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What should you know about

Access NI?

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Access NI is a criminal history disclosure service in Northern Ireland. By law, some employers must check your criminal history before they recruit. When asked by these employers, Access NI supplies criminal history information about job applicants, volunteers and employees.

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Access NI produces a disclosure certificate for every check and searches your details against UK criminal records and police information, these searches may disclose criminal history to certain employers and organisations.

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As well as our safeguarding policy, YFCU are required by law to carry out an Enhanced Access NI check for every person involved in YFCU who has contact with children or vulnerable adults. All staff and volunteers with substantial access to children, young people and adults, and who hold regulated positions as set out in the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Order 2003 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007, are required to have completed an enhanced disclosure check through Access NI.

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The purpose of the check is to make sure that people who might be unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable people are not appointed for any roles. The process is highly confidential and applicants can be assured that adverse reports received through the vetting process will be taken into account only when it is considered relevant to the role. All disclosures are seen in the context of the role and the nature of the information. Members with leadership roles (such as Top Officials) have unsupervised access to under 18's (regarded as regulated activity) and so we are required to carry out an Access NI check.

 

​What happens after you submit an application?

Following the application process, YFCU will complete an enhanced check on the applicant and you should be aware that:

  • The Children's Barred List will be searched and YFCU will be informed if there are any convictions. YFCU will not be issued with the details and it will be up to the individual, if they want to share them at this stage.

  • It is against the law for employers to employ someone or allow them to volunteer for this kind of work if they know they’re on one of the barred lists. Equally, it is against the law for someone currently on the barred list to apply for positions requiring barred list checks. 

  • By completing a disclosure form for any position in YFCU, you are agreeing to the above information being disclosed to YFCU, and appropriate action being taken thereafter.

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How do you complete an Access NI check?

Club Leaders, Secretaries and Presidents are required to complete an application upon taking up the role, and are a new application is required annually, even if you have held the role before.

  1. Click on the white button at the bottom of this page to navigate to the NI Direct website and complete the check online.

  2. Once on the website, scroll down to the green button and select 'Create or log in to an AccessNI nidirect account or apply for an enhanced check'.

  3. Sign in if you have an existing account or create an account.

  4. When promoted to enter a Personal Identification Number, enter '451466'. This PIN code is linked directly to YFCU Headquarters office.

  5. Contact your Club Mentor or an Executive member and ask them to verify your three forms of ID. You will need to photocopy your ID and your Club Mentor or an Executive member will need to sign and date them. The verification of ID can either be face to face or via a video call. You must email your completed PIN form, along with the signed copies of ID to Ruth Megahey (Business Services Manager) at ruth.megahey@yfcu.org.​

  6. Once received by Headquarters, your application can be processed and, if approved by Access NI, you will receive your certificate to the email address you provided upon application.

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YFCU are the ‘Registered Body’ and must:

  • Ensure that applications for Access NI certificates are completed accurately and that all data fields, as determined by Access NI as mandatory, are completed in full.

  • Verify the identity of the applicant prior to the submission of an application for an Access NI certificate by following the current guidelines issued by Access NI.

  • Ensure that the applicant details on the disclosure application match those on the identity documentation

  • Ensure that any person undertaking identity verification checks on their behalf follows the current guidelines issued by Access NI.

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