacted our helpline to find out how he could get a caution removed from his criminal record. Noah explained that he was in his second year at university studying for a degree in health and social care. He had scored highly in his first year exams and was looking forward to going into his
- Published in Case studies - Helpline
Case study – Terry – Opening a bank account has finally made me feel ‘normal’ again
Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Terry contacted our helpline from prison seeking help to open a bank account prior to his release. He stated that he had initially applied to NatWest Bank for a current account approximately one year ago. NatWest had refused his application as their qualifying criteria stated that individuals needed to be within 6 months of release from
- Published in Case studies - Helpline