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Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Aradia — Tue, 26 May 2026 13:54:23 GMT

So I thought I would start a post where everyone in a similar position to me can post any ideas of what has worked for them and what didn't work.This can range from training to self employment to employed work. I will list everything I have managed to do with an SO. I still have 2.5 years before mine is unspent. I can't sit here till then.

Clean Sheet - Just started with this company. They call me up every 2 weeks to ask how the job search is going. They have an employment portal with vaccines. Most are out of my area or don't accept SO applications.
Nacro - They actually got me a job once. I had a guy calling me every 3 days checking up on me. Applying for me. Really super proactive. That was over two years ago. I tried to get in contact with them again but all they do is send me generic links I should check out.
OffPloy - The job centre tried to get me on their books. But I was basically ignored. Tried 3 times. All they said. They were waiting for funding.

Self employment; I would really love any extra ideas that people could suggest. I wish I knew someone personally who had started an ebay business who I could learn off. The whole process seems daunting. But if I could sit here all day taking pictures of items and listing them. It would be ideal.

Education/Training.
Go train. Managed to do a course with them. Never actually got a certificate, got told the whole class failed. Because the teacher taught us all wrong?? I didn't really care at the time. Just glad to be out the house
ACL - Managed to do a maths and forklift course with them.

So yeah as the title states. Lets start a post and try to help each other though this difficult time in our lives.

Agnecy's - I have gone down to sign up for them in the past. Taking all my I.D etc. Then just get ignored.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Stersco83 — Tue, 26 May 2026 13:54:23 GMT

Fun suggestion for Aradia.

Apply to be an extra on TV shows and films.

They only do basic DBS checks, no experience needed, lots of travelling and interaction etc, and you can earn a living.

If like me you live in Scotland it's even richer pickings.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Richie — Mon, 25 May 2026 22:58:43 GMT

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[b]Aradia - 24 May 26 8:49 PM[/b]

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[b]Richie - 22 May 26 9:23 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 21 May 26 5:10 PM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 5 May 26 10:54 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 3 May 26 11:31 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Just with regard to this general thread.

I have this all beat.

I walked straight back into my old job, didn't bother telling anyone about the conviction, nobody bothered asking. Just got done giving a speech in the House of Lords. Nobody will believe that the sad sack who committed the crime in the news article is the same one living this constructively.

On top of the world.

It's not a tale of noble redemption and truth-telling though. I sort of brazen it out. I'm so busy living constructively, nobody can quite believe I'm the same guy in the news article. If they find it they shrug it off.

Also a combination of factors means that I have a clean criminal record dating from an earlier point than most people assume is possible. Sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in 2016. Clean record in 2022.

As of this moment, I'm still on the SOR!

[/quote]

Hi
Though I am extremely pleased you have managed to regain employment I wonder what your offence was? I ask this not being nosey but to try and understand partially why the "acceptance" was so easily given especially given the default societal bias. Please note I am very pleased for you.

It may be my grey cells are tied but I do not understand the "lords" comment? lol

Otherwise, I hope others are as fortunate as yourself, and please offer your support to others not as fortunate.

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

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Some people did find out, but I see now I should have been a bit more helpful with my story.

Rather than just brag about my combination of brass and good luck, let's see if I can unpack the lessons in my experience, for other people, and you can take from it what you want to take from it.

First of all my employer is not the local nursery school. I was living in Scotland working as a consultant for a little constellation of biotech companies in Oxford / Cambridge , California and Hong Kong (who I would sometimes visit personally). In normal times there is some discontinuity of work anyway, so 9 months' absence (caused by prison) is not some great enigma that everyone's going to demand answers for.

Just as my career was taking off, I was arrested and bailed in Jan 2016, for several immature acts of voyeurism from 2007 (among which under 18s) and continuing to possess the fruits of those actions in the years since then (I won't go into how it came to anyone's attention -- too much digression).

The situation thereafter was pretty stressful but there was a strange dissonance about it -- my career was still blossoming that spring while I was on bail, as my mere initial arrest hadn't made headlines. Also I became a workaholic after my arrest. From my point of view, these crimes were the act of a sad sack from long ago -- and although I didn't really have a problem taking responsibility -- I did resent being spoken to as though I had nothing better to do that what I'd been collared for.

I think that there was the trigger -- pride -- I could take being spoken to as though I did it -- but not being spoken to like I was Bart Simpson. Somewhere along the line I think I made a positive decision to separate danger from fear, not to miss a single step more than was necessary. Not to lie down in the chalk outline drawn by society. After that weird period of trying to work out exactly how fecked I was ("Is this the sex equivalent of jaywalking or am I Jimmy Saville?"), I decided I would live my life as man who had been locked in the cupboard for 9 months, and had petty local officials write mean things about me in their notepads. That's it.

I plead guilty but I was not guilty exactly as charged, which was annoying as it gave the press carte blanche to write all sorts of waffle. Nonetheless in the end my 9 month jail sentence -- and the newspaper article that resulted -- was like a sword through the body that missed all the organs.

The Chief Science Officer of one of my client companies found out, and is an eccentric so he sort of shrugged it off. He himself is a polyamorous British man (the Russel Brand of biotech) who was sort of "me tooed" by his company in California for the crime of not quite asking out a 17yo intern 10 year ago (age of consent is 18 in CA so duty of care principle was broken when he made "lewd comments to a minor"). That 17yo later became a Silicon Valley titan at 27, who used her anecdote to oust him from the company. So he is cynical about news stories, doesn't take anything at face value.
So I guess one lesson is that the type of people I was dealing with were a combination of foreigners who don't know how to equate me with the person in the story, and open minded or eccentric (dare I say autistic, in a particular way that equates to being realistic) people who don't internalise stigmas automatically.

Other techniques used:

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

I picked up so completely where I left off, and jail did not impair momentum. I weaponised my autism enough to sort of drift along not looking like someone whose life should be ruined.

I didn't live my life with my head down -- in the months before and after prison, I made very very public speeches in places like the House of Lords (hence why I mentioned it) -- so that people wouldn't equate me with the person in the article, because the natural assumption is that such a person would be keeping their head down not showing their face in corridors of power.

Moral of the story: My initial circumstances (mode of employment etc) were a matter of luck, but there are bits of advise you can selectively take, depending on the nature of the conviction -- widen your perspective, make your own luck, widen your networks, think big, do the opposite of what everyone expects, and create a historical record of constructive activity (work or pseudo-work, social media activity) around the time of the conviction. Don't let a random sense of fear and shame be an additional reason for your own stumbling. Don't just lie down in the chalk outline society has made for you. Ask yourself "how much does this obstacle matter really, and how much of it is just a stigma in my own head"?

This was basically my modus operandi (in terms of not being perturbed by becoming the object of scandal-- obviously remorse is something that should be brought in where appropriate and I'm not an advocate for gaslighting).

Some people in my home town did find out, but the problem is there's no story anymore, nothing to blow the lid on -- it's not like I've changed my name and it's up to the press to reveal it. I did turn down an opportunity to stand for parliament, because that's tempting fate, but that's the only career setback I've ever had as a consequence of this conviction.

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Thanks for clarifying things. Really good story and there is a lot in what you say. On the bit about 9 months discontinuity of employment, are you effectively saying that you are self employed?

Consultancy/freelancing does rely on networks and contacts, and some may be more forgiving than others, particularly if you have a personal relationship and they know you well. But for mere mortals like the rest of us, the big barrier are the employment agencies. These agencies act like gatekeepers and often shut out people with convictions, who would like to work as self employed contractors in the IT industry for example. If we could speak direct to the employer and bypass the agencies that would be a big advantage.

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I was self employed when the arrest happened yes, but there is a lesson in the fact that I am currently employed with a small international analytical firm, who never asked for my criminal record seeing as I came recommended by someone else in the industry. So I guess the moral of the story is try working or a small but pioneering outfit? Or get involved in helping someone with something unique, rather than just shooting out a billion applications and agonising over the state of your CV.

Volunteer for a charity solving a kind of problem that they struggle with -- fundraising for whatever, see i they'll take you on.

It might develop into something else.

Basically I look at post here titled "building a network to eventually find a job" I think "can it be that hard"?

I know in 2010 during the recession I just walked in and out of every shop in a shopping mall asking for work, and got a 4 hour per week job in a Cafe Thortons, which evolved into 40 hours 2 months later, and don't remember anyone asking my criminal record (there was none but I wasn't asked for one).

So there's an idea -- offer to work such small hours that nobody asks for a record, then grow the hours. Try rural areas and family run businesses where they might not bother asking.

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Since my conviction I have built up my own business. It does take some determination and some funds which I appreciate not everyone has.

Most people who do use employment agencies or even apply online get turned down as one question that always get asked is about convictions and it is not worth pursuing after that.

There is however work out there, I would employ someone with a criminal conviction knowing how hard it is to get work. Many smaller companies will not be bothered about convictions if you apply to them directly. I am not saying it is easy and it does take some hard work (and luck).

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I wish I had the funds and confidence to do what you did. I spent years trying to get a job while unspent and now that im spent, Im finding it just as hard. I just need someone to give me a chance. Need to get some work on my CV

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All I can say is keep on trying and eventually someone will give you that chance. Now your conviction is spent you don't need to declare it to anyone at all when applying for jobs, the only time you will find that it will come up is if you need a job which has a standard or enhanced DBS check where the conviction may still show. Although only a handful of jobs actually need that type of DBS check most will want a basic at the most where the conviction will not show up.

Best of luck I hope you find something soon.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Aradia — Sun, 24 May 2026 20:49:04 GMT

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[b]Richie - 22 May 26 9:23 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 21 May 26 5:10 PM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 5 May 26 10:54 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 3 May 26 11:31 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

[/quote]

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

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RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Richie — Fri, 22 May 2026 09:23:16 GMT

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[b]Stersco83 - 21 May 26 5:10 PM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 5 May 26 10:54 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 3 May 26 11:31 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

[/quote]

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

[/quote]

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Stersco83 — Thu, 21 May 2026 17:10:29 GMT

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[b]punter99 - 5 May 26 10:54 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 3 May 26 11:31 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

[/quote]

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

[/quote]

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

JASB — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:42:18 GMT

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[b]punter99 - 5 May 26 10:54 AM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 3 May 26 11:31 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

[/quote]

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

[/quote]

Hi
In short I think we can all agree it is down to how people consider your offence in relation to their social attitudes.
Old story I have said previously about a "big company" wanting to hire me for a contract. I declared and the interviewers still wanted my skills; however HR had a different opinion so the offer was retracted. That happened numerous times.

With over 2000 applications over a about an 8 year period I was not so fortunate my friend. The irony is that unofficially, ex-employers often came for advice, but off the books lol

Your story adds positivity to many struggling to get back into employment however, I would be slow on the "false elements" and only use explanations that can seem plausible and defendable.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

punter99 — Tue, 05 May 2026 10:54:17 GMT

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[b]Stersco83 - 3 May 26 11:31 AM[/b]

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[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

[/quote]

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

[/quote]

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Stersco83 — Sun, 03 May 2026 11:31:13 GMT

[quote]

[b]punter99 - 26 Mar 26 10:13 AM[/b]

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

[/quote]

Also when I was in prison, I paid a departing fellow inmate to log into my social media and take some actions there, so that the record would show I wasn't in prison for all of that period.
When I got out, I made a Wikipedia page about my uncle who is a historian and has the same name as me, and in the long term this dampened the Google Effect, as Google adds an "entity" to its general understanding which influences the algorithm.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

punter99 — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:13:08 GMT

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[b]JASB - 25 Mar 26 5:59 PM[/b]

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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Based on what he said, the employer does not know about the conviction and nor do his colleagues. May be a different matter, if they find out.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

JASB — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:59:31 GMT

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

punter99 — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:01:16 GMT

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[b]Stersco83 - 23 Mar 26 11:29 AM[/b]

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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It very much depends on the employer and their attitude. With large firms, you might come up against the HR department being pedantic, even when the employer is happy to take you on. Large firms are also much more likely to worry about reputational risk.

A smaller employer with no HR department, will only care that you can do the job. The other problem of colleagues grassing you up, would again depend on how much the employer wants or needs you. They may conclude that it is not worth the potential loss of customers, if it spreads to social media etc.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Stersco83 — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:29:09 GMT

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[b]Aradia - 11 Jul 22 10:54 AM[/b]

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RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

JASB — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 15:19:22 GMT

Hi
Many will of read my previous words and may remember my situation.
If all goes to plan I will apply to the Courts at the end of the month for my last 3 SOPO conditions to be removed. It has been a long journey; mainly utilising the self-belief I try to maintain.
I have discovered many things I was not aware of, confirmed my suspicions on certain elements but, enabled to show "the system" that though I challenge it is not out of anger and self pity, it is by using their tools; the SO Act and procedures, and so confidently and calmly and always replying courteously with the facts.
[quote]If you provide the facts they cannot simply say no, they have to give a qualified reason or you simply ask again[/quote]

If they disagree because of their interpretation on words, you gain the supportive evidence that confirms your words. Be that the police Policy College, the Home Office Sex Offender management Team or quite simply slow reading of the SO Act and the Guideline documents. Remember the Act may say one thing but if it refers to another document follow the links and you may find that you are correct.
[quote]Society may take things at face value but you don't have to[/quote]
One point I raised with my ex solicitors and they supported the Force Solicitor. However my PPU read ALL the references I presented and they support my case. It is only because I have that support in writing I am proceeding with my application.

Remember, your presentation is you, therefore even if it fails it could present a view of you the "system" has never seen before and therefore improve their view of you.

I am not using a solicitor; but if you have their documents from previous applications you have the basis of the "legal references" they use.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Mr W — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 02:39:05 GMT

Haha, thanks! I've probably forgotten loads of stuff but everyone's case is going to be slightly different anyway.

One thing I really had to get my head around was that, at first, I wanted to point out: ‘This is wrong, my ppu stopped me from…, this is disproportionate… ‘ etc but after seeking advice, the ‘recalibration’ of my mindset changed to the message being: “This stipulation can be removed from my order because…’

So with that in mind, disproportionate ones should be easier to discharge. This is a silly example, but if a stipulation was ‘don’t eat salmon’, it’s easy to get rid of that stipulation because I can say “I don’t like salmon, I’m not a fan of any seafood, I prefer eating burgers, sometimes with chips, and enjoy experimenting with different sauces.” Rather than just saying: “This shouldn’t say salmon!”

Believe me, I could put a whole load of gherkin stuff in there about PPUs and why I think it’s disproportionate but the police/judge won’t want to hear it. For me, this did take a while to sink in. Once I read my first draft, I was disappointed with it, thinking: “Is this the best of my last five years?” After the ‘recalibration’, the final draft is now much stronger and, actually, I’ve only mentioned the police once in the whole thing. It’s your order and you need to show you’re able to live positively without it to get it discharged.

With your SAR, have a look at if there’s any positive feedback from the leaders from the Horizon course. Yes, do another one if you think it'll help and you've made more progress since the last one. I can't guarantee it'll work but it was just an idea of being able to quote a source that the judge/police can trust. But also what is written might vary from force to force. Having had two forces I’ve had the ability to compare, Force A recorded positive steps and progress can be seen in the notes, Force B constant gaslighting and making stuff up as they go along, honestly, it’s like night and day, so this may not work for everyone, it’s just a potential free avenue for information.

As for overall cost, I’m sure someone on this forum did it all themselves and is currently in the process of… or had success. At the end of the day, you’re five years on, you may not even realise how much you’ve changed since before the knock. You’ve had to deal with a lot and will continue to do so. Yes, in certain ways we’ve brought it on ourselves but everyone deserves a chance to be able to move on.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

xDanx — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 01:11:01 GMT

[quote]

[b]Mr W - 9 Nov 22 7:25 PM[/b]

Thanks JASB. I'm also glad to hear you're making progress.

For me, I was chomping at the bit on the turn of midnight on the 5 year mark to get the ball rolling. I’m not going to voluntarily live with a SHPO if there’s a chance I can get rid of it, I’ve had enough of its suffocating grasp on my life and when its sheer existence means I *must* tell random strangers what I did almost 7 years ago. It’s dangerous and mentally it’s reliving my punishment again and again when what I’m trying to achieve is progress. When that attempt is unsuccessful it’s a double-whammy of disappointment and an increasingly difficult test of resilience. If it wasn’t for the SHPO keeping me unspent, the conviction would actually be spent by now. This is just wrong and, arguably, helps to undermine what it’s supposed to achieve in the first place.

As for tips for an application… while writing this I’ve somehow ended up using a burger as an analogy, probably because I’m hungry. Anyway…
Bread: Have you done everything asked of you in terms of the sentence and order specifically (By this I mean what is in black and white and not additional capricious rules made up by the ppu)? Eg. Horizon course and any other things like that. Has there been any more reoffending, no. Has there been any breaches of the SHPO, no. Have there been any other arrests or issues, no. (If you answer yes to any of these but still want to put an application in, then seek legal advice… in fact, I’d suggest to seek legal advice anyway even if you can say no to all of these).
Meat: Get some positive documents together, from a therapist, make a subject access request (it’s free) and highlight positives written about you. Character references, especially if they can prove you have positive relationships with young people but don’t worry if not. Employers perhaps. Any kind of independent evidence that can vouch for you.
Tomato sauce to enhance the meaty points: Explain why you’re remorseful and contrite, tackle *why* you ignored the “I shouldn’t do this” but don’t use excuses like stress, explain why you WILL listen to “I shouldn’t do this”. How you’ve got your life in order SINCE conviction. Lessons learned. Take care with this because a tasteless sauce can ruin a nice burger.
Lettuce: The feel-good bit of salad. Work/voluntary work/positive routines or contributions (especially if it’s something new that you didn’t do before the knock). Hopes and goals for the future.
Gherkin: Finally, for me this was important, take out the gherkin! Try not to complain, moan, or air your issues. I’ve taken legal advice and have had to park all my grievances for now. I have a number of questions I want answered and complaints about what I’ve had to put up with from my PPUs but this application process is not about that. Leave out the gherkin to be dealt with later.

As for the process, It'll probably vary per area. Your force will have a say but I'm sure they have more important things to deal with but when they do they can probably affect how easy or tricky the time in front of the judge will be. I'll update if I have anything relevant.

[/quote]

That was actually a nice and clear way of explaining the process and what to include, Although it has also made me quite hungry lol
I have managed to get some impartial advice from various solicitors who were kind enough to discuss their thoughts with me on my SHPO and have agreed that some of the restrictions are disproportionate. I feel highlighting this although briefly would be of benefit where I can proceed to detail the positives since sentencing. I will not be able to afford a solicitor for this but I am aware that varying or applying to discharge a SHPO does fall under legal aid, providing the firm choose to let this happen.

I was able to sort out a subject access request some time ago, oddly 50% of what I got was redacted but I was able to get an unredacted copy from my solicitors, sadly nothing in what I was given contains anything positive. Perhaps I should request another and ask for any reports my PPU have written?

Although I find this new PPU much easier to deal with, I do not have faith in changing his "opinions" as these seem to cloud the actual facts. They are so tight that they refuse to provide me their emails so I can discuss things with them in writing. Should I continue speaking to him about my application to try and convince him or his superior?

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Mr W — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 19:25:43 GMT

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

xDanx — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 02:40:58 GMT

I am also past the 5 year mark and I keep meaning to sort out my application but I am putting it off as I am always over thinking it.
Do I basically email the courts or write to them with my application or even contact them by phone?
What kind of things in my application should I include? Something like I wish to apply to discharge the SHPO because. 1, It is not smith compliant ect? Should I give evidence also or wait till the hearing (if there is one)
I never bothered with applying to vary the SHPO as I figured it would just be easier to try and discharge it entirely and if that failed to push for the amendments.
I have tried speaking to my PPU about amendments and such and he is not supportive and wants me to endure the next 5 years. What should I be asking him for which might go in my favour?

Any tips and advice is always appreciated. I hope your own applications are successful.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

JASB — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:39:13 GMT

[quote]

[b]Mr W - 8 Nov 22 3:02 PM[/b]

I appreciate I am asking how long is a piece of string but for those who have been through the process of discharging SHPOs... can you give me a timeframe of how it panned out for you please?
I know different areas will have different backlogs, there's a fat bloke dressed in red making his annual appearance next month etc
Having endured 5 draining years, I've sent my application off and I'm told 'the spring' but I'd hope it'd be quicker or might that sound about right?

[/quote]

Hi
First I wish you luck.
My first application which removed all but 3 contact ones ( 2 standard under 16yrs and 1 with female), took most of period getting the PPU to agree, circa 2 mths.
I am now building the case to remove those 3.
At present it has taken 6 mths to get the PPU to agree (so not wasting trip to court if they will not), but conversations with the Court say once PPU report applied for and reviewed then possibly a month for Judge to have a hearing or treat in chambers.

So to me you should ask the Court admin and your PPU officer if he has a report done already or time to complete one.
Hope you are successful.

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Mr W — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 15:02:39 GMT

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

Mr W — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 19:03:02 GMT

Excuse the mini-rant. Anyone else fed up with when you're reaching out to talk about employment and you mention criminal record, it's assumed you just want to work on a building site. I understand that maybe the majority of us scallywags who break the law perhaps fit that bill, but for those of us who don't...

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

JamesZ — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 15:23:19 GMT

[quote]

[b]khafka - 21 Sep 22 7:44 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]JamesZ - 21 Sep 22 1:01 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]khafka - 19 Sep 22 12:27 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jamie7718 - 19 Sep 22 9:04 AM[/b]

Really good news. This is the exact reason why I started this post. To give us some glimmer of hope there is a way out of this mess. I am in the early stages of trying to do something for myself. In the self employment route. I wish we did something like that scheme down here. That would be amazing. I did hear from another PO that she had another success story about someone in our position getting a job in a recycling place. To be honest the job sounds awful. But it's got to be better than sitting here every day for the next few years.

[/quote]

Yeah, I mean, its retail - It isn't really a sector I wanted to get back into and I left it years ago for a reason but I can't really be that picky and at least its something to get me going again and giving me that routine and sense of purpose again a bit.

The scheme definitely seems to be working well for others too, a chap in my social work group sessions had to leave our session schedule because he ended up with a job due to it too, which is great!

[/quote]

Great news. Obviously you don't want to give away any personal details, just wondering the best way to find something the same/similar?

[/quote]

Well one thing I found fairly useful was actually Indeed and Glassdoor for application questions. Basically just Googling various companies like "Does [COMPANY] DBS/Disclosure check" then, depending on the size of the company, you'll tend to find a few people asking the same question on either of those sites and typically you'll get an answer.

In my experience the ones that don't do a DBS/Disclosure check seldom ask about convictions in their application form. It can usually give you a rough indicator if its worth pursuing or if you're wasting your time.

[/quote]

Thanks. Great idea and info. It's often these simple yet good ideas that elude my brain! Cheers

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

khafka — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 07:44:18 GMT

[quote]

[b]JamesZ - 21 Sep 22 1:01 AM[/b]

[quote]

[b]khafka - 19 Sep 22 12:27 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jamie7718 - 19 Sep 22 9:04 AM[/b]

[/quote]

Great news. Obviously you don't want to give away any personal details, just wondering the best way to find something the same/similar?

[/quote]

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

JamesZ — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 01:01:17 GMT

[quote]

[b]khafka - 19 Sep 22 12:27 PM[/b]

[quote]

[b]Jamie7718 - 19 Sep 22 9:04 AM[/b]

[/quote]

Great news. Obviously you don't want to give away any personal details, just wondering the best way to find something the same/similar?

RE: Post your success story's finding work with an SO

khafka — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 12:27:32 GMT

[quote]

[b]Jamie7718 - 19 Sep 22 9:04 AM[/b]

[/quote]