Eddie,

IanC is spot on here.

Just to add, the "if you're not asked, you don't have to disclose" may not apply in his case, as that is based on what you're asked at the beginning, so it depends on what he was asked when he first applied. For example, if I got a job and was asked about convictions, but didn't have any at that time, but then got a conviction a year later, I would be expected to inform them. Normally, going through UCAS you get asked about unspent convictions, and there is an expectation that changes would be informed to the University. It also depends on the course you take, as some will require disclosure of spent convictions (if the course involves placements in positions which are exempt from the ROA).

In my case, I was convicted while I was at University, and I notified them. They obviously looked into it, but they were fine about it. Our experience here at Unlock is that, generally, University's are pretty good, and it only tends to be where there is a genuine issue/risk that things can perhaps get difficult.

Have you thought about contacting the University anonymously to ask what their process is? I can understand why he may want to stay in Uni, but I wouldn't want things to come crashing down in the future.

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Jono - It's probably quite strong to say 'your're breaking the law', but I have no doubt that it could be possibly seen in that way. I've seen stranger things. The more likely scenario is, especially where there is an ongoing duty to inform (i.e. it's clear that you should have notified of changes), that they'd have an issue continuing with the course.

Eddie - as always, it's difficult to tell somebody exactly what to do. it seems your son isn't wanting to disclose, and you can't blame him; it's natural.

If I were you, I'd put in an anonymous call to the main University switchboard and see where you get put from there.

Many Universities are very positive towards people with convictions, but many individuals would probably wonder why bother taking the risk if they haven't found out yet. I have sympathy for this view.

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thethirdman - thanks for posting this, this is a great practical example that I hope will help both EDDIE and others!

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Eddie ... Hi ... and I hope this helps ....

I've said this before in reply to similar comments ... but ...

Shortly after the millennium, as a then 17 year old trainee nurse, before we knew her my now daughter-in-law received a jail sentence for a drugs offence.
She was dropped off the nursing course, told she could never be a nurse and was devastated. (Many of us probably know that feeling!)

However, she did manage to secure office work and decided to see if she could become a social worker.

She applied to and was accepted to do a Social Worker degree at a well known 'red brick' uni.

She had to decalre her conviction, as the course included placements in SW environments and needed enhanced CRB check.

Her uni were marvellous with her and she had no problems getting placements etc, she left with a 2:1 hons.

On leaving uni she was immediately offered SW job with a large/major city authority - spoecializing in child protection.

She is now nearing the end of a SW Masters, that her employers have paid for, and last year was appointed to a Senior Social Worker in child protection with the same authority.

Of course, all universities will be different - but if doing a social work degree isn' t a problem then you have to wonder if other subjects would be either?

Good luck to your son ... and best wishes to all.

Hi Eddie,

Am I correct in that he is already enrolled on the course, furutre enrollement is just extending his period of stay and usually less of a drawn out process that the initial enrollement / acceptance onto the course.  For an engineering course he will have initially been asked to disclose any un spent convictions, I should imagine he will not be asked again.  I also imagine that someweher written in the uni policies will be a requirement for him to disclose if he occurs a conviction during the period of his studies.  This probably wasnt made clear at the time and he could quite easily plead ignorance iin this case.  If is his convcition is now spent he will no longer need to disclose anyhow.  He will odds on no longer be asked the "question" and  this now boils down to it just merely being a battle with his conscious to do the right thing and following university policy.

Hi Ediie,

I spent years at Uni in the 90’s and had no problem. I think nowadays it depends on what the offence is, whether he has restrictions and what the course is; mine was non sexual but violent. My offences were known to the Uni. A bit more detail would help?  

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With all due respect
Regards

Marmite

Presumably the University will have some sort of handbook on student conduct which may provide some clarification.

I was convicted not at University, but at work with quite a thorough and comprehensive staff handbook. However, whilst it had a large section on recruitment policies to do with CRB checks (who needed them, and other posts who had to declare unspent convictions) and the like, it was completely silent on members of staff in non-CRB positions (as I was). Therefore, I did not declare it.

My wife, on the other hand, works somewhere where the staff policy states that any conviction obtained during employment must be declared to HR (she does not work in a CRB-needed position), and had I been at her company when convicted, I would have done so.

In the instance of the original poster's son at university, I would advocate obtaining the policy, and sticking to whatever it advises.

Hi,

I'm really hoping someone can give me some advice who knows how the "inside track" works on these matters.  I'm trying to get a place on a healthcare related degree course at uni which requires CRB disclosure both to the university and to the regulatory board of that profession.  I have a caution and a conviction for thefot - conviction was 2 years ago. 

I've contacted the uni to try and understand what the procedure is for declaring, who at the uni is the decision maker etc.  I've also given them specific details about my case and asked them the give me an idea as to whether I would be accepted or not on that basis.  Nobody seems to want to give me any straight answer about anything.  I also got the impression that staff has little training or experience in dealing with these matters.  Nobody is willing to tell me who at the uni or in the department is actually responsible for saying 'yes' or 'no'.  Nobody is willing to tell me to whom I actually need to declare or at what stage of the admissions process or to whom I need to give details.  They keep skirting the issues and talking about academic requirements and how they change - I exceed their academic requirements yet they keep focusing on that rather than giving me a straight answer about the convictions.  It makes me wonder if they would change the academic goal posts and say it was because I didn't meet the academic requirements or failed an interview rather than come clean and admit that they were rejecting me because of the CRB.

Why is it all so cloak and daggar?  Why can't there be blanket guidelines depending on the type of work it is?  Why are decisions on these matters left up to unis or employers - who are totally subjective?  Someone said to me recently that people are people, not machines and their own opinions and prejudices always colour their decisions - there is no such thing as objectivity!  How can someone have a fair interview and really sell themselves whether it be for a place at uni or for a job when at some point in the interview they have to talk about their criminal record?!  There has got to be a better system which protects vulnerable people but also gives ex-offenders a fair shot at a uni place or a job!

Is there anyone who has any experience of applying to courses like medicine, dentistry etc who has cautions and convictions for minor offences.  If so it would be great to hear from you.  Does anyone have insider knowledge of how it all works and how feasible it is getting jobs in these professions at the end of uni when you have cautions convictions etc?

Any info or insights would be great

 

 

 

 

 

I should imagine that there are a number of people who like my son who whilst attending university have received a conviction. When this happened we were unsure what to do, in that should we tell the university. My son has decided that he would not disclose it, it's nearly 18 months since they court case. I have gone on to the university's website however there is no mention of how they would deal with these circumstances. Having read many posts on the site it would appear that if they don't ask then don't say anything. That was the advice he received from his probation officer when he was applying for his year out in university. He is planning to stay in university until his conviction becomes spent. I am just wondering if anyone has faced this problem and how they dealt with it.

Thanks for the reply, I did make enquiries with the university through the student officer however they could not really answer my query, they stated that the matter was sometime ago so my son just carried on with his studies in University. During the summer months he has undertaken work experience with a large company. When he went for an interview with them we discussed how we would deal with disclosing his conviction. The question was never asked on his application form, however I thought he should disclose it during interview, I did ring his probation office however they would not provide any guidance stating that it was down to the individual? We prepared how he would broach the subject if he was asked had he a criminal conviction however on the day of the interview he was never asked and he did not make mention of it, he told me that he didn't want to make mention of it. I had to respect his decision. His work experience has gone well and he is now returning to university for his final year in studies. There is a possibility that this company might offer him employment next year and the question of any criminal convictions might come up. I am hoping though that by this time the ROA will have be changed and that his conviction will become spent. I hope that this will be in November, however I have not seen anything on the forum giving an update on the implementation. I was planning on writing to my MP during September to ask about it. I know a lot of people are also asking, I don't really want to be another enquirer, I would like to know though what is going on. Having read a number of threads about disclosing conviction I think my view now is that he should only disclose when asked or there is a requirement to do so. I think volunteering it might cause problems, some people might disagree.