Having jumped through this hoop several times there are a number of slight inaccuracies/misleading comments here.
There's no such thing as one CRB check not being good enough for another organisation. It's
not the case that the MOD refuses to accept the child minder's CRB check.
The system that has been established (by the government) allows for a CRB check for one position only. Section B on the form clearly states "Details of position for which Disclosure is being requested". This is to prevent one CRB check being carried out which produces a negative result and then the applicant using this old CRB check as justification for a position of trust when they may have commited offences subsequent to the old check. By limiting the CRB check to one position only it forces the employer to make a fresh check thus revealing the most up-to-date results. Thus the MOD are actually carrying out their responsibilities quite properly when they ask for a new check.
Now I agree that this seems like paperwork for paperwork sake but it is for a good reason. The root cause of the problem is the length of time that a CRB check takes. Imagine that one could be achieved in 24 hours. Would you complain so hard then? I bet not. I fail to believe that a CRB check is anything more than a database search that should take 5 mins max, how this can turn into a 10 month marathon is the real issue here. Not the requirement for fresh checks each time.
Also, I'm somewhat confused by vigilant_spacey's comments:
I have this clearance, and just started a job with a large company. they having nothing to do with young people, but require a CRB check. This is due back tomorrow, and I applied last thursday.
How can you possibly know when it is due back? There is no system in place to inform the subject of the CRB that it has been completed or that it is even being processed until the results certificate arrives. I can only assume that this has been told to you in error by the company's HR department or this isn't the same CRB check the rest of us are talking about. The real CRB check is titled "Disclosure Application Form" and has a purple logo on the top right corner and a barcode next to it.
just my 2 cents