There are several parts to the DBS application process, culminating in having your form issued. The first part of the process is confirming your identity, both to make sure you are who you say you are, and that the checks are carried out on the correct person. This is especially important if you have a relatively common name such as Karen Brown or Stephen Smith; there may be dozens of other people with your name living in the UK. In order to prove who you are and where you live, you’ll be asked to provide documents to verify your identity. There is a set list of documents which must be provided, and applicants aren’t allowed to deviate from the list.
How NPPV Vetting Differs from DBS
If you’ve been looking at making a move into working with the Police, you’ve probably seen the term NPPV. NPPV stands for Non-Police Personnel Vetting and applies to people who are working with the Police but who aren’t police officers. This could cover roles such as CCTV operators, administration staff, people working for the Immigration Service and police management personnel. The type of vetting which people have to go through to become a police officer is much more in-depth than even an enhanced DBS check.
Employing Someone With a Criminal Record
Would it surprise you to learn that an estimated 25% of the UK population have some sort of criminal record? Around 10 million of us have had some sort of brush with the law in the past, so the chances are that if you’re employing people to work in your business, you’re going to have some applicants who have a criminal record. But is this necessarily an issue?
Challenging Information on a DBS Certificate
We all make mistakes at work. Nine times out of ten these mistakes are fairly minor, don’t impact on our lives to any extent and are easily remedied. But what happens if the Police have made a mistake on your records and a DBS check which you expected to show no crimes and convictions comes back showing offences which you know you couldn’t possibly have committed?
Can Employers be Prosecuted if They Don’t Do DBS Checks?
Seems like a very straightforward question, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, there’s not a straight or simple answer to this one, and it will depend on the circumstances, the type of employer and the type of role being undertaken.
Post Office Identity Checking
The first part of any DBS check id to prove you are who you say you are. This is the case whether you’re applying to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales, Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) in Scotland or AccessNI in Northern Ireland. The process might vary slightly, but usually involves going along in person to an approved person in the organisation where you’ll be working with your documents, so that they can verify that your documents are authentic and that the person in the photographs is indeed you. In most cases this is easy, and just means a short journey into town to your new employer. If, however you’re applying for a job many miles away, or can’t get time off to travel for an appointment, it can be tricky. One option is to send originals in the post, but what happens if your passport, marriage certificate and driving licence get lost in the post or misplaced by your employer? One way round this is by using the Post Office’s verification service, which solves a lot of these issues.
Employment and Spent Convictions
On all job applications we are required to provide the same general information, i.e. Name, address etc. On most applications you will be asked if you have a criminal record and dependent on the post, a DBS check may be carried out to verify this.
What is a regulated activity in accordance with the DBS
As we know, any individual working with children or vulnerable adults is required to provide an enhanced DBS, checking for any current or previous convictions, formal warnings and cautions etc. However, an even more comprehensive check is an Enhanced and Barred list DBS, it is more detailed than a standard or enhanced DBS, and includes a check of people listed as being barred from working with children and vulnerable adults. This check shows any criminal convictions including spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and formal warnings together with any information held on the police computer.
BPSS, BS7858, DBS and FCA – What Does It All Mean?
The huge range of different options which employers in the UK have for screening staff can be confusing, especially as so many abbreviations and acronyms are used. Here are some of the most common types of screening, along with a brief explanation of where they are used to help you interpret the jargon.
Telling Lies About Your Criminal Record
We’ve all been there – applying for your perfect job, absolutely desperate to impress, secure that interview and start work. It wouldn’t hurt to tweak the truth a little, would it? Maybe inflate your A-level grades a bit, make up something interesting to do as a hobby and talk up previous experience? And what about that criminal record section, surely there’s no harm in forgetting to declare that minor scuffle outside a pub or a theft charge?