AccessNI

Due to unforeseen circumstances staff who process AccessNI checks are not available at present. Please be aware that any emails sent to the email addresses on this page or AccessNI post sent to the Belfast office may not be accessed until January 2025.

Please note the information above relates only to AccessNI checks, if you have a safeguarding concern relating to a child or adult please contact the Safeguarding Officers or the statutory authorities directly.

From 1st April 2015, AccessNI have introduced online applications for all Disclosures.

Step 1– The Incumbent (or Panel Member in absence of the Incumbent) should download the PIN NOTIFICATION AND ID VALIDATION FORM which should be copied and given to the applicant for instruction.

Step 2 – The applicant must register an account at www.nidirect.gov.uk/accessni and complete the Disclosure Application online using the PIN number of the Board of Education – 918066. Please note applicants must choose the ‘ENHANCED’ option when completing their account online.
The applicant must present the completed and signed Pin to the Incumbent along with three original ID documents as specified by AccessNI – see Pin Notification & ID Validation Form.  The Incumbent must check the ID documents, sign the Pin Notification Form and ID Validation Form and must PHOTOCOPY the original ID documents.  The completed and signed Pin Notification & ID Validation Form along with the PHOTOCOPIES of the documents should be sent to Claire Geoghegan, Board of Education, Church of Ireland, Floor 2, 18-22 Hill Street, Belfast, BT1 2LA

Step 3 – Pin Notification and Validation Form and relevant documents must be submitted to the Board of Education within 9 weeks of the application being made online or it will be rejected automatically by Access NI.

Step 4 – The completed application will be lodged automatically and immediately to the online account of the Board of Education for processing.

Step 5 – The applicant will receive their certificate. It is their responsibility to inform their Incumbent / Parish Panel of receipt of this.

Please note this process should not take more than a couple of weeks. It is the Incumbent’s responsibility to ensure that the Validation Form has been received by the Board of Education. The Board of Education will only be in contact if there is an error in the administration and will not be chasing up Validation Forms not received.

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact Gillian or Claire at 028 9082 8860 or by email:
Gillian – sgoni@rcbcoi.org
Claire – claire.geoghegan@rcbcoi.org