Access NI backlog for school staff falling but 'concerns' remain

The number of non-teaching staff working in schools without fully completed criminal record checks remains a concern, an Alliance assembly member has said.

Michelle Guy was speaking to BBC News NI after new figures showed that hundreds of outstanding Access NI checks had been processed in the last month.

However, as of Wednesday, 709 non-teaching staff working in Northern Ireland schools still did not have completed checks.

Staff roles involved include classroom assistants, cleaning and building staff, drivers, canteen staff and sports coaches.

Figures given to the Northern Ireland Assembly in response to a question from Michelle Guy indicated that, at that time, 196 staff members had been waiting more than 12 months for their check to be processed.

Guy said that there was "an expectation" from parents and the public that if people work in a school they will complete an Access NI check.

The issue of outstanding checks was first reported by the Irish News in February after an assembly question from fellow Alliance assembly member Nick Mathison.

It showed that there were 1,534 outstanding checks.

The Education Authority (EA) has said that a school principal employing a staff member awaiting an Access NI check must complete a risk assessment, ensure the are supervised at all times by a vetted staff member and follow-up with Access NI.

An EA spokesperson told BBC News NI that as a result of "robust action taken" more than 800 of the the initial 1,534 outstanding checks have been received and are being processed and that "prime responsibility" for safeguarding at a school lies with the principal.

Michelle Guy said it was "a safeguarding issue at the end of the day".

"I think we should be holding people to the highest standards in terms of these checks and making sure they're robust and that they happen."

She added that safeguarding was "the highest priority" for parents and they needed to "have confidence" that people "have the right checks in place".

She tabled a question at the Northern Ireland Assembly and received a response from the Education Authority on Monday that the number of outstanding checks had reduced from 1,534, as of 5 February, to 828, as of 28 February.

The Education Authority has since told BBC News NI that the number is now down to 709 non-teaching staff.

Education Minister Paul Givan had asked EA chief executive Richard Pengelly to urgently review the Access NI process within schools and the EA.

Guy said she was "glad to see there has been some progress" in reducing the backlog and that her party is "keen to see what exactly that review looks like" and how the EA intend to avoid any further issues.

"It's good to see this action happening now but what is concerning is that it was required.

"It shouldn't have got to this in the first instance and I think we want to make sure and have confidence that it won't be repeated again."

"We are at an advanced stage of concluding the process to complete all requisite checks," the EA spokesperson said.

"Prime responsibility for safeguarding within a school sits with the school leader, who must ensure that staff are checked or supervised.

"School leaders must ensure that they comply with the Department of Education policy. The process requires the school leader and the employee to submit relevant paperwork to the EA Access NI Team, who then process the application.

"A final reminder has been circulated to schools and services to advise; it is imperative the relevant paperwork is submitted by the school and employee as a matter of urgency to avoid contract termination."