Delays in criminal records checks are ‘causing challenges’ for Salford people offering to host Ukrainians fleeing Vladimir Putin’s war.
There are currently 300 applications from people in the city offering accommodation and DBS checks are awaited for 156 households under the city council’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Salford’s assistant director for people and communities Janice Loundes told the city’s health and social care scrutiny panel that the hold-ups were an issue but added: “We have a dedicated team in the council [dealing with the problem]. [Sourcing] identification and supporting documentation can be an issue.” The panel was told that the main reasons for applications to be hosts ‘not progressing’ were awaiting ID and safeguarding.
Some 232 safeguarding checks have been completed and approved on 127 households. Nine were not approved. READ MORE: Huge plans unveiled to demolish most of 'outdated' retail park and replace it with inner-city neighbourhood Ms Loundes said other challenges facing the council included the speed of arrivals from Ukraine, the unknown numbers of people coming through other routes, family/relationship breakdown, pressure on housing services, staff capacity to run the scheme and potential hosts withdrawing from the scheme.