How long does Garda vetting take?

Allow around two to six weeks from the point a school starts vetting an SNA to the disclosure coming back. How long depends on which body is processing it, the National Vetting Bureau, an Education and Training Board (ETB), or a Diocese, and how busy they are at the time.

That range is a guide, not a guarantee. Some come back sooner, others take longer.

An SNA's Garda vetting belongs to the school that requested it. It is not a clearance the person holds and carries with them, so each school an SNA works with arranges vetting separately, even if that SNA has been vetted elsewhere before.

Substitute Teachers work differently. Teaching Council registration is administered centrally, and a registered teacher can share their vetting disclosure with current and prospective schools.

Some ETB-affiliated school groups issue a certificate that covers every school under that ETB. If that might apply, check with the ETB directly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ClassCover records vetting, it doesn't process it. We store the vetting information a school enters so it's visible on their list and renewal reminders can be sent. We don't submit applications, and we have no visibility of where an application sits in the queue.

You arrange vetting for each SNA you want to work with, through your accrediting body, the National Vetting Bureau, your ETB, or your Diocese.

• Apply early. Start vetting as soon as you know you want to work with an SNA, not when you first need cover.
• Check the applicant has completed their link. The Vetting Bureau emails the applicant directly, and nothing progresses until they complete and submit it.
• Keep building your list while you wait. You don't need one person's vetting to come through before inviting others.
• Record the disclosure date as soon as it arrives, and set a review date so you get a reminder ahead of your next check.

For an update on an application, contact the body handling it. Contacting ClassCover support won't speed it up or tell you where it stands.

Each school you work with arranges its own Garda vetting for you. Being vetted at one school doesn't carry over to the next, so expect a wait each time you start with a new school. 

• Watch for the email from the Vetting Bureau. Once a school starts your vetting, you'll be sent a link to complete. Nothing happens until you do, and the link sometimes lands in junk mail.
• You can track your own application. Go to the Garda vetting tracking page and enter your application number and date of birth. You don't need to go through the school for this.
• You don't submit anything in ClassCover. The school applies through its accrediting body and records the outcome.
• You can set up your profile straight away. Your profile doesn't wait on vetting, complete it and schools can find you.

There's no separate Garda vetting wait for each school. Your vetting is administered through the Teaching Council, so schools record your Teaching Council Number (TCN) rather than starting a new process.

• Have your TCN ready. Schools need it to add you to their list.
• You can share your vetting disclosure with schools from your Teaching Council account if a school asks to see it.
• You can skip the TCN when you first sign up if you don't have it yet, and add it later. Until it's on your profile, schools won't see you in Find New.
• For an update on your registration or vetting, contact the Teaching Council. ClassCover has no visibility of either.

Substitute Teachers: registered teachers are required to re-vet every three years, on a schedule managed by the Teaching Council. Teaching Council registration itself is separate and renews annually.

SNAs: re-vetting is arranged by the school or accrediting body. Follow your school's own policy and your patron body's or ETB's guidance, and use the review date recorded in ClassCover as a prompt.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact our support team via Chat in the app or email us at [email protected] - we're always here to help!