Screening for Sunday school teachers, youth workers and other volunteers are taking up to seven months according to the body that helps process up to 55,000 checks each year.
It is thought that checks do not need to take much longer than a day.
The Telegraph has reported that the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) which carries out the checks relies on police forces for information.
However figures show big variations between police forces meeting targets.
They are required to process 85% of applications within two weeks and 100% within 60 days.
Justin Humphreys, from the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service, has written to Home Secretary Theresa May asking for a meeting.
Writing to Theresa May, Mr Humphreys said: "I hope you can appreciate the frustration and anguish this is now causing the individual, as even though the delays have been explained, it is still a concern that people may misinterpret their delay in working due to a DBS/criminal-records check issue.
"Importantly it also meant that organisations that are reliant on volunteers to impact their local communities are left unable to operate safely."
Also speaking in The Telegraph, Andrew Marsh from Christian Concern added: "We are aware of situations where volunteers have not been able to come and help on summer residential holidays."
