Disclosure and barring service (DBS) documentation
In June 2013, the DBS introduced a number of changes to the process of applying for and receiving DBS certificates.
The Update Service
The DBS has introduced an Update Service to promote portability for DBS disclosures, avoiding the need for applicants to accrue multiple checks when working for different employers on either a paid or voluntary basis.
It will enable employers (with the applicant’s consent) to check online to see if the information shown on the disclosure is still current and valid (although please see comment below about regularity of updated information).
It will also mean that DBS certificates are no longer issued to the Registered Body – the certificate will go to the applicant only.
It is for employers to decide whether they choose to accept online status check issued through the Update Service.
The Council has taken the decision to continue to carry out its own DBS checks and will not currently accept status checks carried out through the Update Service, although this decision will be periodically reviewed.
Applicant only copy of the DBS certificate
Employers will no longer receive a copy of an applicant’s DBS certificate and as an employer you will therefore be reliant on the applicant providing you with sight of their original DBS certificate.
You may therefore wish to review the wording of offer letters and applicant guidance to explain the applicant’s responsibility to promptly provide a copy of the original DBS certificate. It may also be advisable to highlight this requirement at interview.
All applicants will be required to provide you with sight of their original DBS certificate. With the applicant’s consent you may take a copy of the DBS Certificate, but this should be securely destroyed within six months in line with the DBS guidelines.
Guidance is provided about how this will impact on the process of tracking applicant’s certificates and dealing with any safeguarding concerns in the DBS Change to Process document below.
DBS information held centrally by the Council
As your Registered Body we currently hold the following information about the DBS application we have processed for you:
- Certificate number
- Issue date
- Level of DBS check
- Suitable/not suitable
This information has been retained so that we have a full record of the process and has been useful in the past when schools/academies have enquired about portability of checks.
We are very happy to continue to hold this information if you wish to forward verified copies of DBS certificates that we have processed on your behalf.
Removal of specified old and minor offences from DBS certificates
Following legislative changes the DBS will now remove certain specified old and minor offences from criminal record certificates issued from this date. The filtering rules, together with the list of offences that will never be filtered, are available from the GOV.UK website.
Changes will be made to section e55 of the application form in due course but in the meantime, applicants will need to be advised of this change. Until the forms have been amended please refer to the alternative wording to be used for e55.
Non-conviction information
When considering the release of non-conviction information about an individual, the relevance of the information will be based on the type of workforce the individual will be working in, and not their actual job role. This change means that DBS Certificates can be taken from role to role within the same workforce i.e. an employee who has had a satisfactory check as part of the children’s workforce will be able to use the same certificate for another role in the children’s workforce.
The detail of what now needs to appear on the Section x61 of the application form is set out in the E55 and X61 guidance below.
Further detailed information can be found on the GOV.UK website.