AccessNI

AccessNI provides the disclosure service for Northern Ireland. If you would like more information or to request an information pack, please contact disclosure@rya.org.uk. At the bottom of this page, you will find a list of additional resources that you may find beneficial.

What is an AccessNI check?

An AccessNI check covers an individual’s criminal history information for people working within Northern Ireland. This check is primarily to help organisations make a safer recruitment decision when employing staff. Some organisations are required by law to consider the suitability of applicants for certain positions or to ensure that they are not barred from working with vulnerable groups.

When AccessNI checks are needed

When you apply for certain types of jobs, or some voluntary positions, you may be asked to apply for a criminal history record check. Positions where you might need a check are:

• work that involves close or regular contact with children or vulnerable adults

• work in the Civil Service or other government body or in a government building

• work in an airport where planes are based

• work with controlled drugs

• applying for a licence to drive a taxi or a public service vehicle (PSV)

• work in certain professions including accountancy and law

What an AccessNI check includes

An AccessNI check is a criminal history record check which provides different levels of information. They will let an employer know if you have been convicted of a criminal offence or are barred from working with children or other vulnerable groups.

In some cases, a check may also include disclosure of other non-conviction information, sometimes called soft intelligence, if the police consider it is relevant for the purposes of the position being applied for.

Spent conviction

If a person was convicted of a criminal offence and afterwards did not re-offend for a specified period, the conviction is spent and in most circumstances they do not need to declare it.

This period is called the rehabilitation period, the length of time depends on the sentence the person got for the original offence. It starts from the date of conviction and ends after a period which is specified in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Order.

Barred lists

A barred list is a list currently held by the Disclosure and Barring Service that provides details of individuals barred from working with vulnerable groups. A check of the barred lists should only be undertaken if the position being applied for is regarded as being in 'regulated activity'. Your employer should be able to advise on this. 'Regulated activity' involves those positions required to have access to children or vulnerable adults, in defined circumstances.

Relevant police information

Relevant police information can include details about attempted prosecutions that were unsuccessful or behaviour that might be indicative of criminal activity. Cautions held against the applicant on the Police National Computer will be disclosed in all three levels of check.

AccessNI searches

For every application, AccessNI will search the Police National Computer, which contains the criminal records for England, Wales and Scotland and the Causeway criminal record viewer, which contains Northern Ireland criminal records.

For appropriate enhanced applications, AccessNI will also search the Disclosure and Barring Service's children’s and adults list of those barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. For enhanced disclosures, AccessNI will ask PSNI (and, on occasions, other police forces in the UK) to conduct a soft intelligence search.

What are the turn around times for Access NI?

The table below shows the latest times for processing disclosures. Disclosures will reveal an individual's criminal history information.

Additional Resources

RYA AccessNI Guidance Document

AccessNI Registered Body Training