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It’s perhaps understandable that there is a lot of confusion about the Disclosure and Barring Service. Three different levels of disclosure checks, different systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland and separate rules for volunteers – it’s all very complicated. In most cases, understanding everything about the DBS system isn’t necessary. As long as you know how to fill in the form and what identity documents to provide, getting your certificate should be easy. Also, if you’re getting your DBS check for a job, your employer usually has someone who can help you. In other circumstances though you’re on your own. One of the least understood aspects of the system is the Update function. What’s it all about, and is it worth joining?

Have you ever been in trouble with the law? Most of us will remember if we’ve ever been arrested or been through the court system. But even if nothing as serious as that has happened, there aren’t many of us who get through life without a few points on our driving licence or a parking ticket. Is all of this information stored away somewhere, and could it come back to appear on a DBS certificate?

Of all the things we use to identify ourselves, our name is the most important. The question “What’s your name?” seems simple. But for many people, it’s not that straightforward. And when it comes to filling in the paperwork for a DBS check, it’s important to list all the names you have been known by.

There’s lots of jargon around DBS checks, and it can soon get very confusing if you aren’t legally trained. Terms like caution, unspent or charge might be second nature to police and legal professions but confusing for the lay person. Here’s our quick rundown to the most common police and DBS jargon, and what it means for your disclosure certificate.

In any part of life where money changes hands, there is the opportunity for fraud and scams. We like to think we’d easily be able to spot someone ripping us off, or attempting to steal our identity. But is that really the case? The number of cases of fraud reported to the police are rising each year. So when it coms to DBS checks, what are the scams you should be looking out for?

A lot of the coverage about the ongoing Brexit negotiations regards the rights of workers to be in the UK. The way this topic is discussed, you’d get the impression that this is something new. That’s’ actually not the case, and employers are already running lots of checks before taking someone on. Some of these checks are compulsory, and others, like DBS are optional. There is a lot of confusion though about how all the checks work now, and will do in the future.

Thousands of students are excitedly confirming their University places after receiving their A-level results. For many students, taking up a university place goes hand in hand with getting a part time job to support their studies. A move into the world of work might mean a DBS check too, but are there special DBS rules for students?

There’s a lot of information about DBS checks, mostly concentrating on the things which can go wrong with your application. Detailed information has its place, but sometimes it’s better to think in more general terms. We’ve put together the basic rules and tips for DBS checks, whatever your situation and whatever type of job you are applying for.

Most of the articles you see online about disclosures and criminal records checks concentrate on the enhanced type of disclosure. This is the high-profile end of the disclosure spectrum. Basic disclosures are the least detailed, then standard disclosures, and finally enhanced disclosures. An enhanced disclosure details not only your most recent criminal convictions and cautions, but also older information which the police thinks might be relevant. It’s the most robust checking system which we have, but not every occupation requires such in-depth checking.

If you are applying for a position which requires some type of criminal records check, then the last part of the process is receiving the certificate in the post. This is also the step which causes the most stress as there is a lot of confusion about what exactly will be shown on the certificate. There isn’t a straight answer either, as the type of information will depend on the level of disclosure check.