Disclosure applications by type and waiting time for response: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/02563  
Date received: 18 September 2018  
Date responded: 5 October 2018

 

Information requested

Response

 

1. The number of disclosure applications dealt with by Disclosure Scotland in each of the last three years, broken down by the type of disclosure application.

Application Type	2015	2016	2017
Basic	1,297,430	1,509,830	1,718,800
Standard/Enhanced	23,150	22,550	22,640
PVG Scheme	330,740	286,200	286,870
Total	1,651,320	1,818,580	2,028,300

Notes:
1 - Figures are rounded to nearest 10

2 – Totals may not equal sum of parts due to rounding

2. The longest wait for a response to a disclosure application in each of the last three years, broken down by the type of disclosure application.

Longest wait in days to receive a disclosure application from Disclosure Scotland by disclosure type, 2015 to 2017

	Wait in days including exception time
	2015	2016	2017
Basic	305	337	231
Standard/Enhanced	155	233	130
PVG	311	270	228

Note: Response times above include exception times which are not included in Disclosure Scotland’s SLA of 90% of disclosures sent within 14 days. Exception times include, for example, time waiting for a response from the applicant (form incomplete, incorrectly filled in, further information required etc.) and time waiting for a response from a Police Force regarding disclosure content.

3. The number of disclosure applications for people seeking to work in schools that have taken longer than three months in each of the last three years,  broken down by the type of disclosure application (if applicable).

Number of disclosure applications for people working in schools that have taken longer than 3 months by application type, 2015 to 2017

	2015	2016	2017
Basic	0	0	0
Standard/Enhanced	0	0	0
PVG	25	20	<10

Notes:
1 - Figures are rounded to nearest 10

2 – Estimates are based on those where the organisation worked for or were seeking work for included the word “school” and those where the position applied for included the word “teacher”. Many applications for employment for positions in schools other than for teachers are via local councils and are therefore difficult to determine if they are employed in a school or other local council facilities. Consequently, the above may underestimate the overall number of school related applications. Disclosure Scotland does not hold the level of detail required to determine what the level of underestimation may be.

3 – Response times above include exception times which are not included in Disclosure Scotland’s SLA of 90% of disclosures sent within 14 days. 

For reference, please find below estimates of the overall number of disclosure applications made during these periods for people working in schools.

	2015	2016	2017
Basic	<10	<10	0
Standard/Enhanced	20	<10	20
PVG	31,100	25,100	23,600

Notes:
1 - Figures are rounded to nearest 10

2 – Estimates are based on those where the organisation worked for or were seeking work for included the word “school” and those where the position applied for included the word “teacher”. Many applications for employment for positions in schools other than for teachers are via local councils and are therefore difficult to determine if they are employed in a school or other local council facilities. Consequently, the above may underestimate the overall number of school related applications. Disclosure Scotland does not hold the level of detail required to determine what the level of underestimation may be. 

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