Well what a palaver that was!
“Can you do a talk about your books at our community library?” I was asked.
“Of course!”
Well I was hardly going to say no was I! My second book, In The Doghouse, has just been released on an unsuspecting public and I’m hardly going to pass up the opportunity to shout about it, am I?
“That’s great. Leave it with us and we’ll let you know when.”
“Thanks very much,” well I was chuffed to be asked.
I didn’t have long to wait for the call.
Unfortunately it wasn’t the one that I was expecting.
“Are you DBS checked?”
“What?”
“DBS checked, you know – it used to be CRB until they changed it.”
Ah yes, the ministry of Silly Acronyms and Initials strikes again.
SAI what!
To be honest I had come across it before. They ask for the same thing in schools too.
And I don’t blame them. After all they don’t know me from Adam. And there are, as we are sadly only too aware, some very dubious characters about. I mean, have you seen my author photo?
But – and here’s the rub, if you go onto the website for the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly the Criminal Records Bureau in case you were wondering) you soon discover that it is nigh on impossible as an author to get yourself DBSed.
Pardon?
No – I know DBSed is not a proper word, I’m not totally barking, but I did a blog about making words up some time back, the one called  ‘ROPOPOV’, if you remember, so please pay attention.
And sit up straight at the back while we’re at it.
Apparently you are not allowed to apply for the aforementioned accreditation as an author although your alliterative acumen may authenticate any application.
Your employer has to do it.
And how many of us scribblers has one of them.
O.K., for the day job perhaps yes.
But for this secretive activity that many of us undertake under cover of the wee small hours of the morning?
Well that’s all a bit suspicious isn’t it!?
Surely only sexual deviants and house burglars work to such an unsociable timescale.
So I’m stuffed.
I ask around.
A few Facebook groups that I belong to.
And bless them, they come up with some suggestions.
Among them is the spiffing idea that us poor bloody English who wish to get ourselves checked out should perhaps apply to the Scottish government instead.
What!!!
Well I take back what I said about Nicola Sturgeon a few blogs back.
After all, what better way of getting money out of the auld enemy than relieving them of 25 pounds sterling for telling one of their number that they’re not actually a criminal.
And after all, what does it matter to them?
As long as we don’t travel past the wall that the Italians built to keep them out of our bit we could be Jack the bloody Ripper for all they care.
Incidentally am I the only one who thinks that Trumps wall is a bit of a storm in a teacup. The last time I looked there was a bloody big fence there already – perhaps it’s not the principle they’re arguing about, just the best method of construction.
So, dear Nicki (hope she doesn’t think me too informal) – I’m an honest to goodness upstanding citizen, o.k? Oh, and just in case it gives me some brownie points my surname is Robertson and the ‘J’ stands for Jimmy, sorry James.
Anyway it came today.
My DBS certificate.
I’m not a criminal after all (I did keep quiet about the speeding ticket issued by P.C. Sluts – honestly I swear that was his name – in 1999, but I doubt Nicola cares about that either, she’s in love with Angela, not Teresa and the Germans have unrestricted autobahns!)
So I’m not a criminal. I could have told them that.
But now I have piece of paper to prove it.
And I didn’t have to paint my face blue or cry, ‘freedom,‘ to do it.
Pssst! Want an author talk doing? Very cheap, because unfortunately I am a bit damaged.
No, thanks for asking but there’s no need for concern. It’s just that I’m limping a bit. I fell off the back of a lorry!
Reblogged this on Dream Big, Dream Often and commented:
This is Misty Books!!
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As a volunteer coordinator, working with vulnerable adults, I realise some of the quirks of the DBS system. Ofsted guidance does not require visitors to have a DBS if they are accompanied. I’ve also worked for almost 20 years as a play development worker and my local authority took the same view, however, I am of the opinion that a DBS is necessary, as at a session, you may be making relationships with vulnerable people which could potentially be abused outside of the school environment, I understand why you may be required to have such a check. It seems like you have looked and found an alternative way round it, which is great. I wonder if you could mention to the school that Ofsted has no such requirement, although it may be a school policy. perhaps they could do the check themselves as the employer, marking your role as ‘volunteer’? Even then, I’m not sure if another school would accept that. They should, if it’s all registered online, but school policy may prevent it. In my role with children and the local authority I was checked many times over that period, even when I changed department. The checks are problematic, and will only pick up something you were caught for, not for anything you may do after the check.
That’s a long comment, but it is a confusing situation!
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Thanks for the comment, Steve.
As you point out it is very confusing and I have tried (and failed miserably) to educate the educators that it is not entirely necessary if us poor authors are accompanied. This generally falls on deaf ears however for whatever reason.
I’m sure you realise that the blog was meant mainly in jest, but it is a very confusing situation for a number of people as witnessed by the number of comments I’ve had on here and Facebook.
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No, I recognised the tongue in cheek! But it is a laughable situation!
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I’d never heard of being DBSed before your post, but if you send me 25 pounds (or the equivalent in dollars, euros or yen), I’ll vouch for you. 😀
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Thanks, Bun
It’s nice to know that I can rely on everyone apart from the English government!
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I can’t believe you need a criminal record clearance to give a talk at a local library! Has the world gone mad? I dare not move back to Uk I would be locked up in a trice for faiure to comply.
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Reblogged this on Seumas Gallacher and commented:
…my good friend, Author, David Robertson reveals some of the hidden trapdoors awaiting a scribbler willing to be a Guest Speaker….
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Thanks, Seumas 😀
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Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
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Thanks for the re-blog!
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Hilarious post, I’m still laughing. I love the illustrations for the book too, does Ian Ward take requests as I need a good one for my WIP?
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I’m sure Ian would be only too pleased. I finally met him a few weeks ago after working together over t’internet. He’s a very nice man & an excellent illustrator. ianrward@sky.com is his email. Tell him I sent you – I need the brownie points!
Glad you liked the post too! 😀
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Eventually, we’ll have to do all online because between travelling and bureaucracy, it’s becoming impossible. I know it’s meant in jest, but when I was working as a psychiatrist, even if I had one for work, I needed a new one wherever else I went that had to be requested anew (even to do sessions in prison… By the time they got the paperwork I’d finished my placement there, so it was really useful)
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Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
A British necessity it seems.
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So glad you visited my blog– especially as now I’ve found your lovely site 😀
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Glad you liked it.
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Urgh.
I had similar problems though work. It can be quite hard to get a DBS check if you work for a small organisation or a not-for-profit. In the end I had to go through a charity to get a check for a few of my colleagues. I agree with the above commenters though. If you are accompanied, you shouldn’t have needed the DBS anyway!!
It’s not all madness though. I had a DBS when I helped volunteer with a group of rainbows. That is one time I think we really do need to be checked as they are very young, and sometimes vulnerable kids…
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I’m not a legal expert, but I think a citation issued by an officer called Sluts is void anyway.
You didn’t pay that, did you? I’d have taken it to court just to watch that name get read into the record… see if you can get the whole thing thrown out on grounds of ridiculousness.
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Not only did I pay I also got three penalty points on my license 😳
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