I have got the police to do a search on me and give me a certificate to approve that I have no police records whatsoever, a great selling tool, especially at kids parties, do you have one too ?

I'm not sure if I have been checked, I dont have a certificate, but I got checked by them for my job.

and no my occupation isnt a burgular.

NOT THAT ANYBODY KNOW!!!!!!!!!!

I used to work for PGL - Childrens Adventure Holiday Summer Camps many years ago, so I had a check through them, although after this long, whether it is still valid is another matter.

Would be interesting for somebody** to volunteer how (and with details of costs) you go about getting one of these as a sole trader, rather than a company (Youth Group, School, Babyminding etc). When this question was raised a few months ago, I enquired at the local police station and it was met by blank looks .

I think that in this day and age it is a must, particually if you do this sort of event on a regular basis, and of course it's also a good selling point like PLI.

** - ADS????

I am the manager of a youth football team, and as the club is an FA Chartered club I am checked out by the FA, who conduct police checks, so yes I have been checked out, but do not have a certificate

Ooh me fought me woz answering to havin a criminal record then!

I was checked ages ago for a youth organisation no cert though, well not that I know of unless archived away somewhere.

i work as a civil servant so my back ground will have been checked and double checked. also the political parties having there conferences in Blackpool so every year most of the population is checked..

but i thing the idea of getting a certificate would be good.

doormen have to be certified now lol

I called the local police station headquaters, who directed me a few times until I got someone to send me a form, so don't actually know who I spoke to at the end of it all.

Filled the form out and paid my £10 charge.

Except for the cases where a DJ works closely with children on a regular basis, I do not see the need for it in the slightest.

We are in the entertainments industry for heavens sake. Any criminal record we may or may not have is of no relevence. The mere fact we are free and able to DJ at will (i.e. - not banged up) shows that in the eyes of the law, we are at liberty to do so. Any crime commited, would have been punished as seen fit. To suggest that this kind of certificate be required in any other circumstance than working with children, would be to set a detremental persistent for people such as myself, a millstone around our necks!

And yes, I do have a record. I am NOT a criminal, I am NOT untrustworthy, I am NOT a danger to anybody. I commited my offence when I was younger and the circumstances were a result of me trying to prevent a crime being commited, a little too enthusiasically.

I'm sorry but my feelings are very strong on matters such as this.

I've found an organisation who can do this procedure for you and assist with the required paperwork.

Their fee is £10 per applicant

NDF Associates

Moog, I work very closely with children and have never been asked for a police check.... Considering that I work for schools, youth organisations, children with disabilities etc etc etc Police checks can also throw up the most ridiculous things too... if you lost your driving license twenty years ago it will be recorded and it will go against you..... Some times these checks are far more bother than they are worth....as some of the guidelines as to whether or not you are certified could mean that you do not get one... simply because 100 years ago you shop lifted or something equally as petty.

I think I went off on one a little there

Normal Moog'age has been resumed (but certainly not )

Why are some of you looking into this?
As far as I am aware unless you are a childminder,any form of youth's organisations instructor or accompanying children on exercusions weekends away etc you dont need to be police vetted!

It's not like you are the sole carer of any of the children who party's you dj at, I personally think your throwing your money away.


These things take a long time to process and while we have dj's that dont need this we are delaying the likes of a childminder from starting work!

I wonder how long it'll be before some wise ass local council looks in on this thread and decides it's time to register every DJ / Kids Entertainer / Magician / Clown / Ballon Decorator / Fair Ground Worker etc etc for a police check before they can work the local schools etc.

I don't know why ADS started this thread, but part of what he says does make sense. It costs a tenner and is something that may set you out from all of the rest. It's also re-assuring to any client and not just the kids party angle, that they may be employing somebody honest and trustworthy.

One thing about school discos is that the HAVE to have adequate adult supervision and are responsible for ensuring this.

I say no no

Ermmm...a little confused here.

So why is a DJ going to be more or les trust worthy than your local plumber, electrician, window fitter, car mechanic, shopkeeper.

It won't set you apart I don't think, you public don't go around asking if their local bus driver's got a police record do they? so why are they likely to be bothered about a DJ?

Darren

I have been Police checked and have a certificate to prove same which is renewed every year.

Yes it can be a selling point, but I don't use it as such. Expanding a little on what has been said it has helped me enormously in the past though.

Taking you back about 2 yrs apart from DJ'ing I also ran the local youth club which was entirely voluntary. No checks nothing! Parents came along to help out and provided you are a volunteer and unpaid no checks are necessary! (This is where Scout and Cub leaders don't need checks cos they are volunteers) Anyway cutting a long story short 12months ago I had a visit from CID and the Child Protection Unit regarding the Youth Club. They seized my registers and all documents (Which were returned eventually) and interviewed every single child that had attended in the previous 18 months. All due to a 'volunteer' who had been abusing his own kids (and as it turns out other kids too though NOT at youth club) I was interviewd and assured them that at no time was he left alone with any children and the Youth Club was given a complete clean bill of health after the kids interviews.

BUT MUD STICKS!!!

Numbers dropped because of parent unease and of course when the press got hold of it it was a nightmare! I willingly told parents I had a police check and certificate to prove same and followed it up with the press who were happy to publish it and as a result instead of dying a death I now have more kids than I know what to do with 'because' I am police checked.

With regard to the check itself if you have a history from when you were a juvenile it WILL NOT show up, and indeed the check is for people 'working with or having regular contact with children'. Any other offences for other stuff are disregarded, the check is done by the Child Protection Unit and has no interest in your Speeding history or wether you have a shoplifting offence in your past it is entirely child orientated.

I am glad i have it and think it is a sensible idea for anybody who works with children, ok its £10 but its tax deductible and another certificate to assist you in your occupation is that so bad?

Spin

Thats a scarey story Spin, but it puts a very sobering view on just how useful a police check can be. £10.....how many pints is that?, and with people discussing £1000 laser effects and £800 fees is it really that much of a outlay?.

The one thing I forgot to add actually is the S*ite involved lost his house, his family, and as a result of an investigation into his pc also, is now giving her majesty pleasure for the next 6.5 yrs!

Spin

Lets hope he gets all that he deserves whilst banged up!
Crispy - poor old you! Mind you I hope you charged extra for providing security! I have about 25 schools on my books and every single one - bar none - ensures that there is adequate supervision... I dont do secondary schools - but in my case, I never have any trouble controlling the little darlings.... give me 300 kids and I can get them doing anything... give me my 3 kids and I aint go a clue!

A local school have asked me for proof before, so that is why I went and got it, plus it adds the edge for kids parties etc stating you have it.
I started the thread just to see if anyone else looks upon it in the same way as I do, I would rather spend a tenner and get one and get one booking out of it, then no booking because I haven't bothered to pick up the telephone.

I work in a local school which is run by local government,ALL employees no matter what their job have to have a certificate from the police to work for the councils in Norway.

Crispy....this is precisely why I dont do secondary schools!

Having said that, you can always get one or two primary school kids who go out of their way to be disruptive. Here is a really good tip if you do school discos and the school involved are willing to help you in keeping order..... I operate a system based on the yellow/red card as in football. Any kids who are intent on misbhaving first get a verbal warning... if they continue they are then given a yellow card which means that they are not allowed to buy a ticket for the next disco.... a red card means that they are banned totally from attending any other disco at the school. If you dont like that idea then you can always just say that anyone misbehaving gets their name put in "the book" which is then presented to the head teacher the next day who will be asking to see said child!

This works for me!

The BEST thing however, is when you get a real terror..... tell them off first then immediately ask them if they want to come and have a look at y our mixer, cue up the next song, introduce it etc etc. The deliquent child is then your humble fan who is carrying out any errand you want and helps packing up etc.

Some good tips there Karen, it has to be said that my own Under 16 gigs now only consist of the odd one or two Primary Schools that have so far resisted my attempt at moving away from them (I.E the good old Price hike!). I no longer actively promote the fact that I do Kids Parties and I certainly moved away from doing the Infant age groups purely because I know longer have the patience that I used to have, and I agree with the other post(s) where we discussed that you need committment and a rapport with Kids to carry it off successfully, and I no longer feel that I have got that, or at least I don't have the interest to re-create it. Kids disco's now get charged at the usual adult rate, some still book, others decide on booking the local "Party Palace" built into the Wacky Warehouse venue that i've mentioned before.

Yes, there are younger kids who are a pain, I was once told to "F off" by a kid no older than 6 - obviously his parents have a lot to be proud of!.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in hitting kids, even to the point of a parental slap but I think that they are now allowed to run rings around the Adults, and that is where the lack of respect comes from .

I know where your coming from crispy! But, as I have said a million times before, kids parties are highly specialised so it should never be taken for granted that if you are a fantastic dj as far as adults are concerned, then you will be equally as good with kids. I charge more than most and the main comments I get from adults is that they dont know how I can keep so many children involved and that its great to have someone who can "control" all of the kids..... but I do have 13 years of experience in kids parties and began my dj-ing career solely for kids parties. It is extremely lucrative once you get the basics right but if, like you crispy, you dont have the patience..... dont do em!!

Kazz, I really enjoy Kids parties and really get involved with them and I have many games that I have thought up or adapted from others.

once you have got a formula, most of them fall within it