If you have been successfully allocated to the post of an English Language Assistant, you are required to apply for an International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) from ACRO which is in accordance with the British Council’s Child Protection policy. An approved ICPC certificate will allow you to work with young people under 18 in your host country.
ACRO Criminal Records Office is a national police unit working for safer communities and is responsible for issuing ICPCs to English Language Assistants.
You will be withdrawn from the programme if your ICPC is not received by the deadline.
Your ICPC may also be required to apply for a visa for your host country and it is essential you adhere to the required deadline.
There are six stages to successfully applying for an ICPC:
Step 1: You receive your allocation email from the Language Assistants Team - this is required as part of the application process for an ICPC which costs £75 (as of May 2022)
Step 2: You will receive an email from the Team in June advising you on the process with guidance, your deadline and links to relevant sites including ACRO. An ICPC costs £75.
Step 3: Log onto www.acro.police.uk/icpc
Step 4: Follow the guidance on both the ACRO website and our own guidance to apply for an ICPC
Step 5: On completion of your application, you will receive an automated e-mail once the payment has been completed. Your Acknowledgement of Receipt should be uploaded as outlined in your initial ICPC e-mail. You must complete some fields including your unique ELA reference number which you can find in your allocation e-mail. Please uploaded by deadline specified in your initial ICPC e-mail.
Step 6: When you receive your ICPC, please upload as soon as possible using the link provided (please note that we can only accept coloured quality scans with the hologram clearly visible in the bottom right hand corner).
Please note that you are not fully eligible to participate in the programme until the British Council receives and checks your ICPC. Do not book any travel until the British Council receives, checks and acknowledges your ICPC. Failure to upload your ICPC will lead to withdrawal from the programme.
Any queries should be sent to: ICPC@BritishCouncil.org.